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 Through firsthand accounts from faculty, staff, and alumni, the newly published Startup Campus book tells the story of how UC Berkeley became an unexpected engine of entrepreneurship, and offers a strategic playbook for other institutions working to grow their innovation ecosystems while advancing academic missions. In addition to including a section on the Berkeley Startup Cluster, the book spotlights programs like Bakar Bio Labs, CITRIS, and Berkeley SkyDeck, as well as the momentum gained through the establishment of the Office of Intellectual Property and Industry Research Alliances, a one-stop shop for companies to easily fund campus researchers as well as license and commercialize campus research innovations.
Purchase the book from the University of California Press.
 On Sept. 11, the East Bay Economic Development Alliance hosted the East Bay Global Forum at the DoubleTree by Hilton in the Berkeley Marina to spotlight international partnerships, collaboration, and innovation in our region.
Speakers highlighted why the East Bay (and in particular, Berkeley) is recognized as the #1 place for innovation investment. In addition to the "top talent", "weather", the East Bay’s collaborative culture, and global connections, some notable comments:
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"Berkeley is a living lab for sustainability, innovation, and culture." — Mayor Adena Ishii, City of Berkeley
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“Culture eats strategy for lunch. Berkeley is celebrated for its unified innovation ecosystem" — Caroline Winnett, Berkeley SkyDeck
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"Bayer is grateful for having a 46-acre Berkeley campus, a 30-year development agreement with the City of Berkeley, deep collaborations with Bakar Labs and bike mechanics from Waterside Workshops — Heike Abeck, Bayer
Visit East Bay EDA's business resource map to explore international trade contacts and other business resources. You can also contact East Bay EDA for questions on international partnerships and events. For more information about the East Bay’s innovation ecosystem, visit the Resilient East Bay website.
Cradle to Commerce Summit provides invaluable insights to founders at Berkeley Lab
On Sept. 12-13, great insights were shared at the Berkeley Lab's Cradle to Commerce Summit 2025 for startup founders working on renewable energy grid modernization, energy storage, nuclear energy, and building technologies.
Investors, philanthropies, government agencies, national lab leaders, and multinational companies all had advice to offer.
Some recommendations for founders:
- Look to philanthropy, FROs (focused research orgs) and state government to fill financing gaps that aren’t being filled by VCs right now. — Noel Bakhtian, Climate Tech Advisor
- Have a succinct story. 'What are you going to do, how will it impact society?' — Af Hernandez, Azolla Ventures
- "VCs are easy to get in touch with, but hard to get money from. Email more than once, they are often slammed." — Kevin Kopczynski, Congruent Ventures
Learn more about the Berkeley Lab's Cradle to Commerce program.
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EVENTS
THIS WEDNESDAY, September 17, 2025, 6:30-8:30 PM
Blum Hall, UC Berkeley
The Sutardja Center for Entrepreneurship & Technology is hosting a mixer in partnership with the Big Ideas, CITRIS Foundry, and eHub to get students inspired and explore the impressive innovative ecosystem that makes UC Berkeley unique. Network with fellow students, pitch your startup ideas, and discover potential co-founders. Open to all UC Berkeley students, regardless of level or major.
RSVP to attend.
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Thursday, September 18, 4-5 PM
Virtual
Join Big Ideas and NSF I-Corps for a dynamic virtual panel on innovation at UC Berkeley, featuring trailblazing entrepreneurs, program leaders, and mentors shaping the future of technology and social impact. Whether you’re an aspiring entrepreneur, a student curious about innovation, or simply interested in learning how ideas become ventures, this panel offers inspiration and practical takeaways.
Register to attend here.
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September 21, 2025, 2-5 PM
Willard Clubhouse and Park, 2720 Hillegass Ave, Berkeley
Join local leaders, and community partners for a joyful, hands-on celebration of clean energy and climate action. Berkeley startups Harvest and Moon Five will both have exhibitions for attendees.
Whether you're a renter curious about switching to electric, a homeowner looking to go solar, or a parent seeking fun family activities, Sun Day is for you.
RSVP today.
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 September 23, 2025, 2-6PM
UC Berkeley Zellerbach Hall
Berkeley SkyDeck’s Demo Day returns on September 23 for the Bay Area’s largest Demo Day. Accredited investors are invited to apply for an exclusive first look at the next wave of game-changing startups, alongside top investors and industry leaders. Batch 20 brings cutting-edge startups in AI, biotech, enterprise software, security tech, robotics, and more.
Accredited investors can apply to attend Demo Day here!
Thursday, September 25, 4–6:30 PM
The Research Park at Marina Village - The Retreat
2020 Challenger Drive, Suite 101, Alameda, CA 94501
Core by Biocom California invites you to their highly-anticipated annual Summer Hive Open House and Supplier Showcase in Alameda, where you’ll learn about Biocom California’s exclusive savings programs for life science companies. Discover how to significantly lower your operational costs through best-in-class suppliers while enjoying hand-crafted cocktails and tasty appetizers and networking with other life science professionals.
Register here. (Open to Biocom California members, as well as non-member industry companies.)
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Thursday, October 9, 12–1 PM
Virtual
Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Tech Transfer (STTR) contracts and grants at UC Berkeley involve working with a small business on a research project where UC Berkeley is the subcontractor to the small business. In this workshop,you will learn about the SBIR/STTR program, how UC Berkeley researchers have participated in projects, the process for working with a small business on an SBIR or STTR project, and intellectual property developed with this funding.
Register to attend here.
RESOURCES & OPPORTUNITIES
Apply by October 28.
Activate accelerates early-stage innovation by supporting scientists and engineers as they grow into entrepreneurial leaders. Through their two-year Activate Fellowship, science entrepreneurs gain funding, technical resources, and a robust network of peers and mentors to bring their research out of the lab and into the world. Become part of the next generation of Activate Fellows.
Apply here.
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Discover a best-in-class Class A R&D and office opportunity at 740 Heinz Avenue. Offering flexible footprints from 3,000 SF suites to full floors of 30,000+ SF, the property is designed to support a wide range of users, including biology labs, chemistry labs, dry labs, and high end fully furnished office space + parking.
Learn more here or contact Deke Douty for more information.
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With approximately 2,667 square feet, 1625 Shattuck Ave, Suite 270, is available for rent. The space has five private offices, a conference room, and a kitchen. It is walking distance to BART and the UC Berkeley campus.
Contact Joe McGlynn for more information.
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The SCET Innovation Fellows program is a 12-week, game-based experience designed to push students out of their comfort zones and into the world of entrepreneurship. Learn new skills, take on challenges, earn points, and compete for certificates and prizes—all while building your innovation journey at UC Berkeley.
Learn more here.
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Submission deadline: October 1, 2025, accepted on a rolling basis until November 1
The UC Berkeley Goldman School of Public Policy is seeking capstone project proposals for MPP, MPA and MDP students. There are approximately 175 students in need of projects for Spring 2026. Early submissions give your project the best chance to be seen by the largest number of students before they finalize their project choices.
Submit your proposal today.
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Community Resources for Science's Be A Scientist program is looking for volunteers to mentor 7th grade students for their first session of the 2025-26 school year at Longfellow Middle School in Berkeley.
Volunteer mentors will work with a small group of four or five 7th grade students to help each one design and execute an individual experiment of their choosing. After the one training session (held via zoom) there is no outside work – mentors just show up to work with the students.
Learn more here and apply by October 6.
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The SBIR/STTR programs, also known as America’s Seed Fund, is the largest source of early stage funding for companies in the United States. Eleven federal agencies currently award SBIR grants, and five award STTR grants, with new calls for proposals posted throughout the year.
Explore open solicitations for SBIR/STTR funding.
The University of California, Berkeley is home to one of the most vibrant innovation ecosystems in the world. BEGIN features Berkeley innovation and entrepreneurship resources, opportunities, events, and news to help you connect with the Berkeley ecosystem and take the next step in your entrepreneurial journey.
Explore more here.
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BERKELEY INNOVATORS MAKING NEWS
Congrats to Berkeley startup Copper, a developer of appliances with integrated battery storage, for receiving $28 million in a Series A financing led by Prelude Ventures. Copper is best known for their stainless steel range and oven called “Charlie.”
Read more from Cryptorank.
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Berkeley startup Ambi Robotics has already sold out their latest product, AmbiStack, which was introduced to the market in January 2025. AmbiStack is an AI-powered robotic stacking solution designed to optimize materials handling operations.
Read more from Inbound Logistics.
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Bakar Bio Labs and the Innovative Genomics Institute (IGI) are partnering on a new seven-story, 72,000 sq ft R&D facility, slated for completion by late 2028, located at Oxford Street & University Avenue on the north edge of the Berkeley Innovation Zone. The IGI-Bakar Labs building will house expansion space for biotech companies transitioning out of early incubators. This space will offer state-of-the-art labs and offices, community support, and proximity to campus resources to high-potential startups.
Read more from UC Berkeley News and Bakar Bio Labs News.
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In its newest ranking of America’s Top Colleges, Forbes placed UC Berkeley at #5 nationwide and #1 among public universities based on academic, financial and career outcomes for undergraduate students. The annual list showcases 500 colleges that produce successful, high-earning and influential graduates from all economic backgrounds, who graduate with less student debt.
Read more from UC Berkeley News.
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UC Berkeley Chancellor Rich Lyons and City of Berkeley Mayor Adena Ishii welcomed new and returning Golden Bears! They gave a special shout out to the Berkeley Startup Cluster's Berkeley Ventures, Berkeley Values initiative, which inspires innovative businesses to engage in the community and create more diverse teams and inclusive workplaces.
Read more from The Daily Californian.
Exciting innovation from the Berkeley Lab: researchers have developed a thin triple-pane glass that could transform the window industry. The new technology offers major potential for energy savings, lower utility costs, and job creation in U.S. manufacturing.
Read more about this breakthrough.
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Keep in Touch
For questions about the Berkeley Startup Cluster, contact: oedmailbox@berkeleyca.gov
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