FAQs

Program Structure & Logistics

  • The Berkeley Gateway Accelerator transforms your deep tech venture through three strategic phases:

    • Phase 1: Foundation & US Market Entry (Month 1): Establish your US presence, complete legal setup, and create your customized acceleration roadmap

    • Phase 2: Customized Acceleration (Months 2-3): Execute across our four-track system based on your specific needs: IP/technical development, market validation, business strategy, and operational scaling

    • Phase 3: Investment & Scale Preparation (Months 4-5): Prepare for significant funding, refine your pitch, and develop your post-program growth strategy

    Your dedicated Entrepreneurial Fellow provides daily support while you access our 400+ mentor network on demand. By graduation, you'll have secured pilot customers, refined your US market strategy, and built an active investor pipeline—ready to scale globally from your new US foundation.

  • Each startup receives a furnished 1-bedroom apartment in central Berkeley, within walking distance of public transportation and our accelerator hub. You'll be close to restaurants, grocery stores, and all the amenities of Berkeley.

  • Our centrally-located Berkeley hub serves as your headquarters, featuring dedicated desks, conference rooms, and high-speed internet. For hardware/biotech companies requiring lab space, we partner with several Berkeley facilities and address these needs on a case-by-case.

Financial & Equity

  • We provide up to $100K in cash plus $200K in services (program costs, housing, workspace, mentorship) in exchange for a SAFE note representing approximately 10% equity.

  • We prefer pro-rata rights to participate in future funding rounds through special purpose vehicles available to our LPs, advisors, and ecosystem partners.

Team & Founder Support

  • Two people per startup can participate in the 5-month Berkeley residency. Additional team members may join at their own expense.

  • We recruit from 200+ UC Berkeley graduate students annually through our Deep Tech Innovation Lab, selecting fellows with exceptional skills to support each cohort.

  • Our team has deep experience across dozens of deep tech verticals, with established relationships spanning corporate partners, VCs, domain experts, legal specialists, and regulatory advisors across the deep tech ecosystem.

Post-Program Support

  • While our primary focus shifts to the next cohort, we continue supporting alumni through their growth journey. We help establish your Bay Area presence and can organize follow-on investment opportunities through our network.


  • Beyond refining pitch decks and preparing investors, we host monthly events, including pitch practice and demo days. Throughout the program, we provide targeted introductions to investors and warm connections. Our goal is for every startup to raise a pre-seed round, secure paying customers, or progress to later-stage programs.

  • We're open to founders returning to their home country, provided they remain committed to scaling globally and take the necessary steps to grow their startup. This typically means establishing an ongoing US operation staffed with talent from our Bay Area network—entrepreneurial fellows and other professionals who can maintain your American market presence while you operate internationally. 

Legal & Immigration

  • We work with specialized Bay Area immigration counsel to ensure that accepted founders obtain the proper visas for participation in the US program.

  • All participating startups must establish a Delaware C-Corporation as the parent entity. If you have existing foreign entities, we'll help you navigate structuring the Delaware C-Corp in a way that is appropriate for your needs.

Selection & Commitment

  • We are highly selective, accepting only dedicated deep tech founders who demonstrate:

    • Full-time commitment to the venture and a 5-month program

    • Domain expertise in breakthrough science or engineering innovation

    • Strong communication skills - articulate, coachable, and commercially minded

    • Technology with defensible advantages and a strong IP foundation (licensed or owned)

    • Market opportunity with future TAM >$1B and validated customer pain points

    • Clear vision, including US market entry strategy and realistic development timeline

    • Willingness to engage with the Berkeley and Bay Area ecosystem

  • While each situation is unique, we typically target 8-12% equity given the substantial cash and service value we provide.

Track Record & References

  • Yes, we are happy to connect you with our previous startups. Please send us an email.

Competitive Landscape

  • Unlike programs serving dozens of companies, we accept only three startups per cohort, allowing for intensive and personalized support. Our lab-to-market expertise, combined with our interdisciplinary approach and full-time entrepreneurial fellows, creates an unmatched deep tech accelerator experience.

  • You certainly can! However, without established networks and local expertise, gaining traction typically takes much longer. We built the Berkeley Gateway Accelerator to accelerate this process—providing instant access to the right community, investors, advisors, and resources needed for success in the Bay Area.