Hello, IntentTech community. Welcome to our IntentTech Top Voice interview series.

The latest IntentTech Interview with Berkley SkyDeck’s August Fern is an interactive Q&A-styled conversation. Since 2012, Berkeley SkyDeck has been leading technology innovations through startup funding rounds and consulting. In this interview, August shares the core idea behind the inception of the Berkley SkyDeck Fund and how new avenues have emerged with the rise of AI, automation, and climate technologies (ClimateTech).

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Here’s what August had to say about the startup journeys and the funding experience for entrepreneurs.

Hello August, welcome to the IntentTech Top Voice Interview Series. Please tell us a bit about your role at UC Berkeley SkyDeck and how you arrived here.

August Fern: At UC Berkeley, I first learned that a small group of people with a vision can genuinely change the world, especially in areas as impactful as energy and climate tech. This belief shaped my career, and it’s also what brings me to SkyDeck as the Climate Tech Track Chair. The opportunity to work alongside people like Caroline and Chon Tang and the wider UC Berkeley SkyDeck team and be part of such an influential program is a perfect way for me to give back while supporting the next generation of climate tech founders.

I bring over 20 years of experience in climate tech investment through my role at Baruch Future Ventures, where I’ve guided family offices and venture funds in backing companies that address our urgent climate needs. Over the years, I’ve reviewed thousands of startups, conducting deep due diligence, financial modeling, and returns analysis to find the best solutions in clean energy and sustainable tech. My work has often extended into helping portfolio companies scale and grow strategically. Now, as Climate Tech Track Chair, I’m excited to share that expertise with new founders who are on a similar journey.

Berkeley SkyDeck’s program is truly unique. Having attended Demo Days as an investor, I know firsthand the energy, innovation, and drive each cohort brings, and I’m certain Batch 18 will be no exception. SkyDeck isn’t just about funding—it’s about creating a community where founders have access to mentorship, resources, and support to build businesses that make a real impact. Joining SkyDeck feels like coming full circle, and I’m thrilled to contribute to a program with such a powerful mission and lasting impact.

What is the core idea behind the Berkeley SkyDeck Fund?

August: The core idea behind the Berkeley SkyDeck Fund is to support and invest in the most promising startups globally that go through SkyDeck’s Accelerator program. 

Over half of the companies in SkyDeck’s highly selective Accelerator program have international founders, with the SkyDeck Fund having invested in startups from over 30 countries. The five-month program culminates in a Demo Day, where participants pitch to top-tier VCs and investors from Silicon Valley, generating vital funding opportunities. Remarkably, 50% of startups that complete the program secure institutional rounds within two to three months of Demo Day.

The SkyDeck Fund also operates on a pioneering model, sharing 50% of its profits with Berkeley SkyDeck, creating a sustainable funding loop for the accelerator. In just four years, the Fund has become one of the most active seed investors in the Bay Area, investing in over 160 companies. It is backed by prominent Silicon Valley firms like Sequoia Capital, Sierra Ventures, and Canvas Ventures, among others.

What’s truly exceptional about Berkeley SkyDeck is the unparalleled access participants receive—not only to capital but also to the institutional knowledge of UC Berkeley, its global alumni network, and a roster of experts often at the forefront of their fields. UC Berkeley’s impact on tech is undeniable; innovations from our alumni, including the foundations of Apple’s software, continue to shape the industry.

Climate Tech startups have emerged against the backdrop of AI and Net Zero efforts. Please tell us about a few startups that are impacting this space.

August: We recently showcased several promising companies at our Batch 18 Demo Day. Two climate tech startups that particularly stood out as companies that are at the forefront of climate tech innovation, driving real-world solutions to the challenges posed by climate change and sustainability, include:

The Hurd Co. is revolutionizing the textile industry by making fabric from agricultural byproducts, which are usually discarded after food crops are harvested. Currently, fabrics like viscose and rayon are made from trees, but The Hurd Co.’s zero-emission process reduces water usage by 50% and energy consumption by 90% compared to conventional methods. This company, rooted in the co-founders’ graduate work at UC Santa Barbara’s Bren School of Environmental Science, is a SkyDeck alum and part of the Fashion For Good Acceleration Program.

RockRabbit is dedicated to making home energy upgrades more accessible and affordable by streamlining the process of accessing incentives for homeowners, contractors, and incentive providers. RockRabbit has already secured seed funding from Powerhouse and generated $500K in ARR. Their work is crucial for promoting energy efficiency and sustainability in residential properties.

Another standout that comes to mind is HyLight, a former SkyDeck portfolio company from Batch 14. They’ve developed a carbon-neutral airship drone capable of conducting precise aerial inspections of energy infrastructure. This technology is particularly impactful in identifying methane leaks, which is critical as methane is 80 times more potent than carbon dioxide regarding warming potential. Addressing methane emissions is a major step in combating climate change.

Coreshell Technologies is a portfolio company for both SkyDeck and my firm that is making an impact in the Climate Tech space.  Coreshell has a technology to enable the production of low-cost silicon anodes for lithium-ion batteries, delivering increased battery capacity so your EV charge lasts longer without increasing cost and driving increased EV adoption.

Outside of SkyDeck, Element3 is another impressive climate tech startup. They extract lithium from produced water and byproducts of oil, geothermal, and desalination processes, addressing the growing demand for lithium in renewable energy storage solutions—a vital component in the clean energy transition.

What problems would Climate Tech companies solve for the planet and its inhabitants? How is SkyDeck influencing the next generation of businesses with Climate Technologies?

August: We’re at a critical juncture, and the climate emergency is intensifying. To reverse course, we must reimagine vast sectors of our society and economy. Climate tech has the potential to transform everything—from transportation to energy production, manufacturing, and beyond. Rather than focusing on individual challenges like decarbonizing transport, it’s more productive to consider the broader goal: pushing every industry toward carbon neutrality while driving economic growth and innovation.

For climate tech startups, there are many different types of hurdles to clear that startups from other industries might not experience: a need to align their innovations with governmental policy changes and incentives or a longer time horizon to developing some of the deep tech to really combat climate change, to name a few. For all of these reasons, SkyDeck’s Climate Tech Track has been focused on addressing many of the most challenging issues that climate startups face.

Because SkyDeck is part of UC Berkeley and the university is on a mission to be at the forefront for climate tech research and innovation, we see ourselves as being uniquely positioned to help identify high-impact startups and equip them with the financial and strategic resources to make a real difference in the fight against climate change.  

Which nations are leading the race in Climate Tech adoption? What infrastructure or skills pool are we eyeing to boost adoption to solve climate challenges?

Many nations now recognize both the economic cost of climate change—evident in extreme weather events like the recent events in Florida or the increasing desertification—and the urgent need to transition to a post-carbon global economy. This recognition has driven investments in climate technology, infrastructure, and skills development worldwide.

Around the world, many EU countries have taken the lead in pushing for more sustainable energy more quickly. As an example, the EU has set very clear requirements for greener fuel content, particularly for Sustainable Aviation Fuel.  This clarity empowers innovators and investors to deploy financial resources to meet the requirements.  The EU has also published rules to promote the circularity of materials that are driving innovative new materials planning and recycling methods.

Nordic countries like Sweden and Norway have been trendsetters. In October of this year, The Economist ranked Sweden as the 2nd most innovative country in the world. The Swedish government has tasked organizations such as the Swedish Energy Agency to strategically research and finance innovations around sustainable energy.  Norway is another prime example, having successfully invested in EV infrastructure and subsidies, making it a global leader in vehicle electrification. Today, EVs outnumber internal combustion cars there.

In the US, we shouldn’t underestimate the progress we’ve made. One of our key strengths lies in being a magnet for global talent and having a robust venture capital ecosystem that enables significant investment in climate tech. In fact, the US-led global climate tech financing in the first half of 2024, though this has slowed somewhat post-pandemic.

Our momentum is also supported by policies like the Inflation Reduction Act, which has catalyzed infrastructure investment in clean technologies. As a result, we’re making headway in areas like photovoltaics, small modular reactors, carbon capture, sustainable transportation, and green construction.

A significant driver of this success is our diverse talent ecosystem. Beyond engineers, the US has the complementary expertise needed to scale climate tech—whether it’s surveyors and architects designing the infrastructure or lawyers navigating regulatory approvals. This combination of talent, policy support, and capital has positioned us to take charge of solving climate challenges.

What is the growth plan for Climate Tech companies in the Berkeley SkyDeck ecosystem? How would these organizations utilize Applied AI and other technologies like Blockchain or DeFi for growth and consolidation?

August: At Berkeley SkyDeck, we focus on nurturing companies with bold, transformative ideas and providing them with the capital and support needed to bring those ideas to life. When we invest, we take an equity stake, which means we’re committed to supporting these companies throughout their journey.

Our involvement is critical to helping companies build a strong foundation in the early stages. We provide the initial capital, strategic guidance, and access to our network of investors, who can help sustain their momentum as they grow.

We see significant potential for technologies like AI, blockchain, or DeFi in Climate Tech, especially in the pursuit of Net Zero. For example, one of our portfolio companies, Rock Rabbit, is already using AI to streamline its product offering. While the adoption of these technologies depends on each company’s specific needs, they can be powerful tools for growth and scaling when the timing is right.  Outside of SkyDeck, we were early investors in Kobold Metals based on the promise of using AI to better analyze mountains of geological data and quickly identify new critical mineral deposits.  Kobold Metals has already identified what looks to be one of the highest concentration copper deposits in the world and is well on its way to providing the critical minerals needed for the energy transition.

Ultimately, our focus is less on specific technologies and more on the viability and impact of the solutions these startups are developing. What matters most is that they address critical problems in the climate space with scalable, innovative approaches. If AI or blockchain plays a role in that journey, we’re ready to support their integration when the time comes.

Please tell us your Top Three predictions for a Sustainable economy powered by Climate Technology and/ or AI.

August:

• Resource Repurposing Will Become the Norm:
  What was once considered industrial, agricultural, or mining waste will increasingly be considered valuable resources. It’s possible we will begin to see more climate startups using synthetic biology methods to extract critical minerals from the mounds of low-concentration minerals that have already been dug up in mines and are just sitting because they are uneconomical. A sustainable economy will, by necessity, be resourceful, maximizing the use of byproducts and minimizing waste.
  
• AI-Driven Energy Management:
  Generally utilities and ISOs are conservative and slow to adopt new technologies, but over the next many years, we might begin to see a shift towards decentralized energy generation, enabled by AI to optimize these systems, helping to balance supply and demand in real-time, ensuring efficiency, and reducing reliance on fossil fuels.
   
• Dynamic Innovation in the Net Zero Economy:
  Achieving Net Zero will require rethinking vast sectors of the economy. A sustainable economy will be highly dynamic, driven by continuous innovation and problem-solving. With so many challenges ahead, there are countless opportunities for those who can develop and implement solutions.

The field is seeing an influx of talented individuals who are dedicated to addressing the climate crisis. Thirty years ago, discussions about energy efficiency or sustainability were rare. Today, thousands of top technical and entrepreneurial minds are choosing to focus on initiatives that will positively impact our climate. This growing pool of expertise and commitment creates a vibrant landscape for climate tech innovation, where meaningful solutions can flourish.

One Climate Tech leader or startup influencer/researcher you would like to recommend for the IntentTech Top Voice Interview Series.

August: One of our outstanding portfolio company CEOs is Josh Silverman, CEO of Windfall Bio.  Windfall is an example of a company doing exactly what we need to do to fight climate change – they are taking excess methane from either dairies or oil & gas operations and using synthetic biology approaches to convert it to a useful product, an effective soil fertilizer for farmers.  Not only does the technology remove the highly damaging methane from the air, but it also displaces synthetic fertilizer currently made from natural gas.  We need more companies developing win-win approaches like Windfall Bio.

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