Jacobs Institute for Design Innovation

Jacobs Institute for Design Innovation UC Berkeley’s interdisciplinary hub for learning and making at the intersection of design and tech

The Jacobs Institute for Design Innovation is Berkeley’s interdisciplinary hub for learning and making at the intersection of design and technology. We empower you with a place to explore, a place to connect and a place to learn the way you learn best – by doing. We welcome anyone – artists, engineers, game-changers – who wants to create, play and experiment. Whether you’re new to design or know e

xactly what you want to invent next, you’ll find a like-minded community of hands-on enthusiasts here. We offer courses, extracurricular programs, makerspaces and labs, and resources for all things design.

🚀Meet the Spring 2026 Innovation Catalyst Cohort!We are beyond excited to introduce this semester’s grantees: 11 project...
05/04/2026

🚀Meet the Spring 2026 Innovation Catalyst Cohort!

We are beyond excited to introduce this semester’s grantees: 11 projects and 31 students pushing the boundaries of design and technology. From ambitious undergraduates to pioneering PhDs, this cohort represents the best of Berkeley’s creative intelligence.

This year, we’ve awarded:
6 Ignite Grants ($2000) scaling high-impact, advanced ventures.
5 Spark Grants ($500) driving fresh, early-stage concepts.

Watch these teams as they debut their prototypes and breakthroughs at the Jacobs Spring Design Showcase on May 6th-8th @ Jacobs Hall.

Applications for the Fall 2026 Cohort are now open! Apply by Monday, July 20th, 9AM PST.

Applications are officially OPEN for the Fall 2026 Jacobs Institute Innovation Catalyst grant program! 🚀We invite Berkel...
04/21/2026

Applications are officially OPEN for the Fall 2026 Jacobs Institute Innovation Catalyst grant program! 🚀

We invite Berkeley students from every major to submit project proposals they are passionate about developing this upcoming semester. Whether you’re prototyping a new gadget or designing a community solution, this is your chance to take your vision to the next level.

Why apply?

Funding: Receive up to $2,000 to bring your ambitions to life.

Resources: Gain access to the full suite of Jacobs Institute tools and expertise.

Community: Join a collaborative cohort of fellow student innovators.

Ready to build something meaningful? Attend an upcoming info session to get your questions answered.

🔗 Check the link in our bio for full application details, deadlines, and info session RSVPs!

* Info Session: Friday, April 24th • 11:00am - 12:00pm PT

The Jacobs Spring Design Showcase is almost here! Join us May 6th–8th at Jacobs Hall to celebrate a semester’s worth of ...
04/21/2026

The Jacobs Spring Design Showcase is almost here! Join us May 6th–8th at Jacobs Hall to celebrate a semester’s worth of creativity, innovation, and hands-on making.

Check out student projects, tour the Makerspace, and connect with the next generation of designers shaping the future across engineering, art, and technology. Free and open to all!

From Mechatronics Design and Design of IoT for Smart Cities to Human-AI Interaction and MDes Capstone presentations — there’s something for everyone!

Click the link in our bio to RSVP!


Our last lecture of the season features Johanna Hoffman, an urbanist working at the intersection of design, planning, ...
04/07/2026

Our last lecture of the season features Johanna Hoffman, an urbanist working at the intersection of design, planning, fiction, and futures.

Johanna is the founder of Design for Adaptation, where she partners with communities, cities, and organizations to explore potential futures and design strategies for resilience and change.

She holds an MLA in landscape architecture and environmental planning from UC Berkeley (GO BEARS!) and has been a fellow at institutions including the Berggruen Institute, Yerba Buena Center for the Arts, USC, and the European Futures Observatory.

See you tomorrow eve, Tuesday 4/7 @6:30 PM! RSVP via link in bio.

Tonight! welcomes Lucille Tenazas, renowned graphic designer, educator, and former national president of AIGA, current...
03/17/2026

Tonight! welcomes Lucille Tenazas, renowned graphic designer, educator, and former national president of AIGA, current Henry Wolf Professor at Parsons, and Founding Chair of the MFA in Design at California College of the Arts. RSVP via 🔗in bio.

Please join us this Tuesday for Design Field Notes featuring Federico Casalegno, Executive Vice President of Design at S...
02/23/2026

Please join us this Tuesday for Design Field Notes featuring Federico Casalegno, Executive Vice President of Design at Samsung Electronics, whose work is shaping the future of human-centered AI and connected product experiences at global scale.

Based in San Francisco, Federico leads Samsung Design Global Studios and the Samsung Design Innovation Center, guiding multidisciplinary teams that integrate advanced computing, culture, and design to create meaningful next-generation technologies.

With a background spanning design, social science, and advanced technology, Federico brings an interdisciplinary perspective to innovation. Prior to Samsung, Federico was an Associate Professor of Practice at MIT, teaching at both MIT and the MIT Media Lab while founding and directing the MIT Design Lab and the MIT Mobile Experience Lab.

Come for Federico’s talk and stay for conversation and refreshments.
***RSVP via link in bio.





📣 Introducing the Fall 2025 Innovation Catalyst Grantees! 📣 We’re thrilled to highlight this semester’s cohort, featurin...
11/26/2025

📣 Introducing the Fall 2025 Innovation Catalyst Grantees! 📣

We’re thrilled to highlight this semester’s cohort, featuring 8 innovative projects and 25 talented students. Four teams have been selected for the Ignite Grant ($2000) to support their advanced project development, while four teams will receive Spark Grants ($500) to help launch their early-stage ideas. Students from undergraduate, master’s, and PhD programs are represented across the cohort.

🔧✨ Catch the teams as they present their prototypes, progress, and discoveries during the Innovation Catalyst session at the Jacobs Design Showcase on: Monday, December 8 • 2–3:30 PM ✨

Tomorrow, Friday 10/24! RSVP via link in bio to learn more about how to earn Berkeley’s undergraduate certificate in de...
10/23/2025

Tomorrow, Friday 10/24!

RSVP via link in bio to learn more about how to earn Berkeley’s undergraduate certificate in design innovation.




⏭️ Next up in our fall lecture series: Professor Jussi Ängeslevä. Jussi is a multidimensional artist creating experience...
10/02/2025

⏭️ Next up in our fall lecture series: Professor Jussi Ängeslevä. Jussi is a multidimensional artist creating experiences from the future by fusing design, algorithms, and mechatronics.

His work in public art commissions, exhibitions, and installations are consistently yielding international recognition.

This Monday, October 6th at 5:30pm.
Reception and conversation to follow.
RSVP via 🔗 in bio!



Meet our next speaker: Monika Seyfried, an interaction designer, researcher, and artist working at the intersection of s...
09/25/2025

Meet our next speaker: Monika Seyfried, an interaction designer, researcher, and artist working at the intersection of science, ethics, and futures. 🌱✨ 

Her research practice revolves around creating interdependencies between technology and nature. She communicates these ideas via interactive exhibitions that challenge our assumptions and offer hopeful, regenerative visions for tomorrow. 

Find out more and meet Monika in person at Jacobs Hall:
This Monday, September 29th at 5:30-6:30 PM

RSVP via link in bio!
.




Address

2530 Ridge Road
Berkeley, CA
94709

Website

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Jacobs Institute for Design Innovation posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Contact The University

Send a message to Jacobs Institute for Design Innovation:

Shortcuts

Share

Category