Berkeley SkyDeck Accelerator 🚀 Accelerator

What you get

SkyDeck is UC Berkeley's accelerator. Its apply page says roughly 20 startups are picked every six months for the Cohort track and each receives a $210,000 investment from the Berkeley SkyDeck Fund. Cohort teams get a Lead Advisor, mandatory sessions, a designated workspace at 2150 Shattuck Avenue in Berkeley, and a place at demo day. The SkyDeck Berkeley Acceleration Method runs for six months.

Who qualifies

Startups from any industry and, in SkyDeck's words, "from all over the world" can apply; a Berkeley link is not required for the Cohort track. (The separate Pad-13 incubator track needs at least one University of California-affiliated founder; see its own listing.)

Good to know

• Equity: the investment terms are not stated on the page.
• Batch 23 applications ran from 20 July to 21 August 2026 and the batch runs 2 November 2026 to 15 April 2027. SkyDeck says Batch 24 applications open in January 2027, with no dates yet.
• The homepage still mentions $200K; the apply page says $210K.

Verdict

A strong university-backed programme with a solid cheque and open eligibility. Ask for the investment terms before you accept.

1. Read the timeline at skydeck.berkeley.edu/apply/.
2. Apply when the Batch 24 window opens in January 2027.
3. Shortlisted teams are interviewed (for Batch 23 interviews ran September to October).
4. Ask for the SkyDeck Fund investment terms; contact [email protected] with questions.