Glenn Ballard, Cpa, Mba

UC Berkeleys official startup accelerator. We help Cal entrepreneurs and transformational startups. Bring us your moonshot! Located on top of the tallest building in downtown Berkeley, we combine the consulting know-how of traditional accelerators with the vast resources of our research university. This robust partnership is coupled with SkyDeck’s unique mentorship program to create a powerful environment for your startup. Our mentors and our large network of investors connects you to the expertise and the capital you need to launch and grow your startup...to the moon.

We train young people in logical argumentation and critical thinking skills. Training students in debate probably is the best way to help them develop these important skills. And with debate, students learn public speaking, research and teamwork skills, to boot! Currently, in many of our nation's schools, students are being taught what to think, but they are not being trained how to think. And this is the case from kindergarten through graduate school. This is exactly opposite of what good education should be. The ability to think critically and logically is absolutely essential to the well being of individuals, families, communities and nations. We must regain this skill in our culture. Debate has a long and noble history in Western Civilization, going all the way back to ancient Greece. One of the core values of traditional Western Civilization is that ideas matter, and the best ideas should have preeminence in civilization. But, as anyone with a good idea knows, it takes much more than coming up with a good idea to see that good idea through to fruition and make an impact on the world. The idea must be communicated to others. Audiences must be persuaded of the goodness or value of the idea. Teams must be motivated to act upon the idea to make the world a better place. And, as anyone who has tried to implement a good idea can verify, opposition to a new idea - even a very good one - invariably arises! Thus, the one who would bring a new good idea to fruition in society must be able to put forth a sound and convincing argument as to why his or her idea should be chosen and embraced despite the opposition. Middle school and high school students who participate in debate have higher rates of graduation have higher rates of college attendance, do better in college, and have greater career success. Learning debate enhances life skills and will provide life-long benefits and rewards to the student.

LAUNCH is a startup accelerator and competition designed to transform early-stage startups into fundable companies. In the fall, our judges select the 25-30 hottest startups in the UC system. Teams are paired with serial-entrepreneur mentors and led through a rigorous curriculum by the acclaimed UC Berkeley Faculty, including professors from the Haas School of Business. The three-month-long accelerator phase is designed to help UC startups grow quickly. We help companies build out their teams, protect IP, connect with industry experts, get minimum viable products into customers’ hands, prove their scalable business model, pitch to investors, and become fundable.