About

World-class universities like UC Berkeley spawn technology that improves lives. We provide the capital, expertise, and community to turn breakthrough innovation into high impact companies.

Why California Innovation Fund?

Differentiated Deal Flow

Early access to top founders and technologies at UC Berkeley and global innovation programs

Performance with Purpose

Investing in companies that deliver strong returns and positive impact while supporting the Berkeley ecosystem

Extensive & Enduring Expertise

Providing founders with deep experience, mentorship, and networks across sectors and geographies

Our Investment Process

 

  • We leverage our on-campus presence and relationships to source investment opportunities from several incubators, accelerators, labs, and our own founder’s graduate level Entrepreneurship course. We also get exclusive access to companies leveraging Berkeley’s IP – even in oversubscribed rounds.

  • We have a 4 phase due diligence process where we evaluate technology, market size, founder capabilities, and valuation, among other factors. We often leverage the expertise of professors and LPs with specific domain knowledge to inform our decisions.

  • Post-investment, we lend our operating knowledge, wide-ranging industry expertise, and executive coaching experience to support our portfolio companies. We also make connections between founders and additional on-campus resources.

 

Powering The Flywheel of Innovation

 

The California Innovation Fund returns 50% of GP carry to the University of California, creating a flywheel where startup success reinvests in public education and powers the next generation of change makers.