IBSI collaborates with faculty, students, partners, funders, and other staff to deliver research, events and convenings, and experiential learning opportunities focused on topics at the intersection of business and social impact.
Our Labs
IBSI organizes its work around three labs and one common question: what enables people and firms to create value, participate in markets, and convert economic opportunity into income, security, and well-being?
Workers, households, firms, students, and public institutions combine human capabilities, capital, information, infrastructure, and technology to produce goods and services, and sustain livelihoods. Their productivity depends not only on the inputs available to them, but also on the contracts, incentives, and institutions that determine how those inputs are allocated, combined, and rewarded.
We explore these areas through our LIFT, WISE, and B-Hive activities.
Lab for Inclusive FinTech (LIFT)
LIFT is organized around four areas: 1) access to credit, allocation, and fairness; 2) financial contracts and borrower welfare; 3) financial decision-making and financial health; and 4) finance, firms, and inclusive growth.
Work, Innovation, Skills, & Entrepreneurship (WISE) Lab
WISE Lab focuses on how innovation and entrepreneurial capabilities are formed, matched, and rewarded, as well as what skills raise the productivity of workers and firms.
Berkeley Human-centered AI Evidence
(B-Hive) Lab
B-Hive Lab investigates artificial intelligence, algorithms, and large language models as technologies of production, allocation, and measurement.
Our Programs
These Programs drive their own results and focus on a previously under-served area: pre-college youth. Focusing on entrepreneurship and college preparedness, these Programs offer youth opportunities to build skills and confidence for their future.
Boost College-Prep Program
Boost supports first generation, under-resourced youth’s academic and career pursuits to realize their true leadership potential.
Berkeley Business Academy for Youth
The Berkeley Business Academy for Youth introduces youth from around the world to the disciplines and skills that make business work.
Our Centers
These Centers drive their own results. As a part of the IBSI community, they focus on the Berkeley student experience and creating strong connections across Haas, Berkeley, and industry partners.
Center for Responsible Business
The Center for Responsible Business develops leaders who redefine business for a sustainable future.
Center for Equity, Gender and Leadership
The Center for Equity Gender and Leadership educates equity fluent leaders to ignite and accelerate change.
Beyond IBSI, other centers and labs doing work across areas of social impact include:
- Nordic Center at UC Berkeley
- Center for Effective Global Action
- Center for Responsible, Decentralized Intelligence
- Blum Center for Developing Economies
- Energy Institute at Haas
- Berkeley Center on Political Economy
- International Business Development Program
- Berkeley Food Institute
- Goldman School of Public Policy
- College of Natural Resources
- Gilbert Center at UC Berkeley