Berkeley Seismological Laboratory
The Berkeley Seismological Laboratory is a UC Berkeley research unit that operates the Berkeley Digital Seismic Network, the MyShake smartphone alert app, and co-stewards the ShakeAlert earthquake early warning system serving approximately 50 million residents of California, Oregon, and Washington, funded primarily by federal and state government grants.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1887
- HeadquartersBerkeley, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingServices
What Berkeley Seismological Laboratory does
The Berkeley Seismological Laboratory (BSL) is a research unit of the University of California, Berkeley that conducts basic research on earthquakes and solid-earth processes while operating one of the oldest continuously running seismic monitoring networks in the western hemisphere, with seismographic recording at UC Berkeley dating to 1887. Its core technology is the Berkeley Digital Seismic Network (BDSN), a deployment of broadband seismometers and accelerometers spanning approximately 50 sites across northern and central California and into southern Oregon, with all waveform data archived and distributed globally through the Northern California Earthquake Data Center (NCEDC).
BSL's principal products include the MyShake smartphone application (a citizen-science seismic network and public alert channel adopted by the California Office of Emergency Services), the ShakeAlert earthquake early warning system (co-stewarded with USGS, now covering California, Oregon, and Washington), a real-time earthquake map, the Tremorscope visualization tool, and a portfolio of seismic data products served to researchers worldwide. Real-time earthquake detection and characterization are handled by automated algorithms running across the network.
The laboratory operates as a non-commercial state-university research entity with no user fees: services to the public are provided free of charge, and operations are funded by a mix of federal grants (USGS through NEHRP, NSF), state emergency-services appropriations (California Office of Emergency Services, Oregon, Washington), private philanthropy (Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation), and UC Berkeley institutional support. Cumulative public investment in the ShakeAlert system development alone has reached roughly $200 million across federal and state sources, while the lab's annual operating budget is not publicly disclosed. Customers in the funder sense are concentrated in a few government agencies, while beneficiaries include approximately 50 million West Coast residents, emergency-response operators, and the global earth-science research community.
Berkeley Seismological Laboratory firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Berkeley Seismological Laboratory
- Legal name
- UC Berkeley Seismological Laboratory
- Website
- https://seismo.berkeley.edu
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1887
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- The Berkeley Seismological Laboratory is a UC Berkeley research unit that operates the Berkeley Digital Seismic Network, the MyShake smartphone alert app, and co-stewards the ShakeAlert earthquake early warning system serving approximately 50 million residents of California, Oregon, and Washington, funded primarily by federal and state government grants.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Berkeley Seismological Laboratory industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Seismology and Earthquake Monitoring Services
- NAICS
- Geophysical Surveying and Mapping Services (54136), Geophysical Surveying and Mapping Services (541360)
- SIC
- Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Noise & Vibration Monitoring (Environmental/Community/Construction) (EUAHACAG)
Keywords
Where Berkeley Seismological Laboratory is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Berkeley
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Berkeley Seismological Laboratory business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Operations, Supply Chain
Revenue model
- Government Grants and Funding: Primary funding from federal agencies including USGS National Earthquake Hazards Reduction Program, National Science Foundation, and California Office of Emergency Services. Since 1991, primarily funded by UC Berkeley with additional support from NEHRP through USGS, NSF, and Cal OES.
- ShakeAlert System Development Funding: Federal government invested $130 million on ShakeAlert development. California Office of Emergency Management contributed nearly $60 million for research, seismometer installation, and infrastructure. Oregon contributed $8.5 million and Washington $1.2 million.
- Research Grants and Contracts: Individual researchers receive grants from NSF, USGS, SCEC, and private foundations. Examples include NSF EAR grants, USGS external grants, and Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation funding for Tremorscope project.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels6 records
Marketing channels7 records
Berkeley Seismological Laboratory product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Berkeley Seismological Laboratory conducts seismological research and operates a network of approximately 50 broadband seismic monitoring stations across northern and central California and southern Oregon, providing real-time earthquake information, earthquake early warning (ShakeAlert), public alerts via the MyShake smartphone app, and research-grade seismic data archived at the Northern California Earthquake Data Center. Services are delivered free to the public and to government emergency response operators as part of the California Integrated Seismic Network.
Product overview
The Berkeley Seismological Laboratory operates as a research and monitoring institution offering a portfolio of interconnected seismic data products and earthquake information services. The core offerings include the MyShake smartphone app for citizen-based earthquake detection, the ShakeAlert earthquake early warning system, and real-time earthquake monitoring via the Berkeley Digital Seismic Network (BDSN). Data is archived and distributed through the Northern California Earthquake Data Center (NCEDC). The laboratory provides public-facing products including an interactive real-time earthquake map, Tremorscope visualization tools, and educational resources. Together, these products form a comprehensive earthquake monitoring and public safety information system serving California and the broader scientific community.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- MyShake App: A global smartphone seismic network that delivers earthquake alerts, developed by BSL and adopted as the official warning app by the California Office of Emergency Services.
- ShakeAlert
- Berkeley Digital Seismic Network (BDSN)
- Northern California Earthquake Data Center (NCEDC)
Products and services
- MyShake App A global smartphone seismic network application that uses built-in phone accelerometers to detect earthquakes and deliver early warning alerts to users in California. Adopted as the official warning app by the California Office of Emergency Services.
- ShakeAlert Earthquake Early Warning System The U.S. earthquake early warning system that provides public alerts across California, Oregon, and Washington. BSL operates data centers that contribute to calculating earthquake locations and potential shaking intensity, delivering alerts via the Wireless Emergency Alert system and partner apps.
- Real-time Earthquake Map Interactive web-based map displaying recent seismic activity in California, updated continuously as earthquakes are detected and located by the Berkeley Digital Seismic Network.
- Berkeley Digital Seismic Network (BDSN) A network of broadband seismometers and accelerometers deployed across northern and central California that continuously monitors seismic activity and provides data for earthquake detection and research.
- Northern California Earthquake Data Center (NCEDC) Data archive and distribution center operated by BSL that stores and provides access to seismic waveform data and earthquake catalogs from the Berkeley networks for researchers worldwide.
- Data Products Various seismic data products including station metadata, waveform data, earthquake catalogs, focal mechanisms, and ground motion products available to researchers and the public.
- Tremorscope Visualization tool for displaying seismic tremor activity, part of BSL's geophysical monitoring capabilities, funded by the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation.
Quantifiable outcome
- Deliver earthquake alerts within minutes of occurrence
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Berkeley Seismological Laboratory
Customer profileNamed customers5 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Berkeley Seismological Laboratory technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
AI capability5 records
Feature4 records
Berkeley Seismological Laboratory partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Washington State Emergency Management DivisioncoreJoined ShakeAlert system in May 2021, completing West Coast coverage. Washington's Legislature allocated $1.2 million for seismic stations.
- USGS Menlo ParkcoreCollaborative earthquake monitoring partnership. Together with USGS Menlo Park, the Berkeley Seismological Laboratory reports earthquake information within a few minutes of occurrence. BSL is part of the USGS-supported monitoring network.
- CaltechcorePartnership in the California Integrated Seismic Network. UC Berkeley and Caltech share responsibility for earthquake monitoring in California.
- California Geological SurveycoreMember of the California Integrated Seismic Network, collaborating on statewide earthquake monitoring and hazard assessment.
- California Office of Emergency ServicescoreMajor funding partner for ShakeAlert system, contributing nearly $60 million for research, seismometer installation, and infrastructure. Adopted MyShake app as official warning app.
- Oregon Office of Emergency ManagementcoreJoined ShakeAlert system in March 2021. Oregon contributed $8.5 million for research, seismometer installation, and infrastructure.
- USGS (Federal)coreFederal agency operating ShakeAlert system. Invested $130 million in ShakeAlert development. BSL provides seismic data to USGS for the national earthquake monitoring system.
- USGS PasadenacorePart of the California Integrated Seismic Network collaboration.
- Cooperative Institute for Deep Earth Research (CIDER)minorBSL partners with CIDER for deep earth research collaborations.
Scale indicators5 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Berkeley Seismological Laboratory competitors and assessment
Company assessmentRegional players
- Swiss Seismological Service (ETH Zurich): National seismological observatory providing earthquake monitoring and early warning for Switzerland; comparable university-affiliated seismology institution in a different geography.
- GeoNet (GNS Science, New Zealand): New Zealand's national earthquake and volcano monitoring system; comparable national-scale seismic monitoring and public alerting operator outside the US.
Broad incumbents
- Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory: Columbia University earth science research division operating seismic networks and conducting earthquake and deep-earth research; comparable university-based seismology research peer.
- Japan Meteorological Agency Seismology Division: Operates Japan's nationwide earthquake early warning system and dense seismic network; broader government incumbent analogous to USGS but with a mature EEW system BSL benchmarks against.
- USGS Earthquake Hazards Program: Federal agency that operates the ANSS network and ShakeAlert system at the national level; BSL contributes seismic stations and data products to this broader USGS umbrella.
Direct peers
- Caltech Seismological Laboratory: Operates the Southern California Seismic Network and is BSL's direct partner within the California Integrated Seismic Network, sharing responsibility for statewide earthquake monitoring and ShakeAlert data delivery.
- Pacific Northwest Seismic Network (PNSN): University of Washington/Oregon State-operated seismic network providing ShakeAlert contributions for Oregon and Washington; directly comparable regional EEW and monitoring peer to BSL.
- Incorporated Research Institutions for Seismology (IRIS): Consortium that archives and distributes seismic data from university networks including BSL's BDSN; comparable mission of managing seismic data infrastructure for research use.
Emerging players
- Early Warning Labs: Commercial provider of earthquake early warning alerts and integrations that consume ShakeAlert data; an emerging commercial counterpart in the same EEW distribution value chain.
- Google Earthquake Detection System: Android-native earthquake detection using smartphone accelerometers; directly competes with MyShake in the crowdsourced seismology category and is collaborating with BSL's director.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Berkeley Seismological Laboratory social profiles
Digital presenceBerkeley Seismological Laboratory financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Berkeley Seismological Laboratory leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles2 records
Berkeley Seismological Laboratory funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
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Berkeley Seismological Laboratory M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
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Frequently asked questions about Berkeley Seismological Laboratory
What does Berkeley Seismological Laboratory do?
Berkeley Seismological Laboratory conducts seismological research and operates a network of approximately 50 broadband seismic monitoring stations across northern and central California and southern Oregon, providing real-time earthquake information, earthquake early warning (ShakeAlert), public alerts via the MyShake smartphone app, and research-grade seismic data archived at the Northern California Earthquake Data Center. Services are delivered free to the public and to government emergency response operators as part of the California Integrated Seismic Network.
Is Berkeley Seismological Laboratory a public or private company?
Berkeley Seismological Laboratory is a private company. It is classified as state government owned and is currently operating.
When was Berkeley Seismological Laboratory founded?
Berkeley Seismological Laboratory was founded in 1887. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Berkeley Seismological Laboratory based?
Berkeley Seismological Laboratory is headquartered in Berkeley, United States, in the North America region.
How does Berkeley Seismological Laboratory make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Government Grants and Funding is the primary driver. The others are shakeAlert System Development Funding and research Grants and Contracts.
Who are Berkeley Seismological Laboratory's main competitors?
Regional players on record are Swiss Seismological Service (ETH Zurich) and GeoNet (GNS Science, New Zealand). Broad incumbents are Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory, Japan Meteorological Agency Seismology Division and USGS Earthquake Hazards Program. Direct peers are Caltech Seismological Laboratory, Pacific Northwest Seismic Network (PNSN) and Incorporated Research Institutions for Seismology (IRIS). Emerging players are Early Warning Labs and Google Earthquake Detection System.
Does Berkeley Seismological Laboratory have an API?
No public API is recorded for Berkeley Seismological Laboratory.
What industry is Berkeley Seismological Laboratory in?
Berkeley Seismological Laboratory's product category is Seismology and Earthquake Monitoring Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EUAHACAG, Noise & Vibration Monitoring (Environmental/Community/Construction). Its NAICS code is 54136 and its SIC code is 8731.