Fellows must align with the IGI’s mission of bridging revolutionary genome-editing and biotechnology tool development to affordable and accessible solutions in human health, climate, and agriculture. The IGI is working toward a world where such technology is routinely applied to treat genetic diseases, enable sustainable agriculture, and help achieve a carbon-neutral economy. Translating scientific breakthroughs into real-world solutions is central to the IGI’s mission, so the IGI seeks to support and guide nascent entrepreneurs who share this goal.

Up to 4 fellows will be selected for the one-year fellowship. Up to two fellows may be selected as WIES Entrepreneurs.

We do not take equity in fellows startups during the WIES Fellowship. WIES Entrepreneurship details will be determined between the third party funder and startup founders.

Up to two WIES Fellows will become WIES Entrepreneurs and be eligible for additional funding. WIES Entrepreneurs are not directly affiliated with UCB. However, being a WIES Fellow is a prerequisite for WIES Entrepreneurs consideration. 

• Non-Faculty WIES Fellows should have their businesses incorporated or formed and will not be UCB employees. Faculty Fellows that are selected as WIES Entrepreneurs may found their company and can remain UC faculty provided all UCB procedures relating to Intellectual Property and Conflict of Interest are followed, and all activities related to any company are performed outside UC employment.
• WIES Entrepreneurs are expected to receive direct funding from the third-party funder. 
• WIES Entrepreneurs must identify and relocate to lab space outside the IGI building. 

Criteria for eligibility for Phase II are expected to include: 

• WIES Fellow must have incorporated or formed a related business.
• WIES Fellow must outline a 1.5-year research and development plan. The plan must include strategies, milestones, deliverables, and specific strategies for promoting gender equity in their businesses.
• WIES Fellow progress will be evaluated for success and achievements against milestones and program requirements, including good-faith efforts to incorporate material feedback from program advisors.

All decisions regarding an offer of funds from the third-party funder at the end of the program are ultimately at the discretion of the third-party funder.

All employees of the University sign a Patent Agreement/Acknowledgment as a condition of employment. Under the University Patent Policy, employees agree to disclose all inventions and patents and assign them to the University.

WIES Fellows are not required to reside at the IGI Entrepreneur Laboratory. However, please note that some program requirements will require Fellows to attend in person at the Innovative Genomics Institute Building in Berkeley, California. This is at a minimum of once per month.

One year goes by fast, and our programming, plus all the groundwork needed to get your business up and running, demands full-time participation.

The Fellowship starts in September 2024. Fellows are expected to attend a kickoff meeting and onboarding sessions during the first week. The full-year program schedule will be shared during onboarding. It will include a week-long intensive course at the start of December, monthly roundtable events, monthly mentor meetings, and various classes depending on the fellows’ entrepreneurial stage and needs. Fellows will present a seminar to the funder in June 2025

That is ok! This year is a time to explore if this is the right path for you or if there is another best use for your idea to make an impact.

The WIES Fellowship is for all stages of the entrepreneurial journey:

• Ideation - You have an idea but are still formulating your product or idea. You have identified the problem you are working to solve and need the space to research and develop your idea & understand the potential market.
• Build - You have a marketable idea and need space for research, find co-founders, find investors to begin your first round of investment, etc.
• Scale - You need space and funding to scale your existing business venture.

To be eligible:

• Must be eligible to work in the United States for the fellowship duration. The WIES program cannot sponsor visas.
• All non-faculty participants in Phase I will become UCB employees or maintain their current UCB employment, subject to UCB patent and other applicable Intellectual Property policies.
• Faculty Fellows will remain employees of their home institutes but must participate in person in programming events on the UCB campus.
• Must reside in or have the ability to attend in-person program events (at least monthly) on the UC Berkeley campus.
• All fellow categories will have scientific and entrepreneurial advisors.
• Non-faculty fellows will receive salary and benefits from UC Berkeley. Funds will also be available for lab supplies, use of core facilities, and other miscellaneous costs needed to support the participant. 
• Must participate in mandatory WIES programs (as described below).
• Applicants cannot simultaneously be recipients of a grant from another UC Berkeley entrepreneurial program (e.g., Bakar Fellow, Curci Fellow, etc.).
• Phase I Fellows will only be able to participate in the Phase I program for 12 months. There will be no ability to extend the position for an additional year.

We’d love to hear from you and are open to supporting your existing business venture. Please choose “I already have a business” under the Entrepreneurial Stage in the Application Interest form.

Our funding is for a single funded fellowship per project. Please include any details about co-founders on your application and indicate who will be the primary applicant.

Yes. In addition, the IGI has NDAs in place with all reviewers on the selection committee.

The WIES selection committee, mentors, and advisors are drawn from UC faculty and staff, as well as non-UC individuals. The final selection of WIES Fellows will be made by UCB employees and staff based upon recommendations from the selection advisory committee. The Executive Director of the IGI will manage the process. UCB and non-UCB scientific/business advisory board members may be invited to participate in the WIES selection committee review and may guide participants during the program.

Only the top finalists will be notified via email if they have been selected to move forward to the interview stage, which consists of one or more follow-up interviews with the WIES selection committee. All finalists interviewed will be notified via email if they have or have not been selected for the fellowship. The WIES selection committee will strive to finish the selection process as early as possible, aiming for mid-June 2024.

Yes, you can sign up to express interest at any time by filling out this short form.