Berkeley Gateway to Innovation
Your gateway to the Berkeley innovation ecosystem
UC Berkeley is one of the most storied innovation ecosystems in the world. BEGIN connects you with the resources, opportunities, events and news to take the next step in your journey — wherever you’re starting from.
Not sure where to start? Ask BearGPT
The Campanile and the San Francisco Bay · Photo: Joe Parks
The #1 university in venture-funded startups founded by undergraduate alumni
- Public university in America
- #1Public university in America
- Undergraduate startup founders
- 1,804Undergraduate startup founders
- Annual research funding
- $1B+Annual research funding
- In unicorn founders worldwide
- #4In unicorn founders worldwide
- Active inventions
- 1,499Active inventions
- Active U.S. patents
- 881Active U.S. patents
The innovation roadmap
Four stages, from first spark to significant scale. Find where you are, then explore the resources that meet you there.
- 1
Stage 01
Ideation
Explore problems worth solving, test assumptions and shape a first concept — no company required.
- 2
Stage 02
Early formation
Commit to the idea: validate it with real customers, find co-founders and form the venture.
- 3
Stage 03
Accelerate
Grow fast with structured support — accelerators, funding and lab space on the way to market.
- 4
Stage 04
Scale
Expand operations, customers and revenue — with the capital and networks to match.
Resource directory
Every resource in the ecosystem, at a glance — 155 resources and counting.
| Resource | Stage | Audience |
|---|---|---|
| Bakar Bio Labs | Early formation · Accelerate | All audiences |
| Bakar Institute of Digital Materials for the Planet | — | PhD students, Postdocs, Faculty, Industry |
| Bakar Labs Campus Programs | Ideation · Early formation | Undergraduates, PhD students, Postdocs, Faculty |
| Bakar Labs for Energy & Materials | Early formation · Accelerate | All audiences |
| BearX | Ideation | Alumni, Masters students, PhD students, Undergraduates |
| Bee Partners | Scale | Alumni, Faculty, Industry, Masters students, PhD students, Postdocs, Undergraduates |
| Berkeley Angel Network | Scale | Alumni, Faculty, Masters students, PhD students, Postdocs, Undergraduates |
| Berkeley Catalyst Fund I | Scale | Alumni, Faculty, Industry, Masters students, PhD students, Postdocs, Undergraduates |
| Berkeley Catalyst Fund II | Scale | Alumni, Faculty, Masters students, PhD students, Postdocs, Undergraduates |
| Berkeley Center for Digital Assets | — | Undergraduates, Masters students, PhD students, Faculty, Industry |
| Berkeley Center for Green Chemistry | — | All audiences |
| Berkeley Center for Law and Business | — | All audiences |
| Berkeley Center for Responsible, Decentralized Intelligence | Early formation · Accelerate | All audiences |
| Berkeley Changemaker | Ideation | Undergraduates |
| Berkeley Climate Change Network | — | All audiences |
| Berkeley Corporate Engagement Network | — | Staff, Faculty, Industry |
| Berkeley Discovery | Ideation | Masters students, PhD students, Undergraduates |
| Berkeley Entrepreneurs Association | Ideation | Undergraduates |
| Berkeley Executive Education | — | Alumni, Industry |
| Berkeley Founders' Pledge | — | All audiences |
| Berkeley Frontier Fund | Early formation · Accelerate · Scale | All audiences |
| Berkeley Haas Alumni Relations | Scale | Alumni |
| Berkeley Haas Entrepreneurship Hub | Ideation · Early formation · Accelerate · Scale | Masters students, PhD students, Postdocs, Undergraduates |
| Berkeley Haas Entrepreneurship Program | Ideation · Early formation | Undergraduates, Masters students, PhD students |
| Berkeley Haas Entrepreneurship Startup Seed Fund | Early formation | Masters students, PhD students, Undergraduates |
| Berkeley Innovators | Accelerate · Scale | Alumni, Faculty, Industry, Masters students, PhD students, Postdocs, Staff, Undergraduates |
| Berkeley Innovators | Scale | Alumni, Masters students, PhD students, Postdocs, Undergraduates |
| Berkeley Institute for Data Science | — | Undergraduates, Masters students, PhD students, Postdocs, Faculty, Staff |
| Berkeley IP Practicum | Early formation · Accelerate · Scale | Industry |
| Berkeley Management, Entrepreneurship, & Technology | Ideation | Undergraduates |
| Berkeley Master of Design | Ideation | Masters students |
| Berkeley Postdoc Entrepreneurs Program | Ideation | Postdocs |
| Berkeley Research Infrastructure Commons | Accelerate | Industry |
| Berkeley SkyDeck | Early formation · Accelerate | All audiences |
| Berkeley SkyDeck Fund | Early formation · Accelerate | All audiences |
| Berkeley SkyDeck Fund I | Scale | Alumni, Faculty, Masters students, PhD students, Postdocs, Undergraduates |
| Berkeley Startup Cluster | Accelerate | Industry |
| Berkeley StEP | Ideation · Early formation | Undergraduates, Masters students, PhD students, Postdocs, Faculty, Alumni |
| Berkeley Venture Capital | Ideation | Undergraduates |
| Berkeley-Taiwan Health Innovation Accelerator | Scale | Alumni, Faculty, Masters students, PhD students, Postdocs, Undergraduates |
| Better Ventures | Scale | Alumni, Faculty, Masters students, PhD students, Postdocs, Undergraduates |
| Big Ideas Contest | Ideation · Early formation | Undergraduates, Masters students, PhD students |
| BioEnginuity Impact Grant | Ideation | PhD students |
| Biology Scholars Program | Ideation | Undergraduates |
| Biomolecular Nanotechnology Center | Accelerate | Faculty, Industry |
| Blue Bear Ventures | Scale | Alumni, Faculty, Masters students, PhD students, Postdocs, Undergraduates |
| Blum Center Social Innovator OnRamp | Early formation | Masters students, PhD students, Postdocs, Undergraduates |
| Bow Capital | Scale | Alumni, Faculty, Masters students, PhD students, Postdocs, Undergraduates |
| Build the Future | Ideation | Undergraduates |
| Built By Berkeley | — | All audiences |
| Cal Alumni Association | Accelerate | Alumni |
| Cal Athletics | — | Undergraduates |
| Cal Hacks | Ideation | Masters students, PhD students, Undergraduates |
| Cal Hacks Fellowship | Early formation | Masters students, PhD students, Postdocs, Undergraduates |
| Cal NERDS | — | Undergraduates, Masters students, PhD students |
| CalFounders | Accelerate | Alumni |
| California Innovation Fund | Scale | Alumni, Faculty, Masters students, PhD students, Postdocs, Undergraduates |
| California Institute for Energy and Environment | — | All audiences |
| CalTestBed | Scale | Alumni, Faculty, Masters students, PhD students, Postdocs, Undergraduates |
| Career Center | Ideation | Undergraduates |
| Center for Healthcare Marketplace Innovation | — | All audiences |
| Center for Unmet, Rare, and Emerging Diseases | — | Faculty, Postdocs, PhD students |
| CITRIS and the Banatao Institute | Ideation · Early formation | All audiences |
| Cleantech to Market | Ideation | Masters students, PhD students |
| Climate Solutions Fund | Accelerate · Scale | Alumni, Masters students, Undergraduates |
| College of Computing, Data Science, and Society | — | All audiences |
| Collider Cup | Ideation | Masters students, PhD students, Undergraduates |
| Courtyard Ventures | Scale | Alumni, Faculty, Masters students, PhD students, Postdocs, Undergraduates |
| Cradle to Commerce | Ideation | Faculty |
| Cyclotron Road | Early formation | Faculty |
| Decode | Ideation · Early formation · Accelerate | Alumni, Faculty, Industry, Masters students, PhD students, Postdocs, Staff, Undergraduates |
| Deep Tech Innovation Lab | Ideation | All audiences |
| Department of Molecular & Cell Biology | — | All audiences |
| Design Scholars Program | Ideation | Undergraduates |
| Dorm Room Fund | Early formation | Undergraduates |
| Double Bottom Line Ventures | Scale | Alumni, Faculty, Masters students, PhD students, Postdocs, Undergraduates |
| EDGE in Tech Initiative at U.C. | Ideation | Alumni, Faculty, Masters students, PhD students, Postdocs, Undergraduates |
| Educational Programs and New Initiatives, College of Computing, Data Science, and Society | — | All audiences |
| Energy & Biosciences Institute | Early formation | All audiences |
| Erupture Ventures | Scale | Alumni, Faculty, Masters students, PhD students, Postdocs, Undergraduates |
| FastTracking Founders Program | Early formation | Alumni, Masters students, PhD students, Undergraduates |
| FORM+FUND – Legal Support | Early formation | Alumni, Faculty, Masters students, PhD students, Postdocs, Undergraduates |
| Free Ventures | Early formation | Undergraduates |
| Free Ventures Fellowship | Ideation | Undergraduates |
| Funding to Black & Latinx Founders | — | All audiences |
| Fung Fellowship | Ideation | Undergraduates |
| Fung Institute for Engineering Leadership | — | Masters students |
| Garwood Center for Corporate Innovation | Ideation | Faculty, Industry, Masters students, PhD students, Undergraduates |
| Haas Impact Fund | Early formation | Masters students |
| Haas School of Business | — | All audiences |
| Haas Venture Fellows | Ideation | Masters students |
| Handshake | Early formation | Alumni, Faculty, Masters students, PhD students, Postdocs, Undergraduates |
| Health Engine | Early formation | Masters students, Undergraduates |
| Health Tech CoLab | Accelerate | Masters students, PhD students, Undergraduates |
| Henry Wheeler Center for Emerging & Neglected Diseases | — | Faculty, Postdocs, PhD students |
| HS Chau Women in Enterprising Science | Early formation | Alumni, Faculty, Masters students, PhD students, Undergraduates |
| I School Innovators | Scale | Alumni, Masters students, PhD students, Undergraduates |
| Impact Science Ventures | Scale | Alumni, Faculty, Masters students, PhD students, Undergraduates |
| Inclusive Innovation Equitable Entrepreneurship | Ideation | Alumni, Faculty, Masters students, PhD students, Undergraduates |
| Industry Alliances Office | — | Faculty, Industry |
| Innovation & Entrepreneurship | — | All audiences |
| Innovation & Entrepreneurship Council | Ideation | All audiences |
| Innovative Genomics Institute | — | All audiences |
| Institute for Business Innovation | — | All audiences |
| Ironfire Ventures | Scale | Alumni, Faculty, Masters students, PhD students, Postdocs, Undergraduates |
| Jacobs Institute for Design Innovation | Ideation | All audiences |
| Kapor Capital | Scale | Alumni, Faculty, Masters students, PhD students, Postdocs, Undergraduates |
| Kavli Energy NanoScience Institute | — | PhD students, Postdocs, Faculty |
| Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory | — | All audiences |
| Learn2Launch | Ideation | All audiences |
| Life Science Angels | — | All audiences |
| Life Sciences Entrepreneurship Center | Ideation · Early formation | Undergraduates, Masters students, PhD students, Postdocs, Faculty |
| Marvell Nanolab | Ideation | Faculty |
| Master of Engineering program | Ideation | Masters students |
| Master of Translational Medicine | Ideation | Masters students |
| ME Student Machine Shop | Ideation | Masters students, PhD students, Undergraduates |
| Molecular Therapeutics Initiative | Ideation | PhD students, Postdocs, Faculty |
| Neurotech Collider Lab | Ideation | Undergraduates, Masters students, PhD students |
| New Academic Ventures, Berkeley | — | Faculty, Staff |
| NSF I-Corps Hub Northwest | Ideation · Early formation | All audiences |
| Nuclear Innovation Bootcamp | Ideation | Industry, Masters students, PhD students, Undergraduates |
| Nucleate Bay Area | Ideation | Faculty, Masters students, PhD students |
| Office of Technology Licensing | Ideation · Early formation | Faculty, Postdocs, PhD students, Staff, Industry |
| Ollie Legal | Ideation | Alumni, Faculty, Industry, Masters students, PhD students, Postdocs, Undergraduates |
| Open Innovation Labs | — | Undergraduates, Masters students, Industry |
| Osage University Partners | — | Alumni, Faculty, Industry, Masters students, PhD students, Postdocs, Undergraduates |
| PostX | Ideation | Postdocs |
| QB3 Garage@Berkeley | Accelerate | Alumni, Faculty, Industry, PhD students, Postdocs |
| QB3 Innovation Discovery | Early formation · Accelerate | Alumni, Faculty, Masters students, PhD students, Postdocs |
| QB3 Mentoring | Accelerate | Alumni, Faculty, Industry, PhD students, Postdocs |
| QB3-Berkeley | Early formation | All audiences |
| QB3-Central | Early formation | Alumni, Faculty, Industry, Masters students, PhD students, Postdocs, Undergraduates |
| Rausser College of Natural Resources | — | All audiences |
| Richmond Field Station | — | All audiences |
| Robinson Life Science, Business, and Entrepreneurship Program | Ideation | Undergraduates |
| Roger Herst Quantum Nexus | — | All audiences |
| SBIR/STTR Grants | Early formation | Alumni, Faculty, Industry, Masters students, PhD students, Postdocs, Staff, Undergraduates |
| SCET - Summer Venture Lab | Early formation | Masters students, PhD students, Undergraduates |
| she256 | Ideation | Undergraduates |
| SkyDeck ACE Intern Program | Ideation | Undergraduates |
| Social Impact at UC Berkeley Public Health | Ideation | Undergraduates, Masters students, PhD students |
| Startup@Berkeley Law | Early formation | Faculty, Industry, Masters students, PhD students, Undergraduates |
| Sustainable & Impact Finance | Early formation | Masters students |
| Sutardja Center for Entrepreneurship & Technology | Ideation · Early formation | All audiences |
| Tech Transfer (IPIRA) DEI Page | Ideation | Faculty, Masters students, PhD students, Postdocs, Undergraduates |
| The House Fund | Ideation · Early formation | Undergraduates, Masters students, PhD students, Postdocs, Faculty, Alumni |
| Tory Burch Fellowship | Early formation | Alumni, Masters students, Undergraduates |
| UC Berkeley School of Public Health | — | All audiences |
| UC Berkeley Strategic Communications | — | Faculty, Staff |
| UC Launch | Early formation · Accelerate | All audiences |
| UCB Startup Fair | Ideation | Alumni, Masters students, PhD students, Postdocs, Undergraduates |
| Venture Capital Investment Competition | Ideation | Masters students |
| Venture Capital Services | — | All audiences |
| Vice Chancellor for Research Office | — | PhD students, Postdocs, Faculty, Staff |
| YC Co-Founder Matching @ SCET | Ideation | Faculty, Masters students, PhD students, Postdocs, Undergraduates |