Berkeley SkyDeck
UC Berkeley's startup accelerator, a partnership of the business, engineering and research schools. The six-month cohort program takes about 20 startups per batch, invested in by the Berkeley SkyDeck Fund, and runs specialized tracks such as Bio+Health, Chip & Quantum, Air & Space, and FinTech & Blockchain. It also runs the Pad-13 incubator for startups that receive no investment.
At a glance
Berkeley SkyDeck key facts
- Investment
- $210K
- Equity
- 7.25%
- Deal terms
- $210K for ~7.25% (post-money SAFE or similar) + $7.5K program fee; option to invest up to 10% of first institutional round
- Duration
- 6 months
- Format
- In-person
- Headquarters
- Berkeley, United States
- Cohort locations
- Berkeley, United States
- Stage
- pre-seed, seed
- Sectors
- general, deep tech, ai, health, fintech
- Application cycle
- 2 batches a year
Verified November 3, 2026 against the sources below. Terms change; confirm on the official site before applying.
Timing
Batch 23 deadline was 21 Aug 2026 (program Nov 2026 to Apr 2027); the next window is expected to open around January but no date is published.
See all upcoming accelerator deadlines
Notable alumni
- Xendit
- Krisp
- DeepScribe
- MindsDB
- Chemix
FAQ
Applying to Berkeley SkyDeck
- How much does Berkeley SkyDeck invest?
- Berkeley SkyDeck's standard deal: $210K for ~7.25% (post-money SAFE or similar) + $7.5K program fee; option to invest up to 10% of first institutional round.
- How much equity does Berkeley SkyDeck take?
- Berkeley SkyDeck takes 7.25% equity.
- When is the Berkeley SkyDeck application deadline?
- Application cycle: 2 batches a year. Batch 23 deadline was 21 Aug 2026 (program Nov 2026 to Apr 2027); the next window is expected to open around January but no date is published.
- Where is Berkeley SkyDeck based?
- Berkeley SkyDeck is headquartered in Berkeley, United States. The program runs in person.
Preparing answers? Our accelerator application tips cover what reviewers look for.
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