What Berkeley Existential Risk Initiative does

Berkeley Existential Risk Initiative (BERI) is an independent 501(c)(3) public charity founded in 2017 that provides operational infrastructure to research, policy, and educational initiatives focused on existential risk and AI safety. Rather than conducting research itself, BERI removes administrative and operational barriers for its collaborators — offering financial management, HR administration, grant administration, hiring support, purchasing, and compliance oversight across multiple jurisdictions. The organization is fully remote, with a mailing address in Covina, California, and operates in 15 countries including the United States, United Kingdom, Netherlands, Canada, Spain, Switzerland, Poland, India, and Australia.

BERI delivers its services through four interconnected programs: University Collaborations (the flagship program supporting academic AI safety labs at institutions such as UC Berkeley, MIT, Cambridge, Oxford, Stanford, Princeton, and the University of Chicago), Fiscally Sponsored Projects (501(c)(3) infrastructure for independent initiatives such as Project Libertas, ILINA Program, and the African Frontier AI Initiative), Technical AI Safety (grant administration for 26 research groups across 7 countries via the Coefficient Giving Technical AI Safety RFP), and Kairos Project: Pathfinder (fiscal sponsorship for 59 university-based student AI safety groups in 15 countries). As of 2025, BERI reported $8.26M in grants (up 62.7% from $4.94M in 2024), supports 115+ active collaborations, and has deployed $33M+ in program spending since founding.

BERI's revenue is dominated by foundation grants, with Open Philanthropy and Jaan Tallinn (including the Survival and Flourishing Fund) historically providing 84% of total income since inception. Secondary revenue streams include fiscal sponsorship overhead fees (estimated 8-15% of total expenses), individual and corporate donations (including cryptocurrency and donor-advised funds), and restricted grants for specific projects. The organization is led by Executive Director Elizabeth Cooper (since November 2024) with a Board of Directors that includes Treasurer Jess Reidel (Senior Research Scientist at NTT Research) and Secretary Sawyer Bernath (Operations Director at Tarbell). BERI actively pursues funding diversification and has been expanding its team and program scope rapidly through 2025-2026.

Name

Berkeley Existential Risk Initiative

Legal name

Berkeley Existential Risk Initiative

Website

https://existence.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2017

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Berkeley Existential Risk Initiative is an independent 501(c)(3) public charity, founded in 2017, that provides operational infrastructure — financial management, HR, grant administration, and compliance — to 115+ AI safety and existential risk research collaborations across 15 countries.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Berkeley

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Others

Revenue model

1. Major Foundation Grants: Primary revenue source from Open Philanthropy and Jaan Tallinn (including his various philanthropic vehicles), which together have provided 84% of total income since founding in 2017.
2. Individual and Corporate Donations: BERI accepts donations via PayPal, Venmo, credit card, cryptocurrency, physical check, donor-advised funds (DAF), and bank transfer (ACH or wire). Donations are tax-deductible in the US and Netherlands.
3. Survival and Flourishing Fund Grants: Grants from Future of Life Institute through SFF for specific collaborations (e.g., $252,000 for Oxford China Policy Lab, $52,000 for Safe Robotics Laboratory).
4. Fiscal Sponsorship Program Fees: BERI charges an overhead rate for fiscal sponsorship services (all-in overhead rate estimated between 8-15% of total expenses).

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

BERI is a 501(c)(3) public charity that provides operational infrastructure and fiscal sponsorship to AI safety and existential risk initiatives worldwide. Through four programs—University Collaborations, Fiscally Sponsored Projects, Technical AI Safety, and Kairos Project: Pathfinder—BERI delivers financial management, HR, grant administration, purchasing, hiring support, compliance oversight, and cross-jurisdiction payment handling so research teams can focus on mission-critical work.

Product overview

BERI offers a unified operational infrastructure platform with four interconnected service programs: University Collaborations (flagship program supporting academic researchers with operational support), Fiscally Sponsored Projects (providing nonprofit infrastructure to independent initiatives), Technical AI Safety (grant administration for AI safety research), and Kairos Project: Pathfinder (fiscal sponsorship for student AI safety groups). These programs share the core value of removing operational barriers so teams can focus on mission-critical work rather than administrative tasks.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• University Collaborations BERI's flagship program: operational infrastructure support for university institutions and researchers focused on mitigating existential risk, including hiring, purchasing, and general administrative assistance. BERI acts as an external collaborator (not a contractor), preserving institutional relationships and academic legitimacy while removing administrative roadblocks.
• Fiscally Sponsored Projects Provides nonprofit infrastructure—including 501(c)(3) tax-exempt status, financial management, HR administration with benefits, and compliance oversight—to independent AI safety, AI evaluation, and AI policy projects, enabling them to receive grants and operate with independence and flexibility across multiple jurisdictions.
• Technical AI Safety Grant administration for Coefficient Giving's Technical AI Safety RFP, supporting 26 research groups in 7 countries. BERI manages research support expenses including cloud computing, API credits, LLM subscriptions, and provides living stipends to researchers.
• Kairos Project: Pathfinder A selective fellowship sponsored by the Kairos Project for students organizing technical AI safety or AI policy university groups. BERI provides fiscal sponsorship—including expense management, reimbursement processing, and stipends for student organizers—for 59 university-based student groups across 15 countries.

Quantifiable outcome

• 4.74/5 average collaborator satisfaction (surveyed in 2022 and 2024)
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers17 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

13 partnerships are on record, tiered major.

• Kairos ProjectmajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025BERI provides fiscal sponsorship for Kairos Project's Pathfinder fellowship program supporting 59 university-based student AI safety groups in 15 countries. Manages expenses and stipends through a single restricted grant.
• Coefficient GivingmajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025BERI supports Coefficient Giving in administering grants for their Technical AI Safety RFP. Manages research support expenses for 26 participating research groups in 7 countries including cloud computing, API credits, and stipends.
• Project LibertasmajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024UK-based AI policy organization receiving fiscal sponsorship through BERI's FSP program.
• International Programme on AI EvaluationmajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024AI evaluation research program receiving fiscal sponsorship, managing international research coordination.
• Concentration of Power ResearchmajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Research initiative receiving fiscal sponsorship through BERI's FSP program.
• African Frontier AI InitiativemajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024AI safety research initiative in Africa receiving fiscal sponsorship to build local capacity and connect to global resources.
• Princeton UniversitymajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023Collaboration with Safe Robotics Laboratory, converted from trial to main collaboration in 2023.
• ILINA ProgrammajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2022Kenya-based AI safety initiative receiving comprehensive fiscal sponsorship, enabling access to US funding infrastructure and 501(c)(3) benefits.
• UC Berkeley - Multiple LabsmajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2017Long-standing university collaboration including InterACT Laboratory, Center for Human-Compatible AI, Center for Long-Term Cybersecurity, and others. Provides operational agility complementing university credibility.
• University of CambridgemajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2017Collaboration with multiple Cambridge groups including Centre for Study of Existential Risk, Krueger AI Safety Lab, and others in the existential risk research ecosystem.
• University of OxfordmajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2017Multiple Oxford collaborations including Oxford Martin AI Governance Initiative, Oxford China Policy Lab, Oxford Control and Verification, and Torr Vision Group.
• MITmajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2017Collaboration with MIT's Algorithmic Alignment Group as part of university collaborations program.
• Stanford UniversitymajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2017Collaboration with Stanford Existential Risks Initiative and Intelligent & Interactive Autonomous Systems Lab.

Scale indicators14 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Tides Foundation: One of the largest fiscal sponsors in the US, providing 501(c)(3) infrastructure, grant administration, and operational support to a broad portfolio of projects. Directly comparable to BERI's fiscal sponsorship program but at much larger scale and across all causes, not specifically AI safety.

Direct peers

• Centre for Effective Altruism: Community-building and grantmaking organization supporting the effective altruism and AI safety ecosystems. Comparable as a peer in terms of mission alignment and providing operational/grant infrastructure to AI safety researchers and projects.
• New Venture Fund: Fiscal sponsor within the Arabella Advisors ecosystem that provides nonprofit infrastructure to progressive and high-impact projects, including significant work in AI safety and adjacent fields. Closest direct peer to BERI in terms of mission focus and operational model.
• NEO Philanthropy: Fiscal sponsor providing 501(c)(3) status, financial management, and HR services to a wide array of progressive and public-interest projects. Direct peer operating the same fiscal sponsorship model as BERI's FSP program at larger scale.
• Multiplier: Fiscal sponsor that provides 501(c)(3) infrastructure, HR, and financial management to environmental and public-interest projects. Direct fiscal sponsorship peer providing the same operating model as BERI's FSP program, though with a different thematic focus.
• Windward Fund: Fiscal sponsor providing nonprofit infrastructure, financial management, and grant administration to environmental and policy projects. Direct peer to BERI's FSP services via the same fiscal sponsorship operating model.
• Hopewell Fund: Fiscal sponsor providing operational and grant management infrastructure to advocacy, policy, and research projects. Comparable to BERI's FSP program in the fiscal sponsorship business model and 501(c)(3) vehicle approach.
• Future of Life Institute: Mission-aligned AI safety nonprofit that funds and runs programs focused on existential risk mitigation, including the Survival and Flourishing Fund that routes grants through BERI. Comparable as a peer in the AI safety/x-risk ecosystem rather than as a fiscal sponsor.

Emerging players

• Kairos Project: AI safety research and field-building organization whose student-focused Pathfinder fellowship is fiscally sponsored by BERI. Comparable as a peer in the AI safety field-building ecosystem and former near-tenant relationship.
• Coefficient Giving: Philanthropic initiative funding AI safety technical research, with grants administered through BERI's Technical AI Safety program. Comparable as a peer funder in the AI safety ecosystem and a current strategic partner.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Berkeley Existential Risk Initiative