BERKELEY GATEWAY ACCELERATOR
Summer
2026
Junior Fellowship Program
A three week deep tech intensive for high school and college students in the heart of downtown Berkeley.
The BGA Junior Fellowship allows students to work alongside real founders, investors, and experts on real projects inside an active deep tech accelerator. You will leave with skills, a professional network, a portfolio of actual work, and a clearer sense of where you want to go next.
What You Will Learn
Session 1
June 8–26, 2026
The Deep Tech Landscape, How VC Investing Works, IP & Competitive Intelligence, Hardware vs Software Business Models, Marketing & Brand Strategy, Sales Negotiations & Networking Skills
Session 2
July 6–24, 2026
The Deep Tech Landscape, How VC Investing Works, IP & Competitive Intelligence, Hardware vs Software Business Models, Marketing & Brand Strategy, Sales Negotiations & Networking Skills
What Makes This Different
Most pre-college programs teach you about startups. This one puts you in one.
Use AI as a Professional Co-pilot
Build your own tools like a "Deep Tech News Digest" using Claude Code. Practice high-stakes sales meetings and interviews. Automate research tasks. No prior coding experience required.
Learn the "Digital Handshake"
Master professional networking. Create video bio, get coached on telling your story, building a LinkedIn profile and cold outreach messages to professionals in your specific field of interest.
Growth Through Failure
Innovation is frustrating and messy. We ditch grades for a "Skill Tree" that tracks your actual personal growth. Every week, we share our mistakes and "facepalm" moments.
Master the Mechanics of Venture Capital
Go inside the numbers. Simulate a startup's cap table, model a $500M exit, and dive into financial statements for a company that goes public.
Access the BGA Expert Network
Learn directly from the source. Hear from VCs, patent attorneys, and hardware engineers from BGA's network who are actually building and funding the future.
Build a Real-World Portfolio
Contribute to BGA projects and or startups, like patent technology landscape mapping, market research, website design, pitch decks.
Real Projects, Real Impact
Work in pairs on actual BGA startup projects. Your contributions matter, from conducting patent landscape analysis to designing pitch decks that founders actually use.
This isn't busywork. It's the kind of hands-on experience that builds both your portfolio and your confidence.
Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis. Space is limited to 20 students per session. The Berkeley Gateway Accelerator (BGA) Junior Fellowship is an independent program of BGA and is not affiliated with UC Berkeley.
Program Details
Choose from two intensive three-week sessions in Summer 2026
Session 1
June 8 – 26, 2026
3 weeks · 15 days
Schedule
Monday - Friday, 10:00 AM - 3:00 PM
Location
BGA Headquarters
Investment
$2,250/session
Session 2
July 6 – 24, 2026
3 weeks · 15 days
Schedule
Monday - Friday, 10:00 AM - 3:00 PM
Location
BGA Headquarters
Investment
$2,250/session
Eligibility
High school juniors and seniors (grades 11–12) plus current undergraduate students passionate about technology and entrepreneurship.
Cohort Size
Limited to 10–20 students per session to ensure personalized attention and meaningful collaboration.
Who Will You Learn From
Limited to 10–20 students per session to ensure personalized attention and meaningful collaboration.
Need-based scholarships available · Commuter program (no housing) · Enroll in one or both sessions