SkyDeck's Pad-13 Pitch Competition (Batch 22)
Over the past four months, 71 startups have been working within Berkeley SkyDeck’s Pad-13 program, collaborating with SkyDeck advisors, partners, and Berkeley students to accelerate their growth.
This evening, we are bringing the community together to watch the top 10 startups from our program take the stage. These founders have demonstrated exceptional momentum, coachability, and traction, and this event is a space to celebrate their progress as they prepare for the next stage of their venture journeys.
Join us for a high-energy evening of pitches, expert feedback, and casual networking with the broader Berkeley innovation ecosystem.
What to Expect:
The Top 10 Pitches: Live presentations from the most competitive startups in the current Pad-13 program.
Panel Insights: Feedback from a panel of experienced judges helping the founders refine their path forward.
Audience Choice: Cast your vote to help determine the Audience Favorite Award.
Ecosystem Networking: Connect with fellow founders, mentors, advisors, and partners over appetizers and refreshments.
Come support these teams, see what they've built over the last four months, and connect with the Berkeley SkyDeck community.
Event Schedule
3:45 – 4:00 PM – Check-in
4:00 – 4:05 PM – Welcome Remarks & Introduction
4:05 – 4:10 PM – Judges’ Introductions
4:10 – 5:20 PM – Startup Pitches & Judge Feedback
5:20 – 5:30 PM – Announcement of Winners & Closing Remarks
5:30 – 6:30 PM – Networking Reception with Appetizers
About the Judges
Julie Lein is the co-founder and Managing Partner of the Urban Innovation Fund, a venture capital firm that invests in startups transforming massive, regulated industries. The firm provides seed capital, hands-on support, and regulatory insights to startups in areas like energy, transportation, and fintech. The Urban Innovation Fund manages over $300M in assets and has invested in 70+ seed startups since 2016.
Caroline Winnett is the Executive Director of Berkeley SkyDeck. She is a serial entrepreneur, angel investor, advisor and board member of several startups, and a frequent speaker on startups, accelerators, women in business and consumer neuroscience. Prior to SkyDeck, Caroline co-founded the pioneer company in the neuromarketing industry, NeuroFocus, which was acquired by Nielsen in 2011.
John Hughes is the co-founder of Swift Ventures, an AI-focused venture fund he launched with longtime collaborator Brett Wilson. Together, they previously founded and led TubeMogul (now Adobe Ad Cloud), helping to transform online video and programmatic advertising before joining Adobe. Today at Swift Ventures, John invests in early-stage companies using AI to reshape traditional industries, building the kind of fund he wishes had existed when he was starting out.
SkyDeck mentors, advisors, alumni founders, investors, and friends are all invited to join us for this event.
📍 Please note: this is an in-person event only.