UC Berkeley SkyDeck names Cole Harry Japan Program Manager

UC Berkeley SkyDeck has expanded its Japan initiatives and appointed Cole Harry as Japan Program Manager, extending a six-year effort to build links with Japan's startup and university networks.

The appointment comes as SkyDeck increases the number of startup bootcamps it runs in Japan and broadens its work with public and academic institutions there. It has built ties with Japan's Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry and the Japan External Trade Organisation, while also investing in Japanese startups through its accelerator program and supporting companies through its Innovation Partner Program.

Harry will serve as the senior operational lead for SkyDeck's growing work in Japan. He will oversee startup bootcamps across the country and entrepreneurial immersion programs that bring Japanese university students to Berkeley.

Most recently, he was program director for Imperial College London's San Francisco office. His background spans entrepreneurship, startup ecosystems and international program management.

Japan focus

SkyDeck plans to add programming at STATION Ai in Nagoya and deepen relationships with Japanese universities including Institute of Science Tokyo, Kyoto University, Kyushu University, Osaka University and Tohoku University. Those links build on an exchange model that has sent Japanese founders to Silicon Valley while exposing Berkeley students to Japan.

The expansion reflects broader activity in Japan, where the government has increased investment in entrepreneurship and startup development. METI and JETRO have been working more closely with international accelerators and venture investors as Japan seeks to produce more globally minded founders.

This is particularly relevant in sectors where university research and commercialization often intersect, especially artificial intelligence, semiconductors, robotics and life sciences. Those areas have been a particular focus in SkyDeck's work in Asia and in its broader international strategy.

Caroline Winnett, Executive Director, UC Berkeley SkyDeck, said the shift in Japan is part of a broader change in the country's startup landscape.

"Japan is entering an incredibly important moment in the evolution of its startup ecosystem," said Caroline Winnett, Executive Director, UC Berkeley SkyDeck. "There is extraordinary technical talent coming out of Japan's universities and research institutions, particularly in fields like AI, semiconductors, robotics and life sciences. What we're seeing now is a growing national commitment to helping those founders commercialize globally. Cole's role is to ensure that as we scale our programming, we're delivering world-class experiences that give those founders real pathways to build globally competitive companies."

Cross-border ties

For SkyDeck, Japan is part of a broader effort to establish direct links with research-led innovation hubs outside the US. It has increasingly targeted markets where deep-tech research is producing startups with international ambitions.

Its model combines university connections with startup training and investment. Startups that have gone through its programs have raised more than USD $3 billion in aggregate, underscoring the scale of the network it can offer overseas founders entering the Bay Area ecosystem.

The Japan program also adds another layer to competition among accelerators and investors seeking early access to founders emerging from research institutions. Japan's renewed policy support and university output have made the market more attractive to overseas groups looking to strengthen their position in Asia's technology pipeline.

Harry said the attraction lies in the combination of Japan's scientific depth and the startup infrastructure of Berkeley and Silicon Valley.

"SkyDeck has built a unique position at the intersection of world-class research and global entrepreneurship," said Cole Harry, Japan Program Manager, UC Berkeley SkyDeck. "Japan has an incredible depth of technical talent and scientific innovation, and there is growing momentum around helping founders build companies that can compete globally. I'm excited to help expand programs that connect Japanese entrepreneurs and students directly with the Berkeley and Silicon Valley ecosystems."