Berkeley Catalyst Fund
19925 Stevens Creek Blvd., #100, Cupertino, CA, 95014, United States
Overview
The Berkeley Catalyst Fund (BCF) provides benefits to entrepreneurial startups and helps foster the vibrant startup ecosystem around the UC systems located in the San Francisco Bay Area. BCF invests primarily in Seed and Series A stage private companies.
- Total investments
- 21
- Lead investments
- 5
- Investments · 12mo
- 1
- Active investors
- 1
Investment portfolio
- Wearlinq
Participated · Series A · Dec 2025
Wearlinq is a San Francisco–based digital health company focused on bringing clinical-grade cardiac diagnostics out of the clinic through its flagship product, eWave. The eWave device is a 6-lead, wireless cardiac monitor that connects to a patient’s personal phone, operates for more than five days between charges, and provides clinicians with near-real-time data and diagnostic reports within 48 hours. The product has received FDA 510(k) clearance and is already deployed across thousands of patients for arrhythmia detection. Management plans to expand the platform’s indications beyond arrhythmia to broader heart-failure management and remote patient monitoring. By leveraging consumer-friendly hardware and cloud analytics, the company aims to lower costs and increase accessibility to cardiac care. The fresh capital positions Wearlinq to scale commercialization, enhance its data platform, and pursue additional clinical validations.
- WaHa
Participated · Series A · Jul 2025
WaHa develops the WaHa Vaporator®, a patented, modular atmospheric water generation (AWG) system designed for off-grid installations and integration with HVAC and agricultural systems. The company holds 14 patent families with 18 patents granted worldwide that protect its proprietary technology. Since 2023, WaHa’s AWG systems have been deployed in challenging environments including West Texas, Abu Dhabi, a remote UAE desert site, Riyadh, and Stockholm. Those systems have achieved 99.998% mechanical reliability and produced 98.3% of target water volume—the highest sustained output reported in the AWG industry. WaHa plans to unveil its first commercially available AWG unit at the WETEX 2025 exhibition in Dubai and is negotiating commercial agreements for manufacturing, distribution, and long‑term service and support. The recent financing is intended to fund commercial milestones and expand a growing pipeline of sales opportunities across the UAE and GCC.
- Arima Genomics
Participated · Series C · Jun 2025
Arima Genomics leverages whole‑genome sequence and structural information to provide comprehensive, clinically actionable cancer therapy selection insights. Its proprietary platform captures how DNA is organized inside the nucleus, uniting chromatin architecture with sequence data in a single readout that uncovers gene fusions and rearrangements missed by other tests. The technology is already reaching patients through the company’s CLIA‑certified Aventa clinical testing laboratory in Orlando, Florida. Under new leadership, Arima plans to build on a decade of discovery‑driven research and launch a focused pipeline of clinical assays to expand the platform’s impact. The company is strengthening its focus on transforming oncology testing and accelerating clinical expansion. Arima is headquartered in Carlsbad, California. Arima Genomics, based in San Diego, develops 3D genomics technologies that connect DNA sequence and structural data to reveal biological insights that linear sequencing misses. Its products preserve and present the structural organization of the genome to drive discovery in genome biology and human health. The company’s solutions are used across applications including cancer, neurobiology, immunology, and translational medicine, and support development and optimization of approaches such as cell- and gene-based therapies and precision oncology research. Arima reports more than 600 global customers and has been cited in over 200 peer-reviewed studies. The company says it will expand its product portfolio and bioinformatics capabilities and scale operational and commercial capacity worldwide. Investors backing the company include both new and existing strategic and VC partners such as Genetron Health, Agilent Technologies, and Vectr Ventures. Arima Genomics builds research tools centered on its Arima HiC platform to enable analysis of genome sequence together with 3D genome structure. The company plans to expand commercial efforts and to develop new applications for the HiC platform, including adding structural analysis capabilities to conventional chromatin immunoprecipitation via HiChIP. Arima is also developing new products such as smooth-coverage HiC for gap-less de novo assemblies and population sequencing. The financing will support scaling of operations and enhancements to customer service and support. Since its initial product launch in 2018, Arima reports rapid customer and revenue growth. The company frames its technology as accelerating understanding of genome sequence and structure toward roles in human health and disease.
- Osteoboost Health (Bone Health Technologies)
Participated · Equity · Mar 2024
Osteoboost Health Inc. develops a wearable Class II prescription device worn around the hips that delivers low-magnitude vibration therapy to the lumbar spine and hips as a non-drug treatment for low bone density and osteopenia, particularly in postmenopausal women. The treatment approach is based on research originally funded by NASA and, in a double-blind trial at the University of Nebraska Medical Center, users who adhered to at least three 30-minute sessions per week for 12 months saw bone density loss reduced by 85% in the spine and 55% in the hips, per the company. The device received a Breakthrough Device designation in 2024 and was later cleared via the FDA De Novo pathway; the company began shipping in May. Since launch it has been prescribed by more than 2,500 physicians, including clinicians at over 30 academic medical centers. The company was also named to TIME’s 2025 list of Best Inventions. Osteoboost plans to use the new financing to scale manufacturing, expand clinical research, and broaden commercialization.
- Zeda
Led · Series B · Mar 2023
Zeda provides advanced 3D manufacturing and nanotech solutions, with a focus on metal 3D printing for medical, aerospace, defense, space, and energy applications. The company leverages advanced manufacturing technology to address complex engineering and materials challenges for customers in those sectors. Zeda will use the Series B proceeds to fund a new advanced manufacturing digital foundry in Cincinnati, Ohio and to expand its facilities globally. The company also plans to expand into the Asian market for its medical implant applications. Zeda closed a $52M equity and debt financing as part of this Series B and has raised $68M in total capital to date. The company is led by CEO Shri Shetty and is headquartered in Fremont, CA.
Team
Drew Lanza
Founding Partner
LinkedIn