Innovation & Entrepreneurship
Overview
UC Berkeley has a long legacy of innovations and leaders that have created groundbreaking products, revolutionary companies, and entirely new industries. The university plays a critical role in California’s economy and the contributions of our entrepreneurs have a global reach.
The campus continues to expand the dynamic ecosystem that fosters research and its translation into real world applications. Numerous programs that are deeply integrated into the research, educational and service activities of the university help incubate, accelerate and expand tech transfer and a strong pipeline of start-ups. Many campus programs and centers help bridge the gap between lab and marketplace. Learn more about this vibrant community of entrepreneurs and innovators. All of Berkeley's innovation and entrepreneurship resources can be found at begin.berkeley.edu.
Recent News
Innovation & Entrepreneurship News
New Berkeley Climate Action Proof-of-Concept Program
Mission Is To Make the World Accessible to Deaf People Started at Big Ideas Contest
Berkeley To Lead “Innovation Hub” Helping Turn Basic Research Into Innovative Businesses
Innovation & Entrepreneurship Highlights
UC Berkeley accelerates the translation of ideas and inventions developed by faculty, researchers, and students into products and services that benefit society.
- Over the last decades, close to 150 startup companies have been founded to commercialize IP rights under license from UC Berkeley.
- As of September 2023, companies under the IP licenses from Berkeley have commercialized more than 792 products.
- The Berkeley Research Infrastructure Commons (RIC) program enables early stage (pre-product sales) startup companies affiliated with UC Berkeley to temporarily conduct new product R&D in faculty labs - under certain conditions and rigorous oversight.
- The university holds an extensive CRISPR-Cas9 gene-editing portfolio in the United States with 55 US patents to date.
- A drug royalty, monetized for $93 million, helps fund biological research facilities, students, faculty recruitment and retention, and new initiatives.
- Two thirds of all biotechnology companies in California are spin-outs from five universities, including UC Berkeley.
See also UC Systemwide Economic, Fiscal, and Social Impact Analysis, Jan. 2021
Innovation
At UC Berkeley innovators and entrepreneurs are creating groundbreaking products, revolutionary companies, and entirely new industries. The University plays a critical role in California’s economy. Last year the campus expanded the dynamic ecosystem that fosters novel approaches to research and its translation into real-world applications. As of September 2023 UC Berkeley has:
Developing Entrepreneurial Talent
Companies founded by UC Berkeley Faculty and Alumni
Steve Wozniak of Apple, Gordon Moore of Intel and Eric Schmidt of Google are among the many UC Berkeley alumni who have founded and run successful corporations. Other prominent companies founded by UC Berkeley affiliates: