Berkeley SkyDeck Fund

The Berkeley SkyDeck Fund helps support the next generation of global entrepreneurs from Berkeley SkyDeck, formed as a partnership between the Haas School of Business, the College of Engineering, and the Office of the Vice Chancellor for Research. It manages roughly $85 million in assets. Beyond capital, SkyDeck combines traditional accelerator consulting with the resources of a major research university, connecting startup "SkyTeams" to SkyAdvisors, partners, and a large network of accredited investors. Notably, it donates 50% of its carried interest back to UC Berkeley to support research and education. The fund believes academic founders are a distinct source of innovation and that science has no territorial boundaries, supporting promising startups from the Bay Area and around the world across a broad range of technology sectors. It frequently co-invests alongside firms like Index Ventures, Insight Partners, Tiger Global, and First Round Capital. SkyDeck Fund has completed over 300 investments in early-stage startups, with criteria centered on backing brilliant, energetic academic founders through its accelerator's application process rather than a narrow sector or stage focus.