UC Berkeley is dramatically expanding its efforts to turn cutting-edge research into commercial ventures that solve real-world problems. A transformational $13.5 million commitment from longtime supporters Matt and Lisa Sonsini will fuel the university's Academic Innovation Catalyst (AIC), bringing total funding for the program to over $16 million. The expansion signals a growing recognition that brilliant discoveries sitting in university labs don't automatically translate into products, companies, or solutions that benefit society.

What Is the Academic Innovation Catalyst, and Why Does It Matter?

The AIC was founded in 2023 with a straightforward mission: help Berkeley's most promising scientific discoveries escape the lab and reach the world. The program provides targeted proof-of-concept grants and intensive, hands-on commercialization support to faculty researchers working on breakthrough technologies. Rather than leaving researchers to navigate the complex journey from discovery to market alone, the AIC acts as a bridge, offering both funding and mentorship to accelerate that transition.

The expanded program will now support more faculty researchers seeking to commercialize breakthroughs across multiple deep technology fields. This expansion reflects Berkeley's commitment to ensuring that innovations don't languish in academic journals but instead create tangible impact in the real world.

Which Research Areas Will Receive Funding?

The AIC expansion will fund faculty researchers working in several critical technology domains. These areas represent some of the most pressing challenges facing society and industry today:

• Materials Science and Chemistry: Developing new materials and chemical processes that could transform manufacturing, energy storage, and industrial applications.
• Energy Technologies: Creating solutions for power generation, storage, and efficiency that address climate and sustainability challenges.
• Advanced Electronics and Quantum Computing: Building next-generation computing hardware and quantum systems that could revolutionize computation.
• Aerospace and Mobility: Advancing technologies for transportation, space exploration, and autonomous systems.
• Artificial Intelligence: Developing AI methods and applications that can be commercialized for industry and society.

The program will significantly expand its funding pipeline by supporting two new AIC-Bakar Fellows awards each year and five CITRIS-CDSS Innovation Fellowships annually for the next five years. CITRIS stands for Center for Information Technology Research in the Interest of Society, and CDSS is the College of Computing, Data Science, and Society.

How Are Recent Award Winners Using This Support?

The 2025 cohort of Innovation Fellowship awardees demonstrates the diversity of breakthroughs the program supports. Berkeley researcher Xiaoyu (Rayne) Zheng received recognition for developing Desktop Electronics Projection Lithography (DEPL), a rapid, low-cost fabrication method for producing fully three-dimensional electronic structures with nanoscale precision. This technology could dramatically reduce the cost and time required to manufacture advanced electronics.

Another 2025 awardee, Greg Tikhomirov, is developing precisely engineered nanoscale structures for the targeted delivery of messenger RNA (mRNA) vaccines and therapeutics. His work has potential applications ranging from infectious disease prevention to cancer treatment and other complex diseases. These examples illustrate how the AIC supports researchers working on technologies that could reshape entire industries.

"Our hope is simple. We want to help unleash practical innovation for the public good. Berkeley is exactly the place to do it," said Matt Sonsini.

Matt Sonsini, UC Berkeley Supporter

How to Navigate the Path From Research to Commercialization

For researchers seeking to move their discoveries toward real-world impact, the AIC model offers a structured approach. Here are the key components of how the program accelerates commercialization:

• Proof-of-Concept Funding: The program provides targeted grants to validate that a discovery actually works and has commercial potential before researchers invest years in full development.
• Hands-On Commercialization Support: Beyond money, the AIC offers intensive mentorship and guidance on business strategy, market analysis, intellectual property protection, and fundraising from venture investors.
• Multi-Year Fellowship Support: The CITRIS-CDSS Innovation Fellowships and AIC-Bakar Fellows awards provide sustained support over multiple years, allowing researchers to develop their technologies and business plans without constant fundraising pressure.
• Access to Expertise: Faculty researchers gain connections to experienced entrepreneurs, investors, and business advisors who have successfully commercialized technology before.

This structured approach addresses a critical gap in the innovation ecosystem. Many university researchers excel at scientific discovery but lack experience in business development, market validation, and fundraising. By providing both funding and expertise, the AIC removes barriers that often prevent promising technologies from reaching the market.

The expansion of Berkeley's innovation infrastructure reflects a broader trend in academia: universities are recognizing that their role extends beyond publishing papers and training students. They also have a responsibility to ensure that taxpayer-funded research and breakthrough discoveries contribute to solving real-world problems. The AIC's $16 million commitment demonstrates that serious investment in this mission can accelerate the journey from lab to impact.