Fall 2023 Applications Open!
FAQs
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.
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. As of now, Fall '22 cohort is virtual as well.
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.
Can we participate even if we already raised money?
Yes, as long as you haven't raised more than $1M in dilutive funding.
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.
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
Still have questions about LAUNCH?
Email us at launch@berkeley.edu
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Judging Criteria
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Full commitment to the program
To us, full commitment means that you will show up to each and every session with your coaches and mentors, you will engage with the other startups in the program to learn from their experiences and share your own, and you will not only openly receive but also proactively gather feedback from all sources: mentors, other startups, industry experts, investors, and customers.
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Potential for growth over the program
This means you translate your participation into action: you acquire more customers, launch products, develop funding leads or actually raise money, and regularly consider whether you should pivot or persevere – and take action based on your conclusions.
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Success after the program
You continue to grow and achieve your goals (whether revenue targets, accelerator admission, funding, or otherwise). When we check in with you down the line (and we will!), we’d love to see you living the lessons you learned during LAUNCH and getting your product and team out in front of funders and customers – and winning.