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Seven men standing in dirt field holding shovels spray-painted gold

Golden Shovels, Green Vision: A Collaborative Effort Breaks Ground on the Future Home of Bakar Labs for Energy and Materials

The facility, scheduled to open in 2028 and located on the west side of campus (Oxford Street at University Avenue, in the new Berkeley Innovation Zone), will feature state-of-the-art labs, offices, and collaboration spaces designed to accelerate commercialization of clean energy, advanced materials, and sustainable technologies. Bakar Labs is central to the university’s efforts to enable solutions to one of society’s most vexing challenges and opportunities: the global transition to advanced energy systems.

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Joshua James

From Chemistry at Chevron to Investing in Clean Energy at BEVC, a Natural Progression for Joshua James

The instinct to roll up his sleeves rather than simply write checks is exactly drew James to BEVC. Founded by Risa Stack, Rowan Chapman, and Widya Mulyasasmita, the fund’s model is unusually immersive: it sits at the crossroads of Berkeley’s research depth and Silicon Valley’s entrepreneurial speed. BEVC doesn’t just invest in companies; it helps form them, often spinning out startups directly from university labs. For investors like James, who combine scientific rigor with venture savvy, it’s a rare ecosystem — a place where they can stay close to the science while still driving real-world impact. Read post