Skydeck program participants work at their computers

Berkeley Becomes Beacon for Entrepreneurs

Unlike the South Bay, which has long been a mecca for startups, the East Bay is only recently blossoming as a nebula for startups and, at its center, is the business accelerator, SkyDeck Berkeley.

Students in Skydeck

Getting ready to start your startup

At Berkeley today, budding entrepreneurs can test their mettle in competitions, team up with like-minded thinkers, bend the ears of faculty and industry experts, and find guidance toward funding, all on campus or very nearby.

Above the Napa Valley: George Rubissow Pairs Science with Wine

While the spanakopita rests on the counter to cool, George Rubissow suggests a walk through the vineyards. He leads us to the picturesque front porch of his yellow farmhouse, its blue chairs surrounded by spring flowers that tumble downhill toward a breathtaking view of the Napa Valley. We follow him uphill past a small redwood grove to the sustainable vineyards, environmentally-friendly and planted to follow the contours of the property. This is Mount Veeder, an appellation famous for Cabernet Sauvignon, where for nearly a quarter of a century Rubissow and his partner-in-wine Tony Sargent have produced award-winning wines.