Field builder · Funders · Covina, CA · Est. 2017
Berkeley Existential Risk Initiative (BERI) is an independent 501(c)(3) public charity founded in 2017 that supports university and university-affiliated research groups working on existential risk (including, prominently, AI safety and alignment). Rather than funding as a primary grantmaker, BERI emphasizes operational and administrative “unblocking”: it provides services such as hiring support, purchasing, and general administrative support, plus fiscal sponsorship and grant administration, so that academic teams can execute work that can be difficult or slow through standard institutional channels.
BERI frames its collaborations as part of an “x-risk ecosystem,” aiming to add coordination capacity by resolving recurring operational bottlenecks across organizations and projects.
BERI is an independent 501(c)(3) public charity. Our mission is to improve human civilization's long-term prospects for survival and flourishing.
BERI BlogBERI is an independent 501(c)(3) public charity. Our mission is to improve human civilization's long-term prospects for survival and flourishing.
BERI BlogBERI is an independent 501(c)(3) public charity. Our mission is to improve human civilization's long-term prospects for survival and flourishing.
BERI BlogBERI is an independent 501(c)(3) public charity. Our mission is to improve human civilization's long-term prospects for survival and flourishing.
BERI BlogBERI is an independent 501(c)(3) public charity. Our mission is to improve human civilization's long-term prospects for survival and flourishing.
BERI BlogBERI is an independent 501(c)(3) public charity. Our mission is to improve human civilization's long-term prospects for survival and flourishing.
BERI BlogBERI is an independent 501(c)(3) public charity. Our mission is to improve human civilization's long-term prospects for survival and flourishing.
BERI BlogBERI is an independent 501(c)(3) public charity. Our mission is to improve human civilization's long-term prospects for survival and flourishing.
BERI BlogBERI is an independent 501(c)(3) public charity. Our mission is to improve human civilization's long-term prospects for survival and flourishing.
BERI BlogBERI is an independent 501(c)(3) public charity. Our mission is to improve human civilization's long-term prospects for survival and flourishing.
BERI BlogBERI is an independent 501(c)(3) public charity. Our mission is to improve human civilization's long-term prospects for survival and flourishing.
BERI BlogBERI is an independent 501(c)(3) public charity. Our mission is to improve human civilization's long-term prospects for survival and flourishing.
BERI posted that after a period without updates, it described operational and staffing changes, reported expansion of fiscal sponsorship that led to support for more than 115 active collaborations across 15 countries, and stated that in 2025 it exceeded $8.26M in grants. It also announced a search for a Deputy Director and additional operations staff.
BERI 2023 Annual Report released (and 2024 predictions/goals context)BERI announced release of its 2023 annual report and described that it grew from one to two full-time employees in 2023, brought on 14 new trial collaborations, and doubled direct spending on its collaborations program.
2024 Collaborator Survey Results (feedback metrics)BERI reported results from a January 2024 anonymous survey of 70 collaborators (30 responses), including quantified feedback on what proportion of supported projects would not have happened without BERI’s help.
BERI Returns All FTX Funds (settlement/return)BERI stated that as of January 31, 2024 it returned $389,745 received from the FTX Foundation / FTX Future Fund, describing received 2022 project-specific grants and the rationale for returning the full granted amount to avoid benefiting from fraud/theft.
BERI’s Goals and Predictions for 2024BERI published its six headline goals for 2024, including launching a new program beyond the currently dominant Collaborations Program and leveraging convening power for the existential risk community.
BERI announced two trial collaborations were converted into main collaborations based on new grants: OCPL (Oxford China Policy Lab) supported via Future of Life Institute through Survival and Flourishing Fund, and SRL (Safe Robotics Laboratory) supported via Jaan Tallinn through Survival and Flourishing Fund.