Berkeley SkyDeck is a startup accelerator associated with the University of California, Berkeley. It is a joint venture of the UC Berkeley College of Engineering, the Haas School of Business, and the Vice Chancellor for Research Office.
The accelerator provides a unique setup where industry and academia intersect, giving a platform to the startups to benefit from academia's research-oriented environment. With this fusion, startups can leverage university resources like faculty expertise, student talent, and extensive alumni network.
Berkeley SkyDeck, since its establishment, has made significant contributions to the startup and VC ecosystem. It has helped a plethora of startups to develop their concepts into sustainable businesses, many of which have gone on to become successful entities; changing industries and the global startup scene.
One such example is Kiwi Campus, a startup that participated in Berkeley SkyDeck’s Spring 2017 cohort. The company built and deployed a robot for last-mile delivery of food and small packages. Kiwi Campus is now delivering thousands of orders per week on over 15 college campuses across the United States.
Berkeley SkyDeck also offers the "SkyDeck Fund". It is a $24M investment fund where every admitted SkyDeck startup receives a $100k investment from the SkyDeck Fund. This provides initial seed funding to startups and serves as a launching pad.
In addition, Berkeley SkyDeck exposes startups to a network of over 300 advisors and mentors, who provide practical advice and connections to investors. During the six-month program, startups additionally get free office space at the penthouse of the tallest building in Berkeley.
Beyond conventional startups, Berkeley SkyDeck has managed to nurture innovation in diverse fields like Artificial Intelligence, Biotechnology, and Clean Energy. They’ve also managed to secure partnerships with leading industry companies, providing more resources for startups.
In conclusion, Berkeley SkyDeck represents a remarkable combination of academia and industry in the startup atmosphere, encouraging entrepreneurship, innovation and providing resources to bring remarkable ideas to life.
Showing your skills in picking successful startups and advising founders is the surest way to build your reputation and secure a venture capital role.
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