The Berkeley Catalyst Fund is managed by three founding partners: Dr. Ted Hou (UCB Ph.D., Chemistry, with Yuan T. Lee), Mr. Drew Lanza (retired from Morgenthaler Ventures). and Dr. Laura Smoliar (UCB Ph.D., Chemistry, with Yuan T. Lee),

The Berkeley Catalyst Fund sources deals from UC Berkeley, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, UC San Francisco, associated incubators and accelerators, and alumni throughout the San Francisco Bay Area. Deals are not limited to Berkeley or the College of Chemistry, but the fund is designed to share some of its returns back through the UC Berkeley Foundation that will benefit the College of Chemistry.

The Berkeley Catalyst Fund (BCF) has a sister fund called the Berkeley Catalyst Philanthropic Fund (BCPF). The BCPF is financially managed by the UC Berkeley Foundation and can accept donations of any size. The BCPF enables alumni and other donors to participate in the entrepreneurial ecosystem in a way that benefits the College of Chemistry. Many alumni and donors have also stepped up to help our portfolio companies, lending industry expertise, technical expertise, legal expertise, and depth of experience to emerging companies.

Donors excited about supporting entrepreneurship can participate in the sister philanthropic fund as described here: The Berkeley Catalyst Philanthropic Fund.

The BCF/BCPF fund structure was established in close collaboration with our 'Champion Dean', Professor Douglas S. Clark, and his staff.