Berkeley SkyDeck Announces 17th Accelerator Class Unveiling on April 10

Berkeley SkyDeck Global Demo Day for Batch 17 – April 10, 2024

Berkeley SkyDeck, a leading global hub for entrepreneurship and innovation, announces that its Demo Day for Batch 17 will take place on April 10, 2024.

Despite economic challenges, Berkeley SkyDeck startups have demonstrated resilience, collectively raising over $200 million in the past year. This achievement underscores their solid business models and strong leadership teams.

Focus on AI Innovation

Among the 20 companies presenting at Batch 17, over half are focused on artificial intelligence (AI), with applications spanning education, healthcare, enterprise software, data science, and life sciences. A comprehensive list of participating startups is accessible here.

Chon Tang, founding partner at Berkeley SkyDeck Fund, commented, "The AI industry is projected to approach $2 trillion in value by 2030, highlighting its growth and transformational potential. Our startups have raised over $200 million in the past year, reflecting their innovation and business acumen. We believe our AI-focused companies are well-positioned for market impact.”

Success Stories from Alumni

The significant presence of AI startups in this batch aligns with Berkeley SkyDeck’s history of nurturing successful AI companies and continuously scouting for key investment opportunities. Notable alumni include:

- MindsDB, a custom AI creation platform, which has raised $54.4 million from leading investors, including NVentures, Nvidia’s venture capital arm.

- Hayden AI, specializing in AI mobile perception, has secured over $100 million in funding from notable backers like Mitsubishi Electric Innovation Fund and Bridgestone Corporation.

- Deepscribe, which employs ambient AI to convert doctor-patient conversations into customizable clinical notes, has raised $59 million from venture capital firms like Index Ventures and Stage 2 Capital.

In addition to its dedication to AI investment, SkyDeck will host an AI Hackathon this summer to discover and cultivate emerging talent in the field.

Commitment to Innovation

Caroline Winnett, executive director at Berkeley SkyDeck, stated, “SkyDeck is at the forefront of innovation, identifying technologies that address real societal needs. Our inaugural AI hackathon last summer was a massive success, and we are thrilled to host another one in June. The startups from Batch 17 embody our proactive approach, setting the stage for the next trends in AI. We eagerly anticipate the response from our investor network."

Event Details

The Berkeley SkyDeck Demo Day will occur at Zellerbach Hall in Berkeley, California, at 3 PM Pacific Time on April 10, 2024. Accredited investors interested in attending can apply for an invitation .

To date, Bay SkyDeck-supported startups have raised over $1.8 billion in total. Each participating startup benefits from access to SkyDeck’s extensive network of 700 advisors and 70 industry partners, as well as a community of more than 510,000 UC Berkeley alumni.