SkyDeck and Bakar Labs to Highlight 24 Emerging Companies From Across Campus, Illustrating Berkeley's 'Open Bazaar' Model for Scientific and Entrepreneurial Innovation

BERKELEY, CA / ACCESS Newswire / December 16, 2025 / Berkeley SkyDeck and Bakar Labs, two pillars of UC Berkeley's life science innovation ecosystem, today announced the return of the Berkeley Bio Startup Showcase, bringing together 24 of the university's most promising life science startups for an afternoon of presentations and networking during the 2026 J.P. Morgan Healthcare Conference.

Hosted on Jan. 13, 2026, from 4-6 p.m. at 111 Minna Gallery in San Francisco, the event is organized by six campus partners: Berkeley SkyDeck, Bakar Labs, the Life Sciences Entrepreneurship Center (LSEC), the Innovative Genomics Institute (IGI), the Energy & Biosciences Institute (EBI) and the Bakar Fellows Program. Together, these organizations represent a comprehensive support structure for life science innovation at every stage - from early-stage faculty research to scaling companies ready for Series A funding and beyond.

"The showcase captures what makes Berkeley special: cross-disciplinary science, openness to local and global founders and the infrastructure to turn world-class research into transformative companies," said Dave Schaffer, Director of Bakar Labs and UC Berkeley professor of chemical and biomolecular engineering. "This year's startups reflect the next wave of breakthroughs that will shape therapeutics, diagnostics, and human health."

The Berkeley Bio Startup Showcase offers investors, industry leaders, and partners a concentrated view into Berkeley's rapidly expanding biotech pipeline from translational research and company formation to global-scale commercialization. The sold-out event highlights how the university has created interconnected pathways that enable both Berkeley's brightest minds and international founders to transform breakthrough discoveries into world-changing companies.

"Berkeley thrives on an open, collaborative model of innovation that draws talent from everywhere," said Sibyl Chen, General Manager of Berkeley SkyDeck. "With Berkeley SkyDeck's global accelerator and Bakar Labs' world-class incubation infrastructure, we've helped build an ecosystem where the best ideas win - whether they begin in a Berkeley lab or come from around the world. This showcase underscores the strength of that open approach, and JPM is always an exceptional venue to share our startups' breakthroughs with the broader life sciences community."

Bakar Labs supports breakthrough science-based startups with wet labs, instrumentation and technical support, while SkyDeck - Berkeley's global accelerator - offers access to funding, advisors and a worldwide investor network. Together, these programs have helped hundreds of startups advance research commercialization, raise capital and scale their technologies.

The Jan. 13 showcase will feature 30-second pitches from all 24 startups and networking opportunities with hundreds of investors and industry leaders. The event is free to attend but requires advance registration due to limited capacity. For more information and to register, visit https://lsec.berkeley.edu/bbss.

About Berkeley SkyDeck

Berkeley SkyDeck is a leading accelerator and the global hub for entrepreneurship. As UC Berkeley's largest and most prominent accelerator, SkyDeck combines hands-on mentorship with the vast resources of its research university. SkyDeck is the only accelerator of its kind that offers the value of a dedicated investment fund alongside the resources and network of a top university. To date, SkyDeck startups have raised more than $2.7 billion in aggregate. Participating startups have access to SkyDeck's 900 advisors, 70 industry partners, and a network of more than 613,000 UC Berkeley alumni. For more information, see skydeck.berkeley.edu.

About Bakar Labs

Bakar Labs is UC Berkeley's flagship incubator supporting innovation in life sciences, energy, and materials. Operated by QB3, Bakar Labs provides extensive equipment, lab and office facilities, and a community of like-minded entrepreneurs to help startups grow. Bakar Labs can support as many as 50 early-stage companies from around the world focused on translating innovations that promise to improve human and planetary health. No UC affiliation is required to join. For information about how to join or form a partnership, visit bakarlabs.org.

Media Contact
Songue PR for Berkeley SkyDeck
skydeck@songuepr.com

SOURCE: Berkeley Skydeck