Berkeley Existential Risk Initiative

Who we are BERI is an independent 501(c)(3) public charity. Our mission is to improve human civilization’s long-term prospects for survival and flourishing. Currently, our main strategy is collaborating with university research groups working to reduce existential risk (“x-risk”), by providing them with free services and support. What we do We handle the operational complexities that slow down important work. By partnering with university research groups and fiscally sponsored projects, we provide everything from financial management and HR to grant administration and compliance—enabling teams to focus entirely on their mission-critical work. Why this matters Reducing existential risk requires a thriving ecosystem of researchers, non-profits, think tanks, philanthropists, and other collaborators. BERI serves as the operational hub in this ecosystem by enabling smooth deployment of resources, identifying and solving shared challenges, and supporting neglected projects so that the field can move faster and farther together. We currently work with groups such as: CHAI - the Center for Human Compatible AI at UC Berkeley CSER - the Centre for the Study of Existential Risk at Cambridge University CLTC - the Center for Long-Term Cybersecurity at UC Berkeley OCPL - the Oxford China Policy Lab