Ever had a startup idea you didn’t know how to build? Or maybe you never had the team or resources to back it? This course is your chance to go from idea to launch.

ENGIN 198: Startup Foundations, is a 14-week course designed to transform students from all levels of experience into venture-ready entrepreneurs through weekly speakers and hands-on workshops. Student founders will navigate the full startup journey from identifying a problem, building a real product, and developing a pitch to investors. Interdisciplinary teams are crucial to your success in this course; students will be connected with co-founders and mentors from specialized industry verticals.

Students are given a front-row seat to industry professionals including serial entrepreneurs, product specialists, and early-stage investors. Students are primed on applied topics in venture capital, navigating tools such as PitchBook, term sheets, and market sizing. Leaving this course, students walk away with a concrete startup, a defined product-market fit, and a network within Berkeley’s most active entrepreneurship centers.

In partnership with Berkeley SkyDeck, SCET x SkyDeck brings you the resources and network that extend beyond campus. During Demo Day, all students will deliver a final live pitch at the SkyDeck office. Winners are given the opportunity to directly join SkyDeck’s Pad-13 incubator program.

We are looking for students who are committed to building beyond the classroom. No experience required. If you are ambitious in exploring your first startup or looking to scale a previous idea, start your journey here and learn what it takes to be a Berkeley founder.

Learning Outcomes

Launch your startup

Explore workshops in customer discovery, programming, and pitching your idea

Ship a working product

Solve a validated problem through a functional prototype and MVP showcase

Navigate the VC ecosystem

Learn how investors evaluate startups and pitches, culminating in a final Demo Day at before SkyDeck judges and venture capitalists