Welcome to the Berkeley Gateway to Innovation!
The University of California, Berkeley is home to one of the most vibrant innovation ecosystems in the world. BEGIN features Berkeley innovation and entrepreneurship resources, opportunities, events, and news to help you connect with the Berkeley ecosystem and take the next step in your entrepreneurial journey.
Innovation Roadmap
Unlock your entrepreneurial potential and conquer each stage of your journey with our innovation roadmap.
Delve into a wide range of resources carefully curated to support your progress, and pave the way for your business success today.
STAGE 1
Ideation
The ideation stage is where entrepreneurs and innovators brainstorm, explore, and develop new business ideas. This stage involves the creative process of generating and refining potential concepts for a viable product, service, or business.
What is Ideation?
Ideation is the critical phase where entrepreneurs generate and refine creative concepts for potential business ventures. It involves brainstorming, identifying market needs or problems, and conceptualizing innovative solutions. During this phase, entrepreneurs explore various ideas, consider their feasibility, and assess the market dynamics to pinpoint opportunities. It shapes the unique value proposition that will distinguish the business in the competitive landscape.
How can Berkeley help?
UC Berkeley offers a wealth of resources and support for individuals and teams looking to start and grow startups. With the university’s diverse academic programs and talent pool for co-founders, employees, and advisors, the university's dedicated startup resources can help you get the guidance needed to turn your startup idea into a successful venture.
Popular Programs
Berkeley Changemaker®
Berkeley Changemaker™ is a program that codifies an essential part of what UC Berkeley has always stood for and provides a galvanizing narrative that our whole campus is…
Berkeley Discovery
At UC Berkeley, students are encouraged to develop their passions through a journey of discovery that deepens their learning, betters the world, and launches their future. The Berkeley…
Sutardja Center for Entrepreneurship & Technology
The Sutardja Center for Entrepreneurship & Technology is the premier institution on the UC Berkeley campus for the study and practice of “technology-centric” entrepreneurship and innovation using the…
STAGE 2
Early Formation
Early formation in the startup journey refers to the initial stages of creating a new company or business venture. This phase is characterized by activities and decisions that lay the foundation for the startup's future growth and success.
What is Early Formation?
Early formation typically refers to the initial stages of a startup's development, where the company is in its infancy and is taking its first steps toward becoming a viable business. Successful navigation of this stage is essential for the startup to progress to later stages, such as growth, scaling, and maturity.
How can Berkeley help?
UC Berkeley offers a wealth of resources and support for individuals and teams looking to start and grow startups. With the university’s diverse academic programs and talent pool for co-founders, employees, and advisors, the university's dedicated startup resources can help you get the guidance needed to turn your startup idea into a successful venture.
Popular Programs
Big Ideas Contest
Big Ideas is an early-stage university-based innovation contest that connects students—the world’s next generation of social entrepreneurs—with the mentorship, training, and resources needed to successfully conceptualize, deploy, and scale social innovations. Big Ideas plugs student…
Startup@Berkeley Law
Startup@BerkeleyLaw hosts FORM+FUND, a workshop series for Berkeley-affiliated entrepreneurs. Now in its sixth year, FORM+FUND teaches the core legal, financial, and organizational aspects of starting and scaling a venture-backed business.
Bakar Fellows
The Bakar Fellows Program supports faculty with proof-of-concept funding for projects that are more advanced than basic research, but not yet to the point of commercialization, to mature and translate their ground-breaking discoveries and innovations….
STAGE 3
Accelerate
Acceleration refers to a phase where a startup experiences rapid growth and development, becoming significant players in their respective industries. This can be a critical period in a startup's life, characterized by significant progress and scaling.
What is Accelerate?
Acceleration marks the phase where a business undergoes rapid growth and expansion. This stage involves implementing strategies to increase the pace of operations, penetrate new markets, and amplify overall business impact. Entrepreneurs focus on optimizing processes, leveraging technology, and often seeking external funding to fuel the scaling efforts. This phase is characterized by a heightened focus on efficiency, scalability, and the ability to capitalize on emerging opportunities.
How can Berkeley help?
UC Berkeley offers a wealth of resources and support for individuals and teams looking to start and grow startups. With the university’s diverse academic programs and talent pool for co-founders, employees, and advisors, the university's dedicated startup resources can help you get the guidance needed to turn your startup idea into a successful venture.
Popular Programs
Berkeley Haas Entrepreneurship
The mission of the Berkeley-Haas Entrepreneurship Program is to integrate entrepreneurial thinking into the Haas student experience and to assist Haas and UC Berkeley students in launching new ventures. The program gives…
Big Ideas Contest
Big Ideas is an early-stage university-based innovation contest that connects students—the world’s next generation of social entrepreneurs—with the mentorship, training, and resources needed to successfully conceptualize, deploy, and scale social innovations. Big…
Berkeley SkyDeck
It takes a passionate team to backup each startup. SkyDeck offers all the benefits of a traditional accelerator along with the vast resources of the world’s number one ranked public university. Formed…
STAGE 4
Scale
Scaling refers to the phase where a startup expands its operations, customer base, and revenue significantly. This stage involves the strategic growth of the startup to reach a larger market and achieve a more prominent position in the industry.
What is Scale?
Scaling is the pivotal stage where a business strategically expands its operations and presence to accommodate increased demand and capitalize on growth opportunities. It involves amplifying production, enhancing distribution channels, and fortifying organizational structures. Scaling requires careful consideration of resource allocation, technology integration, and operational efficiency to ensure a smooth transition from a smaller setup to a more extensive, sustainable model.
How can Berkeley help?
UC Berkeley offers a wealth of resources and support for individuals and teams looking to start and grow startups. With the university’s diverse academic programs and talent pool for co-founders, employees, and advisors, the university's dedicated startup resources can help you get the guidance needed to turn your startup idea into a successful venture.
Popular Programs
Berkeley Catalyst Fund I
A Venture Capital Fund Benefiting UC Berkeley. The Berkeley Catalyst Fund* works closely with UC Berkeley, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, UC San Francisco, associated incubators and accelerators, and alumni entrepreneurs to foster…
Berkeley SkyDeck Fund I
The Berkeley SkyDeck Fund is the investment partner for UC Berkeley’s SkyDeck Accelerator Program. They invest $200K into each startup that goes through SkyDeck, as well as participate in later stage investment…
California Innovation Fund
The California Innovation Fund is a new type of shared carry private/public Venture Capital Fund that will provide 50% of the GP carry to the University of California so the success of…
Directory
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