Berkeley Familiarization Tour
In partnership with Visit Berkeley and the City of Berkeley’s Office of Economic Development, I am pleased to invite you to a familiarization tour of Berkeley to view everything our beautiful city has to offer. Join us for an afternoon of guest speakers in innovation, Berkeley bites & refreshments, gorgeous views of the Bay, and a World Cup Watch Party!
This familiarization tour will consist of a lineup of events that perfectly captures everything Berkeley has to offer. The afternoon will consist of guest speakers that are leading the innovation space, a stop at Takara Sake, ending in the Berkeley Marina at the Doubletree by Hilton Berkeley Marina for a World Cup watch party to celebrate. Please RSVP through this link and more programming details will follow for both the afternoon and evening.
Berkeley is a Destination for Innovation
The City of Berkeley is in a very unique moment in time where our innovation ecosystem is flourishing. This is only the tip of the iceberg!
We are proud to be home to UC Berkeley, a globally renowned institution that is a champion of research & innovation, with an outstanding pool of talent. From quantum computing to robotics to cultivated meat, Berkeley is ready to ignite the next wave of impact!
Tour Details
Date: June 25, 2026 from 1:00-4:00pm beginning at Berkeley Commons (600 Addison Street).
1) The Future of Robotics in Berkeley (1:00-2:30pm at Berkeley Commons)
Program Overview:
Networking and light bites alongside founders, researchers, investors & global partners
Welcome Remarks by Berkeley Mayor Adena Ishii
Panel Discussion: The Future of Robotics in Berkeley (insights from leaders at Berkeley Gateway Accelerator, Ambi Robotics, and Berkeley SkyDeck)
Tour of Berkeley Commons
Panel Discussion Details: The panel highlights leaders across AI, robotics, venture capital, and deep tech commercialization.
Moderator
Matt Rappaport (Managing General Partner at Berkeley Gateway Accelerator & Co-Founder of the UC Berkeley Deep Tech Innovation Lab)
Panelists
Stephen McKinley (Co-Founder & COO of Berkeley-based Ambi Robotics)
Ben Fong (Head of Business Development at Berkeley SkyDeck)
Joseph S. Spence, II (Chief Investment Officer at NativelyAI & Co-convener of Human+Tech Week)
2) Sake Tasting (2:30-3:30pm at Takara Sake)
Following the guest speaker series at Berkeley Commons will be a short walk to Takara Sake, the largest sake factory in the U.S. and enjoy a tasting from 2:30pm to 3:30pm.
3) World Cup Watch Party (4:00pm at Doubletree by Hilton Berkeley Marina)
After sake, comes soccer and waterfront views for a World Cup Watch Party at the DoubleTree by Hilton Berkeley Marina. Catch the Japan vs Sweden match, starting at 4:00pm. Guests are welcome to stay as long as they like to enjoy games being shown until 10:00pm. Overnight accommodations for attendees available, please contact us for more information!
Stay in Berkeley!
Are you planning to be in the Bay Area during the World Cup games? Plan your stay in Berkeley with the help of Visit Berkeley, our city’s destination marketing organization. Visit Berkeley has all the tools you will need for planning your trip to Berkeley, CA!
Catch a glimpse of what our city has to offer and we can’t wait to welcome you to our beautiful city.