Caroline Winnett Explained

Caroline Winnett
Known For:NeuroFocus
Executive Director
Employer:Berkeley SkyDeck
Boards:Cal Performances, Embee Mobile

Caroline Winnett is the executive director of the Berkeley SkyDeck startup accelerator at the University of California, Berkeley.[1] She is a serial entrepreneur, civic activist, angel investor, advisor and board member of several startups, and a frequent speaker on startups, accelerators, women in business and consumer neuroscience.[2] [3] [4]

Education

Winnett attended Brown University as an undergraduate and got her violin performance degree in 1984 from the Indiana University School of Music.[5] [6] In 1990, Winnett earned her MBA from the Berkeley Haas School of Business.[7] In a 2018 interview, Winnett said that she created her own major in Entrepreneurial Operations because at that time there were no programs at Berkeley for entrepreneurs.[8]

Civic activism and Berkeley landmarks

Save Berkeley Iceland

In 2008, Winnett was a founder and spokesperson for Save Berkeley Iceland, advocating for the preservation of the 67-year old Olympic-sized historical ice rink in Berkeley, California.[9] [10] She appeared on local NBC News to raise donations and also petitioned the city council.[11] Winnett and the group were able to raise $50,000 and advocated turning the rink into a nonprofit, but in the end were not able to save the rink from closure.[12]

SkyDeck signage petition

In July 2017, Winnett successfully petitioned the Berkeley city council after a 10-month review process to approve signage on the tallest building in downtown Berkeley, formerly known as the PowerBar building or the Chase Building due to previous signage.[13] The highly-debated building signage named the building "SkyDeck" after Winnett's nonprofit organization, the Berkeley SkyDeck accelerator located on the penthouse floor.[14] Those opposed to the petition argued that the signage was "advertising" and not architectural, while advocates including Winnett argued that the name SkyDeck reflected the Berkeley spirit of innovation. In the end the SkyDeck Building petition was unanimously approved by the council.

Career

NeuroFocus

In 2006, Winnett co-founded startup NeuroFocus, a company that measures how consumers react to advertising using neurological measurements using EEG sensors.[15] [16] [17] Nielsen Holdings acquired NeuroFocus in 2011.

UC Berkeley SkyDeck

Winnett joined Berkeley SkyDeck as executive director in 2015, three years after its original founding as a mentoring space.[18] [19] [20] As the new director, Winnett added staff and worked to partner with the resources already in place at Berkeley. With a colleague, Winnett helped to secure a $150,000 grant to build The Berkeley Startup Network platform so that startup resources at Berkeley would be accessible in one place.[21] In a 2018 interview with Xconomy, Winnett noted that the number of SkyDeck startup advisors had increased from 30 to 140, and that the penthouse accelerator had also taken over an additional floor of the high-rise building it was housed in, located next to Berkeley campus.[22] [23]

In Spring 2018, Winnett and SkyDeck raised a $24 million oversubscribed venture fund from investors Sequoia Capital, Mayfield, Sierra Ventures and others. Managed by Winnett's colleague Chon Tang, the Berkeley SkyDeck Fund began offering $100,000 each to startups in return for 5 percent ownership, beginning with a cohort of 20.[24] In a 2019 blog, Winnett expressed a goal that the Berkeley SkyDeck Fund would bring $1 billion in revenue to UC Berkeley in the future.[25]

Cal Performances

Winnett also serves on the Board of Trustees for Cal Performances, a UC Berkeley performing arts organization.[26]

Public Speaking

Winnett was the opening speaker at the 2020 Taiwan-US Innovation Forum, and urged companies in the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic environment to "focus on the basics", "don't be afraid to change course", and "look for new opportunities".[27] Winnett has also spoken at venues such as the Milan Innovation District and the Rhodes House at the University of Oxford talking about the future of work and innovation.[28] [29]

Notes and References

  1. News: Sawers . Paul . Startup accelerators forge ahead with new virtual programs . 31 July 2020 . VentureBeat . April 1, 2020 . 4 August 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20200804235001/https://venturebeat.com/2020/04/01/startup-accelerators-forge-ahead-with-new-virtual-programs/ . live .
  2. Web site: Caroline Winnett Founder BrandNeuro . The Neuromarketing World Forum . NMSBA Events B.V. . 30 July 2020 . 13 August 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20200813195346/https://www.neuromarketingworldforum.com/previous-speakers/caroline-winnett . live .
  3. News: Gevorgyan . Mane . Berkeley SkyDeck Accelerator Program Seeks Armenian Startup Applicants . 31 July 2020 . hetq . October 19, 2019 . 24 December 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20191224123730/https://hetq.am/en/article/108448 . live .
  4. Web site: 2019 WT2 Executive Leadership Caroline Winnett . YouTube . GlobalTechWomen . 31 July 2020 . April 27, 2019 . 21 November 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20201121003839/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PPOqsixJYsU . live .
  5. News: Skydeck: Startup University with Caroline Winnett . 30 July 2020 . Double Shelix Podcast . Podomatic . April 29, 2019 . 2019-11-06 . https://web.archive.org/web/20191106062748/https://www.podomatic.com/podcasts/doubleshelix/episodes/2019-04-29T12_03_22-07_00 . live .
  6. Web site: Caroline Winnett . Wonder Women Tech . 31 July 2020 . 21 November 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20201121003916/https://wonderwomentech.com/speaker/caroline-winnett/ . live .
  7. News: Girard . Kim . SkyDeck's New Exec. Director Laser Focused on Startups . 30 July 2020 . Berkeley Haas . UC Regents . February 21, 2015 . 30 March 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20190330154956/http://newsroom.haas.berkeley.edu/skydeck%e2%80%99s-new-exec-director-laser-focused-startups/ . live .
  8. News: An Interview with Skydeck's Caroline Winett MBA '90 . 30 July 2020 . Cal Alumni Association . CAA Announcements . September 17, 2018 . 18 September 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20180918094408/https://alumni.berkeley.edu/announcements/caa-announcements/berkeley-skydeck . live .
  9. News: Kristin Bender and Paul Burgarino . Berkeley group in talks to buy ice-skating rink . 13 November 2020 . MediaNews Group, Inc. . East Bay Times . March 4, 2008 . 13 November 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20201113234945/https://www.eastbaytimes.com/2008/03/04/berkeley-group-in-talks-to-buy-ice-skating-rink/ . live .
  10. News: Clarke . David . Decaying Olympic-Sized Ice Skating Arena Is Sure To Make You Nostalgic . 13 November 2020 . Standard News . August 22, 2016 . 17 November 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20201117182523/https://standardnews.com/decaying-olympic-sized-ice-skating-arena-sure-make-nostalgic/ . live .
  11. Web site: Cannon . Brent . Caroline Winnett on NBC for Save Berkeley Iceland . YouTube . 13 November 2020 . 15 November 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20201115090448/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i65TfmPYhQI . live .
  12. News: DeFao . Janine . Berkeley's Iceland rink closes for good . 13 November 2020 . Hearst . SFGate . March 31, 2007 . 17 November 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20201117182519/https://www.sfgate.com/bayarea/article/Berkeley-s-Iceland-rink-closes-for-good-2606151.php . live .
  13. News: Knobel . Lance . Berkeley Council approves SkyDeck sign for downtown building . 28 April 2020 . Berkeleyside . June 26, 2017 . 21 June 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20200621075051/https://www.berkeleyside.com/2017/07/26/berkeley-council-approves-skydeck-sign-downtown-building . live .
  14. News: Ma . Jason . Student Entrepreneurship Is Humming At Elite Universities . 28 April 2020 . Forbes, Inc . Forbes . May 14, 2013 . 20 June 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20200620053358/https://www.forbes.com/sites/jasonma/2013/05/14/student-entrepreneurship-is-humming-at-elite-universities/#505ddeca31b9 . live .
  15. News: Penenberg . Adam . NeuroFocus Uses Neuromarketing To Hack Your Brain . 30 July 2020 . Mansueto Ventures, LLC . Fast Company . August 8, 2011 . 20 October 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20201020083114/https://www.fastcompany.com/1769238/neurofocus-uses-neuromarketing-hack-your-brain . live .
  16. Web site: Caroline Winnett . Adotas . 30 July 2020 . January 29, 2013 . 20 September 2017 . https://web.archive.org/web/20170920065811/http://www.adotas.com/author/caroline-winnett/ . live .
  17. News: Bouryal . Kristie . NIELSEN ACQUIRES NEUROFOCUSNIELSEN ACQUIRES NEUROFOCUS . 30 July 2020 . The Nielsen Company (US), LLC . Neilsen.com . May 26, 2011 . 23 September 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20200923171706/https://www.nielsen.com/us/en/press-releases/2011/nielsen-acquires-neurofocus/ . live .
  18. News: Rinker . Brian . Armed with a new venture fund, UC Berkeley's SkyDeck continues its mission . 30 July 2020 . American City Business Journals . San Francisco Business Times . January 24, 2020 . 21 November 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20201121003841/https://www.bizjournals.com/sanfrancisco/news/2020/01/24/armed-with-a-new-venture-fund-uc-berkeleys-skydeck.html . live .
  19. News: Carolyn . Said . UC Berkeley startup accelerator gets a boost from venture fund . 30 July 2020 . Hearst . San Francisco Chronicle . August 15, 2018 . 18 September 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20200918181828/https://www.sfchronicle.com/business/article/UC-Berkeley-startup-accelerator-gets-a-boost-from-13156216.php . live .
  20. News: Heater . Brian . Accelerating Berkeley Startups at SkyDeck . 31 July 2020 . Verizon Media . TechCrunch . June 9, 2018 . 10 August 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20200810001231/https://techcrunch.com/video/accelerating-berkeley-startups-at-skydeck/ . live .
  21. News: Snyder . Bill . How Bears Breed Unicorns: Inside Cal's Vast Startup Ecosystem . 30 July 2020 . Cal Alumni Association . CALIFORNIA Magazine . February 16, 2017 . 2020-08-07 . https://web.archive.org/web/20200807161833/https://alumni.berkeley.edu/california-magazine/just-in/2017-02-16/when-bears-breed-unicorns-inside-cals-vast-startup-ecosystem . live .
  22. News: Tansey . Bernadette . Largest Startup Class Yet Enters UC Berkeley's Expanding AcceleratorLargest Startup Class Yet Enters UC Berkeley's Expanding Accelerator . 31 July 2020 . Xconomy, Inc . Xconomy . June 27, 2018 . 23 November 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20181123133631/https://xconomy.com/san-francisco/2018/06/27/largest-startup-class-yet-enters-uc-berkeleys-expanding-accelerator/ . live .
  23. News: Egusa . Conrad . Look no further: Universities are funding startups to ensure students succeed . 31 July 2020 . The Next Web . September 15, 2017 . 21 June 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20190621185111/https://thenextweb.com/contributors/2017/09/15/look-no-universities-funding-startups-ensure-students-succeed/ . live .
  24. News: Legatt . Aviva . 5 Amazing College Incubators . 27 April 2020 . Forbes Media, LLC . Forbes . January 7, 2019 . 21 June 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20200621063812/https://www.forbes.com/sites/avivalegatt/2019/01/07/launch-your-startup-at-these-five-college-incubators/#5075a1ba4a77 . live .
  25. Web site: Winnett . Caroline . The Future of Education Needs New Funding Models. UC Berkeley Has One. . Medium . 30 July 2020 . March 18, 2019 . 30 November 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20191130064937/https://medium.com/@carolinewinnett/the-future-of-education-needs-new-funding-models-uc-berkeley-has-one-2bb03dfb6504 . live .
  26. Web site: About: 2019/20 Season Board of Trustees . Cal Performances . Cal Performances, UC Regents . 31 July 2020 . 14 August 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20200814003022/https://calperformances.org/about/trustees.php . live .
  27. News: Lin . Zhaoyi . 台美新创论坛：柏克莱加速器总监勉新创趁疫情期间打好基本功 . 13 November 2020 . DIGITIMES Inc. . DigiTimes . September 15, 2020 . zh . Taiwan-US Innovation Forum: Berkeley Accelerator Director Mian Xinchuang takes advantage of the epidemic. 19 November 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20201119013224/http://gb-www.digitimes.com.tw/iot/article.asp?cat=158&id=0000593691_5UM74XJS84O6AJ2R6ZRLE . live .
  28. Book: NOVEMBER 15/16 2019 MIND ADVISORY SUMMIT SECOND EDITION . November 11, 2019 . lendlease . 2 . 13 November 2020 . 14 November 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20201114220933/http://www.farmindustria.info/Allegati/20191111104832.pdf . live .
  29. Web site: 3rd Annual Rhodes Ventures Forum From Idea to Impact: Building Sustainable Venture Ecosystems . Rhodes Trust . The Rhodes Trust . 13 November 2020 . 11 August 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20200811214040/https://www.rhodeshouse.ox.ac.uk/news-events/rhodes-trust-events/events/2019/june/3rd-annual-rhodes-ventures-forum/ . live .

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