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Did you know that R&D grants can be exempt from the calculation of your annual City of Berkeley business license taxes? The City’s annual renewal fees are calculated based on your company’s gross receipts. By filing an R&D grant tax waiver form before the Jan. 30, 2026 deadline, you can have any government or philanthropic R&D grants subtracted from the amount of your annual gross receipts. If you have already secured your business license, expect to receive your renewal notice this month and see the City’s webpage about annual business license renewals for more information.
If you do not already have a mandatory City of Berkeley business license, see this step-by-step guide from the City’s New Business Licenses webpage.
If you have any questions about the business license application or renewal process, please contact the City’s Business License department at buslic@berkeleyca.gov. For questions regarding the R&D grant waiver or other general support doing business in Berkeley, contact the Office of Economic Development.
 Photo: Berkeley Commons by Jason O'Rear
Even as headlines highlight rising life science vacancy rates across the Bay Area, Berkeley is entering a moment of opportunity. New articles from the San Francisco Business Times and The Daily Californian note that more high-quality R&D space has come online in recent years than companies can immediately absorb, but for Berkeley, this has created something we’ve never had before: room for startups to launch and grow right here in the city.
As Elizabeth Redman Cleveland from the City of Berkeley's Office of Economic Development and the Berkeley Startup Cluster put it: “Historically, there weren’t spaces like Berkeley Commons or others where small entrepreneurs that came out of the university lab could actually build a team and scale their company, and we finally have that. I hope the overall ecosystem has both the real estate assets and the talent, and will show up in time to be the vibrant innovation sector in Berkeley.” With world-class research institutions and now a meaningful supply of lab space, Berkeley is well-positioned to capture the next wave of biotech, climate tech, and deep tech innovation.
Read more: Berkeley-Emeryville life sciences vacancy rate soars to 43.5% in the San Francisco Business Times or Berkeley life science buildings sit empty as biotech vacancy rises in The Daily Californian.
Berkeley Startup Cluster shares innovation economy strategies with Berkeley's oldest sister city, Sakai, Japan
 The Berkeley Startup Cluster was honored to welcome a delegation from Sakai City, Japan, the City of Berkeley's oldest sister city! We heard from the Mayor of Sakai City and learned about Sakai's long history as an innovation hub, shaped by its ironworking heritage (hand-forged knives) and companies like Shimano (the world's top bicycle parts manufacturer). The delegation from Sakai expressed strong interest in building deeper partnerships with the City of Berkeley and UC Berkeley, Berkeley SkyDeck and Berkeley Lab as they seek resource exchanges to help foster innovation. By building a strong cross-cultural partnership, Sakai hopes to encourage startup collaborations and innovations to address social challenges.
Learn more about the Sakai sister city program through the Berkeley-Sakai Association.
 Part of the city's #DiscoveredinBerkeley campaign, a Berkeleyside article in October, “Berkeley startup, Magnetic Tides, has developed a new treatment for stroke patients” shares how a brain stimulation technology using magnetic fields can improve arm and hand function in chronic stroke patients. The UC Berkeley spinout’s non-invasive procedure will be tested through clinical trials starting in early 2026 at UCSF and has already been granted “Breakthrough Device Designation” by the U.S. Food & Drug Administration.
Earlier this month, the Magnetic Tides team shared their career journeys and explained their technology (which has no side effects!) with students from Berkeley High School's National Society of Black Engineers Jr chapter during the STEM CareerX tour organized by the CSU East Bay Institute for STEM Education.
Read the Berkeleyside article on the DiscoveredinBerkeley website and follow @DiscoveredinBerkeley on Instagram to see more about other innovative Berkeley businesses.
Magnetic Tides is now taking sign-ups for clinical trials of its treatment for stroke patients. Contact: participate@magnetictides.com.
UC Berkeley Haas School of Business has received an anonymous $10 million gift (from two UC Berkeley Alumni) to support student entrepreneurship for years to come, reinforcing the school’s position among the nation’s top producers of startup founders. The gift will be used to support all aspects of entrepreneurship at the Haas School of Business, ensuring that students will benefit from an enhanced curriculum, mentorship, pitch days, team collaboration, founder support, and many more startup opportunities. The gift will be initially divided among three entrepreneurship efforts:
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UC LAUNCH (40%) – Berkeley Haas’ flagship startup accelerator, offering a three-month program that combines Lean Startup methods with mentorship from entrepreneurs and venture capitalists.
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The eHub at UC Berkeley (30%) – Funds the eHub “navigator,” who guides students—especially first-generation and underrepresented founders—through Berkeley’s 100+ innovation resources.
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Student Entrepreneurship Program (StEP) (30%) – A 10-week campus-wide incubator supporting early-stage startups through team building, idea validation, and founder development.
Read more about how this gift strengthens the Haas mission.
Congratulations to Berkeley-based innovators recognized as 2025 Biocom California Catalyst Award winners! Biocom California’s Life Science Catalyst Awards celebrate rising leaders under 40 who are shaping the future of California’s life sciences sector. Out of more than 90 nominees statewide, two Berkeley-connected founders were honored for their groundbreaking contributions:
- Marco Lobba, Ph.D., Co-Founder & CEO of CatenaBio: A UC Berkeley Ph.D. trained under Nobel Laureate Jennifer Doudna, Marco co-invented the CysTyr platform, which enables precise antibody conjugation for oncology, gene therapy, and cell-based therapies.
- Akash Bakshi, Co-Founder & CEO of YourChoice Therapeutics: Recognized for his innovative approach, Akash is challenging long-standing gender norms in family planning and advocating for shared responsibility in contraception.
Congratulations to all of the Catalyst Award Winners!
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