BERKELEY, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Berkeley SkyDeck, the global hub for entrepreneurship and a leading accelerator, today announced it will be hosting its Demo Day on April 6, 2022. The first of its Demo Days to be held in person since the start of the pandemic, Berkeley SkyDeck will feature 21 startups from its Batch 13 program, representing founders from 13 different countries. The startups, ranging in industries from health and biotech, security, robotics, edtech, logistics, cleantech, aerospace, enterprise software, green tech and more, will each have five minutes to present to a group of highly accredited investors representing some of the largest venture capital firms in Silicon Valley. See the full list of startups participating here.
Berkeley SkyDeck’s accelerator program is highly competitive, accepting just over 1% of startups that apply. Cohort companies receive $200,000 in financing, $750,000 worth of free and discounted resources, and access to SkyDeck’s unsurpassed network of UC Berkeley alumni, faculty, and advisors.
“We are greatly impressed with the caliber of innovation we’ve seen from this class of global, Berkeley, and UC startups,” said Caroline Winnett, Executive Director at Berkeley SkyDeck. “There is a true desire from founders around the world to solve real problems, and it’s a privilege to watch how they leverage the Berkeley ecosystem to help launch their ideas forward. I’m confident our Demo Day attendees will be enthusiastic at the level of innovation and inventiveness this Batch has - addressing everything from mental health to language barriers to cleantech and better battery technology. We’ve got a fantastic mix of opportunities to showcase.”
Berkeley SkyDeck recently announced the close of the $60 million SkyDeck Fund II. Now in its fourth year, the Fund has invested in 160 companies, representing a wide range of businesses and industries, from 30 countries around the world. Unlike other VC funds, the SkyDeck Fund shares half of its profits with UC Berkeley, helping to continue the university’s mission of delivering excellence in education.
“Investing in the next generation of business leaders is at the core of both UC Berkeley and the SkyDeck fund,” said Chon Tang, Founding Partner, Berkeley SkyDeck Fund. “We are thrilled to work with founders all over the world and help leverage the phenomenal Berkeley ecosystem, while in turn offering a return on investment directly to the institution. In this way, Berkeley SkyDeck becomes a virtual cycle where everyone wins.”
The Berkeley SkyDeck Demo Day will be hosted from 3:00 pm to 6:30 pm on April 6, 2022, at Zellerbach Hall on the UC Berkeley campus, and will include a virtual livestream for those who cannot attend in person.
About Berkeley SkyDeck
Berkeley SkyDeck is a leading accelerator and the global hub for entrepreneurship. As UC Berkeley’s largest and most prominent accelerator, SkyDeck combines hands-on mentorship with the vast resources of its research university. SkyDeck is the only accelerator of its kind that offers the value of a dedicated investment fund alongside the resources and network of a top university. To date, SkyDeck startups have raised more than $1.7 billion in aggregate. Participating startups have access to SkyDeck’s 420 advisors, 70 industry partners, and a network of more than 510,000 UC Berkeley alumni. For more information, see skydeck.berkeley.edu.
