Berkeley Haas: Launch Accelerator

About Our Program

LAUNCH is the University of California’s leading accelerator, designed to transform early-stage startups into fundable companies. From 100+ applications a year, our judges select ~20 of the most promising startups in the UC system. Teams are paired with serial-entrepreneurs and mentors with deep operational experience and are led through a rigorous Lean Startup-focused curriculum. The three-month-long accelerator helps UC startups quickly discover and develop scalable business models.

During LAUNCH, startups will refine their value propositions, protect IP, connect with industry experts, get minimum viable products into customers’ hands, prove their scalable business model, pitch to investors, and become fundable. The program ends in a Demo Day in which teams pitch to judges for cash prizes in front of a live audience.

In 2020, we started to launch 2 cohorts per year instead of one. View our portfolio here.

UC LAUNCH guides startups from prototype to pitch. We’ve done so every year since 1999, when the Haas B-Plan Competition was founded.

In 2015, we pivoted to the 3-month long LAUNCH Accelerator, by and for all UC founders. We don’t take equity or charge for pairing teams with top-notch mentors, guiding them through the Lean Launchpad curriculum, and connecting them with the resources they need to succeed.

That’s our model, and it works. Over the past five years, our alumni have raised over $125 million, topped the Forbes 30 under 30, and 9 startups have gone on to Y Combinator.

Eligibility

Who can apply to LAUNCH?

To apply to LAUNCH, companies must demonstrate product market-fit (sales, letters of intent, 100+ customer discovery interviews, etc.) and have at least one UC faculty, student or alum (full degree programs only) on the team.

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My team is not based in Berkeley, can we still apply?

Yes, you can. As long as you have a UC student, faculty or alum on the team, you are eligible to apply to LAUNCH. We normally hold sessions every few weekends at Berkeley between January and April (spring cohort) or September and December (fall cohort). Since Spring 2020, all events are virtual.

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What is the duration of the program?

We run two programs per year. The fall cohort is smaller with 15 startups, and the spring cohort is slightly bigger with around 25 startups.

Fall: Virtual sessions will be held on Wednesdays between Oct-Dec. Demo day in December.

Spring: Virtual sessions will be held on Wednesdays between Jan-April. Demo day in April.

3 startups stand a chance to receive prize money at demo day.

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Can we participate even if we already raised money?

Yes, as long as you haven't raised more than $1M in dilutive funding.

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Do we need to attend the entire program?

Yes. In order to successfully complete the accelerator program, at least one member of the team must attend every session.

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Can we participate in other UC Berkeley programs at the same time?

Berkeley students can not participate in LAUNCH and StEP/LLP class at the same time

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Still have questions about LAUNCH?

Email us at launch@berkeley.edu

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