BERKELEY, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Berkeley SkyDeck, the global hub for entrepreneurship and leading accelerator, today announced that applications are now open for its 16th cohort, with a final deadline of February 17, 2023. Startups can apply here across a variety of specialized tracks such as Bio, Aero-Astro, Blockchain/Crypto, Chip and more. In addition, SkyDeck will continue to look for and select companies with significant potential for further venture capital investment across all industries. SkyDeck is also committed to elevating and selecting startups founded and led by people of color, women, and other underrepresented groups in the venture capital space.
“Despite economic headwinds, innovation never slows down, and the current economic conditions mean that the resources offered by Berkeley SkyDeck are more important than ever for startups looking to take the next steps in their journeys,” said Caroline Winnett, Executive Director of Berkeley SkyDeck. “We welcome both UC Berkeley and University of California affiliates, as well as international founders, to apply for this batch and tell us about their moonshot solutions.”
The highly selective and extensive Berkeley SkyDeck application process results in approximately 20 to 25 startups per cohort for the Berkeley SkyDeck program, and 10 startups for the SkyDeck Europe program, with a startup acceptance rate of just over 1.5%. Each Berkeley SkyDeck cohort company receives $200,000 in funding, $750,000 worth of free and discounted resources and access to SkyDeck’s unsurpassed network of UC Berkeley alumni, faculty and advisors. SkyDeck Europe companies receive €145,000, plus the same access to our resources and world-class network. Alumni of Berkeley SkyDeck have collectively raised more than $1.7 billion and enjoyed great success in their respective industries.
“We are confident there are strong startups with compelling founders who can benefit from the vast resources that SkyDeck has to offer,” said Chon Tang, Founding Partner, Berkeley SkyDeck Fund. “With our global reach, we are able to find ideas and technologies that might otherwise go unnoticed by venture capital, and I am looking forward to seeing what we uncover with these applicants.”
The $60 million SkyDeck Fund II, which closed in March 2022, actively funds companies representing 30 separate countries to date. Its portfolio currently includes 160 companies. The SkyDeck Fund then shares half of all profits with UC Berkeley, which continue to fuel the university’s mission of creating tomorrow’s leaders by pushing the boundaries of and expanding access to knowledge.
Berkeley SkyDeck will host interviews between March 6 - April 7, 2023. The five-month program will run from May through September 2023. Berkeley SkyDeck will host the cohort’s Demo Day for investors on September 19, 2023. Demo Day for SkyDeck Europe will be in October 2023.
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 500 advisors and mentors, 70 industry partners, and a network of more than 510,000 UC Berkeley alumni. For more information, see skydeck.berkeley.edu.
