Berkeley SkyDeck 2027: Deadline, Funding and How to Apply

Berkeley SkyDeck is the startup accelerator of the University of California, Berkeley. It launched in 2012 as a joint program of the Haas School of Business, the College of Engineering and the Office of the Vice Chancellor for Research. It runs two batches a year from a penthouse space on Shattuck Avenue in downtown Berkeley. SkyDeck has two tracks. The Cohort track takes 20 to 25 teams per batch. Each receives a $210K investment from the Berkeley SkyDeck Fund for 7.25% of the company, usually on a post-money SAFE. The Pad-13 track takes 60 to 80 teams that get workspace and many of the same resources, without a guaranteed check. The fund may invest in Pad-13 teams that raise an institutional round. Startups do not need a Berkeley connection to apply. UC-affiliated companies get priority, but roughly two thirds of past startups were founded outside the US. What sets SkyDeck apart is the university network. Teams get access to more than 900 advisors, a partner network with over $750K in in-kind legal, financial and tech resources, and the Berkeley alumni base of about 613,000 people. Lime, the scooter and bike company, is the alumnus most often named.

Each batch lasts six months in person at SkyDeck in Berkeley. Batch 23 starts with orientation on November 2, 2026 and runs to April 15, 2027. Cohort teams are matched with a Lead Advisor and get designated workspace. All teams can attend weekly roundtables, workshops and events and book time with the 900+ SkyDeck advisors. Partners provide over $750K in in-kind legal, financial and tech resources. SkyDeck also helps with business development through its industry partners and the Berkeley alumni network. The batch ends with Demo Day in April, where Cohort teams pitch to more than 900 investors. Pad-13 teams use open workspace and do not pitch at Demo Day.

SkyDeck says it is industry agnostic and accepts startups in any vertical. It selects about 20 Cohort startups every six months from a global applicant pool, so the bar is high. UC-affiliated companies get priority, but outside founders are eligible and make up a large share of past batches. Teams should be early stage and ready to use a six month in person program in Berkeley. The application page does not list detailed selection criteria beyond this.