Berkeley SkyDeck Pad-13 Incubator
Offers early-stage incubation with desk space, workshops, and mentorship for startups before entering a full accelerator program.
Pad-13 is Berkeley SkyDeck's incubator track, designed for early-stage startups at the idea through launch stage who are not yet ready for the main accelerator cohort. The program accepts 60 to 80 teams per batch, significantly more than the 20 to 25 startups selected for the main SkyDeck Accelerator cohort, allowing a broader population of UC-affiliated and global founders to access the SkyDeck ecosystem. UC-affiliated founders receive priority consideration, consistent with the broader SkyDeck selection philosophy.
Pad-13 participation requires either a $500 program fee or a 1% equity allocation to UC Berkeley (not to the Berkeley SkyDeck Fund). There is no guaranteed investment from the SkyDeck Fund for Pad-13 teams; however, Pad-13 participants are eligible for a future Fund investment of up to 10% of their first institutional round at matching terms if they progress. The program runs for four months and includes access to unreserved desk space at the SkyDeck penthouse, 50-plus workshops covering entrepreneurship fundamentals and functional skills, a dedicated Key Advisor or Mentor matched to the team, resource partner perks from the SkyDeck partner ecosystem, and investor pitch opportunities. A structured Pitch Competition at the end of the Pad-13 cycle serves as a formal evaluation pathway for teams aspiring to join the next main Accelerator cohort.
Pad-13 is best suited for founders who have a nascent concept or early MVP but need community, mentorship, and structured programming to validate their direction before seeking institutional capital. The $500 or 1% equity entry cost is deliberately low to reduce friction for pre-seed teams. Companies that perform well in Pad-13 and win the Pitch Competition gain direct consideration for the $210,000-for-7.5%-equity main Accelerator cohort, making Pad-13 a natural two-stage entry system into the broader Berkeley SkyDeck program.
SkyDeck's early-stage incubator track offering desk space, 50-plus workshops, and mentorship to 60–80 teams per batch in exchange for a $500 fee or 1% equity to UC Berkeley, with no guaranteed investment.
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