Hivemind Capital and UC Berkeley Launch darkmatter lab, a First-of-Its-Kind Program and Cornerstone of Hivemind's Upcoming Venture Fund

Gunderson Dettmer, Goodwin Procter and Google Cloud collaborate to accelerate frontier tech commercialization

NEW YORK and BERKELEY, Calif., June 4, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Hivemind Capital, a leading investment firm specializing in deep technology, today announced the launch of darkmatter lab, a first-of-its-kind program and cornerstone initiative of the firm's upcoming venture fund, designed to accelerate the commercialization of frontier technologies by supporting researchers at the earliest stages of development – before company formation. Launched in partnership with University of California, Berkeley, and with Gunderson Dettmer, Goodwin Procter and Google Cloud, darkmatter lab introduces a new model for bringing advanced research out of academic labs and into real-world applications.

The partnership was created to address the structural gaps in frontier tech funding, including declining federal research support, corporate funding that typically requires IP concessions and traditional venture capital's inability to engage until research has already exited the university system.

"Too many of the most important breakthroughs never make it out of the lab, or take years to do so," said Emmanuel Vallod, Head of Venture and Research at Hivemind Capital. "The most consequential work happens before a company exists, but that's also when resources are most limited. darkmatter lab is built to support researchers at that moment, with the capital, compute and expertise needed to move from idea to deployment."

Each selected project will receive at least $1 million in resources, including research funding from Hivemind Capital, $350,000 in compute credits from Google Cloud through its Google for Startups Cloud Program, immigration, IP and incorporation legal support from Gunderson Dettmer and Goodwin Procter, and comprehensive operating services through Berkeley SkyDeck, UC Berkeley's platform for innovation and entrepreneurship resources.

darkmatter lab will initially support projects across high-impact areas of AI and blockchain, including AI infrastructure, agentic systems, cybersecurity, compute optimization, cryptography and decentralized systems.

"UC Berkeley has always been where foundational research becomes transformative technology," said Rich Lyons, Chancellor of UC Berkeley. "Our researchers are working on some of the most important problems in AI and blockchain, and they deserve resources that match the ambition of their work. Hivemind understands the role research plays in driving innovation forward, and darkmatter lab is exactly the kind of partnership universities need right now: patient, research-first capital that keeps our researchers in control of their work."

About Hivemind Capital
Hivemind Capital is a global investment group operating at the intersection of traditional finance and the onchain economy. Founded in 2021, Hivemind allocates institutional capital across a diverse set of investment strategies, and implements technology infrastructure to help assets and institutions transition onto blockchain rails with discipline, durability, and scale. Learn more at hivemind.capital.

About UC Berkeley
Founded in 1868, UC Berkeley is the world's No. 1 public university, with 63 Nobel laureates and 50 graduate programs ranked in the nation's top 10. Berkeley researchers advance fundamental science while addressing society's greatest challenges — from artificial intelligence to climate change to human health. The university enrolls nearly 46,000 students, with 28% of undergraduates receiving federal Pell Grants, reflecting its commitment to access. Learn more at berkeley.edu.

SOURCE Hivemind