About

The UC Berkeley M.E.T. Innovation Academy (M.E.T.ia) is an immersive summer residential program for rising high school juniors and seniors with strong interests in technology, engineering, business, and innovation. Hosted jointly by the College of Engineering and the Haas School of Business at the University of California, Berkeley, M.E.T. offers a hands-on academic experience that bridges technical concepts and entrepreneurial practice. Over the course of approximately 2½ weeks on Berkeley’s campus, students engage with foundational and applied topics in engineering and business, exploring how emerging technologies intersect with real-world problem solving and venture creation. The academy emphasizes experiential learning through project work, prototype development, and interdisciplinary collaboration. The program is a direct offshoot of the original UC Berkeley M.E.T. dual degree undergaduate program, which was founded in 2017 and quickly developed a reputation as exceptional and elite even within the impressive UC Berkeley community.

M.E.T. includes classroom instruction, workshops, and team-based project work. Participants are guided by UC Berkeley faculty, industry professionals, and experienced mentors, and the program culminates in a capstone project in which student teams develop and pitch startup or innovation concepts to evaluators. Educational activities leverage Berkeley’s Jacobs Institute for Design Innovation and connections with Silicon Valley firms. Students also participate in structured social and cultural activities that complement the academic experience and build community.

Admissions are competitive and targeted to students with strong aptitudes in mathematics and science alongside interests in entrepreneurship and communication. While explicit selectivity data is not published, applicants are encouraged to demonstrate academic readiness and the motivation to engage deeply in both technological and business domains. The academy functions as a summer pre-collegiate program with administrative and residential support provided through a partner organization, meaning that non-academic housing, student life services, and logistical components are overseen by Summer Discovery.

Students in M.E.T. gain early exposure to engineering design, prototyping techniques, entrepreneurial strategy, and team collaboration. The program’s combination of engineering and business frameworks cultivates analytical thinking, creative problem-solving, and communication skills, particularly through immersive project work and final presentations. Participants learn to translate technical concepts into practical applications, strengthening both their technical literacy and entrepreneurial confidence. The residential format also supports peer engagement, networking, and a deeper understanding of college life within a major research university.

M.E.T. is one of very few high school programs that offers a genuine look at the intersection of technology, engineering, and entrepreneurship. Its Silicon Valley location and Berkeley / Haas affiliation will make it all the more exciting to the right student.