As climate change accelerates and its impacts become more evident, the need for effective, scalable solutions is more critical than ever. As a top public university, UC Berkeley remains committed to its goal of supporting excellence in research and driving solutions for sustainability. In this spirit, the University is proud to announce the inaugural recipients of the Berkeley Climate Action Proof-of-Concept Program (BCAPP), an innovative initiative designed to turn promising climate-focused research into market-ready technologies. The BCAPP program designed by Berkeley and aligned with the President’s Entrepreneurship Network Council (PENC) blueprint for commercialization, aims to bridge the gap between early-stage innovation and industry by providing PoC funding, mentorship, and training to researchers committed to addressing climate challenges.
The Berkeley Climate Action Proof-of-Concept Program (BCAPP) is a collaborative effort between the University of California Office of the President, Bakar Labs Campus Programs (formerly Bakar BioEnginuity Hub Campus Programs) and the newly launched Bakar Climate Labs. Led by Susan Jenkins, Darren Cooke, and David Schaffer, the program has selected a talented group of faculty for its inaugural awards.
“We’re thrilled with the incredible pool of talent we’ve seen in this inaugural call for proposals for the BCAPP program,” says Susan Jenkins, who has extensive experience leading campus proof of concept programs as Executive Director of the Bakar Fellows Program and Managing Director of Bakar Labs Campus Programs. “The award recipients bring forward innovative ideas and solutions that have the potential to drive real, impactful change in the fight against climate change. It’s inspiring to see such dedication and creativity from our researchers across multiple fields using multidisciplinary approaches, and we’re excited to support them on their journey to commercialization.”
The selection of these inaugural awardees highlights the exceptional caliber of research underway at UC Berkeley. With diverse and innovative approaches to climate solutions, these faculty members are poised to make significant strides toward commercialization, supported by the resources and expertise provided by the BCAPP program.
"There is no shortage of brilliant research happening here at UC Berkeley," says Darren Cooke, Interim Chief Innovation & Entrepreneurship Officer at UC Berkeley. "We’re excited to support this research through initiatives like BCAPP. We are confident that these four award recipients will make a real difference in the fight against climate change. This is just the beginning, and we’re eager to see the lasting impact their work will have in the years to come."
View the award recipients and learn more about their projects below:
Alice Agogino, Professor of Mechanical Engineering
Climate-Focused Multimodal Methane (CH4) Sensing
Methane is responsible for one-third of global warming, and our world is facing more and more extreme weather effects of climate change. Agogino’s team developed methane sensor technology, which combines current tools—optical gas imagers (OGIs) and the concentration measurements of TDLAS tunable spectroscopy—coupled with their AI-adaptive sensing algorithms that enable their solution to provide increased coverage of and improved deployability within areas, such as oil fields, where methane leaks most often occur.
Lining Yao, Assistant Professor of Mechanical Engineering
E-Seed: Sustainable Reforestation through Bio-Inspired Self-Burying Seed Carriers
The E-seed project aims to support reforestation and wildland restoration through self-burying, biodegradable seed carriers. This solution addresses critical challenges such as low germination rates and inefficiencies in traditional reforestation methods. Designed to autonomously bury seeds upon rainfall, E-seeds enhance germination success, reduce costs, and enable large-scale restoration across diverse ecosystems. In addition to the engineering design team at the Morphing Matter Lab, the scientific development of the E-seed has benefited from a collaborative effort involving an interdisciplinary team with expertise in materials science, mechanics, and plant science—including Teng Zhang from Syracuse University, Shu Yang from the University of Pennsylvania, Kenichi Soga from UC Berkeley, and Taryn L. Bauerle from Cornell University.
Boubacar Kante, Professor of Electrical Engineering and Computer Sciences
Semiconductor Laser Platform for Manufacturing, AI in Data Centers, and Fusion
Semiconductors are key to generating efficient, coherent light (lasers), which power essential technologies in manufacturing, data centers, and even energy production. In manufacturing, lasers are used for tasks like cutting and welding, with the market set to hit $50B by 2030. However, current lasers are only 10-15% efficient, limiting their potential. This project proposes a more efficient laser that could drastically cut emissions in manufacturing. Better lasers would reduce cooling costs, which account for over half of energy use in data centers. In fusion energy, lasers are crucial for carbon-free power, and more efficient lasers could help make fusion plants a reality. The proposed semiconductor laser platform is a scalable, efficient solution to replace existing lasers, powering everything from manufacturing and fusion plants to data centers and quantum computers—offering a game-changing boost in efficiency and scalability.
Ana Arias, Professor of Electrical Engineering and Computer Sciences
Transforming Nitrogen Management: Scalable Novel Sensors for Climate and Agricultural Innovation
The overuse of nitrogen fertilizers in agriculture contributes to greenhouse gas emissions, water pollution, and rising costs for farmers. Current soil nitrogen analysis methods are expensive, produce toxic waste, and are limited in efficiency and scalability. This project aims to replace traditional analyzers with cost-effective, environmentally friendly potentiometric nitrate and ammonium sensors for soil nitrogen testing. The goal is to achieve high accuracy at less than 10% of the cost of conventional methods, offering a scalable solution to improve agricultural and environmental management.