Berkeley SkyDeck CEO Caroline Winnett Named to Forbes 50 Over 50

Winnett Recognized for Helping Build One of the World’s Most Prestigious Accelerators

BERKELEY, CA / ACCESSWIRE / August 2, 2024 / Berkeley SkyDeck, a global entrepreneurship center and leading accelerator, today announced that Executive Director Caroline Winnett has been named to the Forbes 50 Over 50 list in the Innovation category. The prestigious list, created in partnership with Mika Brzezinski’s Know Your Value initiative, honors 200 women who demonstrate exceptional innovation, achieve outstanding business results, and make a significant impact in their industries. Winnett was recognized for her dedication to building SkyDeck into one of the world’s leading accelerators, expanding its reach into Europe and with key partnerships around the world.

“When I joined SkyDeck as CEO a decade ago, I knew it would be a unique and challenging journey. Together, we built SkyDeck into a globally recognized accelerator, and our alumni have collectively raised $2 billion. While I am deeply honored to be included in this year’s Forbes 50 Over 50 list, this recognition also recognizes the collective efforts of our entire team and community,” said Winnett. “These 50-plus years have been the most rewarding of my life, and I absolutely love working with SkyDeck and our companies to bring their groundbreaking ideas to market.”

With an acceptance rate of around 1%, Berkeley SkyDeck is one of the most competitive accelerators, with over 1,600 companies as graduates. Since its inception, SkyDeck has seen exponential growth, expanding from 50 applications per class to over 2,000. Each group, consisting of 20-25 startups, receives $200,000 in funding from the Berkeley SkyDeck Fund, $750,000 in free and discounted resources, and access to Berkeley SkyDeck’s extensive network.

Winnett played a key role in establishing the unique relationship between SkyDeck Fund and UC Berkeley: the fund shares half of its profits with the university to continue to provide excellence in education. To date, SkyDeck Fund has invested in 160 companies, with 60% of those companies raising additional funding. Additionally, Winnett played a key role in SkyDeck’s international expansion, founding SkyDeck Europe in Milan in 2022. She has also spearheaded partnerships with numerous international organizations, including the Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO), the Swedish Energy Agency (SEA), and the Industrial Technology Research Institute (ITRI) in Taiwan.

Winnett brings a wide range of experience to her role at Berkeley SkyDeck. She was originally a concert violinist, then a publisher, before co-founding NeuroFocus. As CMO, she led the company to more than $25 million in revenue and its acquisition by Nielsen in 2011. She then founded a second company focused on neuroscience and has served as an advisor to several others. In addition to her work at SkyDeck, she serves on the board of trustees of Cal Performances. Her personal accomplishments include completing an Ironman triathlon and climbing El Capitan.

Berkeley SkyDeck recently opened applications for Batch 19, which is the first to include three new track chairs for Chip and Bio Tracks. Batch 19 will also be the first time the SkyDeck accelerator has been open to all founders from the U.S. and around the world, regardless of their affiliation with UC Berkeley. Applications are due by August 23, and orientation is scheduled for November 4.

About Berkeley SkyDeck

Berkeley SkyDeck is a leading accelerator and global hub for entrepreneurship. As UC Berkeley’s largest and most well-known accelerator, SkyDeck combines hands-on mentoring with the vast resources of its research university. SkyDeck is the only accelerator of its kind to offer the value of a dedicated investment fund alongside the resources and network of a leading university. To date, SkyDeck startups have raised more than $2 billion in total funding. Participating startups have access to SkyDeck’s 700 advisors, 70 industry partners, and a network of more than 510,000 UC Berkeley alumni. For more information, visit skydeck.berkeley.edu.

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SOURCE: Berkeley SkyDeck

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