UC Berkeley-affiliated startups generate more than $300 million in regional value across Alameda County, according to a study from the Institute of Business Innovation at the Haas School of Business.
According to the report, campus-affiliated startups support more than 500 jobs in Berkeley, generating average salaries of $216,000.
The study found that these startups generate approximately $200 million in regional value in the city of Berkeley. Startup presence in the city also positively impacts local businesses, contributing to the local labor market and generating steady revenue through employee spending.
In the report, prepared for the UC Berkeley Innovation & Entrepreneurship Office and the city of Berkeley, campus student researchers assessed how campus-affiliated startups support economic growth in the city.
They held conversations with startups and conducted quantitative analysis with IMPLAN, a data modeling software used to evaluate economic impact.
“What we really wanted to understand was how specific aspects of Berkeley as a city incentivized founders to either stay here, move here, or to leave,” said UC Berkeley student and one of the study’s co-authors Asha Gupta.
Gupta said many founders felt that being affiliated with campus brought benefits such as a large network of researchers in the student body, and existing startups were incentivized to move to Berkeley due to the entrepreneurial campus culture.
UC Berkeley is currently ranked first worldwide for venture-backed startups in the most recent ranking by PitchBook.
Gupta said one factor contributing to this success comes from campus-facilitated startup accelerators, which provide opportunities for students to explore entrepreneurship while remaining a full-time student.
These programs, dubbed the “I&E ecosystem,” span different initiatives providing resources for startup founders such as funding, training and physical infrastructure.
The study highlights Bakar Bio Labs, a startup incubator providing physical space for life science startups. In fiscal year 2024-25, companies in Bakar Labs placed 304 internships or jobs, according to the study.
When asked about UC Berkeley’s unique startup infrastructure, Chief Innovation & Entrepreneurship Officer Darren Cooke also highlighted Bakar Labs, especially the Bakar Fellows Program. Cooke said the Bakar Fellows awards support faculty members in pushing fundamental discoveries into commercialization.
“One of the ways to provide long-term societal benefits is getting fundamental discoveries out into the world,” Cooke said. “The Bakar Faculty Fellows awards were designed to make anyone start a company … it’s been a tremendously successful program.”
Cooke said campus support for startups also attracts promising students and faculty, with many admitted students highlighting the extensive I&E ecosystem as a reason for their commitment to UC Berkeley.
In order to increase support for future startups, Cooke said there are plans to expand physical spaces in the UC Berkeley Innovation Zone. Scheduled to open in 2028, a new building in the area will add space for the Innovative Genomics Institute, founded by Nobel laureate and professor Jennifer Doudna, and Bakar Labs.