AI-First,
Founder-Driven,
Berkeley-Built

Welcome to The House AI Accelerator—a highly selective, hands-on program uniquely designed for UC Berkeley-affiliated founders building AI companies.

Applications Now Open for Summer '25

Program Dates: June 18 - August 28, 2025
Startup Showcase: September 11, 2025
Format: Wednesdays and Thursdays from 12PM to 8PM for 10 weeks
Location: In-person at The House in Berkeley

Have an offer from another program? Note this in your application, and we'll accelerate your interview & decision.

Apply Now

Why Choose The House AI Accelerator?

We combine personalized mentorship, deep AI integration, and Berkeley's legendary network to help you achieve rapid growth and secure your next funding round.

1. AI-First

AI isn't just a tool—it's fundamental to how you'll build, operate, and scale your company. Our program ensures AI integration is both practical and habitual, becoming second nature in everything you do. We'll help you leverage AI not just in your product, but across your entire company.

2. Personalized Program

We guide you along a clear, proven path built for speed. Wherever you are—from Validation to Growth—our coaching accelerates your progress from that exact point. Our structured phases propel you faster through each milestone, focusing your energy on what drives immediate momentum. No matter your starting point, we eliminate guesswork so you can sprint ahead with confidence.

3. Small Cohort

Your cohort is one of your greatest assets. Through structured peer engagement and strategic mentor connections, you'll benefit from collective wisdom while forging relationships that last well beyond the program. The exceptional talent of Berkeley founders creates an unparalleled peer learning environment.

The AI Accelerator is truly founder-driven. We provide the structure, AI-powered tools, and targeted support—but the momentum comes from you. We're building the House where extraordinary founders create extraordinary companies. 🚀

What You'll Receive

1. Funding

Investment: We invest on a standard SAFE for 7-10%. We believe each startup is different, so our investment reflects that.

2. AI-Specific Resources

Technology Credits: Up to $750K in free compute
Premium Partnerships: Special access from Databricks, Microsoft, and OpenAI

3. Expert Network

World-Class Mentors: Seven top AI researchers on our team
Berkeley Network: Direct access to notable Cal alumni AI founders and executives
Domain Expertise: Personalized guidance across product, engineering, and go-to-market

4. Growth Support

Customer Acquisition: Business development support to find product-market fit
Fundraising Preparation: Hands-on assistance for your next financing round
Team Building: Recruiting support from our in-house recruiter and Berkeley network

5. Community

Founder Network: Join our family of 200+ founders across various stages
Cal Advantage: Leverage the power of Berkeley's 600,000+ strong community

‍

We're proud to have over 200 amazing founders #inTheHouse across more than 100 companies, including Databricks, Flexport, Anyscale, Inxeption, Ambi Robotics, Superhuman, Crowdbotics, Dyndrite, Laurel AI, Eko, Opaque Systems, Ponder, Spiral Labs, SafelyYou, Oasis Labs, Deepscale (acq. by Tesla), Determined AI (acq. by HPE), Gradescope (acq. by Turnitin), and Distributed Systems (acq. by Coinbase).

"The energy, network, and resources that The House Fund brings to Berkeley is changing the landscape of entrepreneurship at Cal. They are bringing together the best resources and building a pathway of support for founders at all stages. Berkeley has been waiting for this."

Scott Shenker

Co-Founder, Databricks,
Nefeli Networks, & Nicira (acq. $1.2B VMWare)
Cal Professor, EECS

"The House Fund was one of our earliest supporters. They were helpful with recruiting and investor intros in Series A, and evangelized Superhuman farand wide. They work relentlessly for their startups. This is THE fund that Berkeley has always needed."

Vivek Sodera

Co-Founder, Superhuman

100+

Startups Backed

$5B+

Follow-on capital raised

15+

Exits

Since inception in 2016, The House Fund has invested in 100+ startups, including 15+ exits, backing companies like Databricks (valued at $43B+) and Flexport (valued at $8B+), and founders like Robert Nishihara (Founder of Anyscale) and Dawn Song (Founder of Oasis Labs & Ensighta). Over 100 firms have follow-on invested $5B+ in our startups.

Our Cal roots run deep. The House Fund’s founder has been building the Berkeley startup community since 2010. Our four Part-Time Alumni Partners have founded companies with combined exits over $2 Billion. Our seven Faculty Partners are among the world's leading AI experts. Learn more about our team here.

acquisitions

follow-ons

Frequently asked questions

Who is eligible to apply for the Accelerator program?

All Cal alumni, faculty, student, and affiliate entrepreneurs, especially those from underrepresented backgrounds, are eligible to apply. We are focused on companies that are AI-related.

When is the deadline to apply?

The early application deadline for the Summer ’25 AIA is March 22, 2025 (11:59 PM PT), and the final deadline is April 12, 2025 (11:59 PM PT); applications submitted afterward will be reviewed on a rolling basis.

When will I hear back from you on my application?

Have an offer from another program? Please note this in your application, and we’ll accelerate your interview & decision. We aim to get you a response within 14 days of submitting your application. Due to volume, we may not be able to provide as much feedback as we would like to, but we will do our best.

What are the terms of the funding?

We invest on a standard SAFE for 7-10%. We believe each startup is different, so our investment reflects that.

How many startups will you be accepting?

We will have a very small number of startups in The House AI Accelerator at any given time, to enable a truly hands-on and tailored experience for the startups in the program.

How is this different from other accelerator programs?

Every startup is different. We believe the unique challenges that every early stage founder faces are best served with hands-on, directed support, not batch wide programming. For example, instead of a large Demo Day, you’ll work side by side with our Partners to build a customized list of the best-fit VCs and receive directed, personal introductions. We’ll accelerate your path to unlocking the next phase of growth for the business with support that is targeted at you and your company, while still benefiting from having access to a community of peer founders from our wider portfolio.

What type of companies do you fund?

We invest broadly in technology startups and invest across enterprise and consumer. This program will focus on companies building AI-first, as well as AI-enabled startups.

What stage of company will be accepted into the program?

No company or team is too early or too late. We have invested in teams with little more than a slide deck, and also in companies that are meaningfully further along with a real product and revenue. This program is really meant to help startups at the earliest stages level up to the next business milestone. We are looking to back founders we believe in.

Do you have to be a company (incorporated) before you apply?

No. If you are not yet incorporated, we can help you do so upon acceptance into the program.

If The House Fund has passed on my startup pitch before, can I still apply?

Yes. This program is designed for startups that have not already received investment and support from The House Fund.

I still have questions about the program. How can I get in touch?

Get in touch with us via email: build [at] thehouse.fund

Join The House AI Accelerator.

apply now

AI-First,Founder-Driven,Berkeley-Built