Jeremy Alberga, Bakar Labs and QB3 COO, receives UC Berkeley’s Excellence in Management Award

During a period of rapid growth, Alberga leads with both vision and warmth

Yesterday, Bakar Labs and QB3 COO, Jeremy Alberga, was honored as a recipient of UC Berkeley’s Excellence in Management Award. This year, the award’s theme is “Leading Through Uncertainty: Vision, Resilience, and Mission-Driven Leadership,” honoring managers who create workplaces grounded in steadiness and courage. Alberga truly embodies these qualities, guiding Bakar Labs through a period of steady growth while also poising the institution for rapid expansion in the coming years.

“I’m honored to have been recognized with this award,” Alberga said. “We’ve come a long way in two years, and the institution will look very different two years from now. We get to do remarkable work every day, and I am truly grateful to work with the entire Bakar Labs team.”

Alberga joined Bakar Labs in February 2024 after serving as the director of program development and strategy at the UCSF Institute for Global Health Sciences. With a background in international development, Alberga’s previous roles included running not-for-profit organizations dedicated to scientific discovery in two dozen countries, including setting up research and public health programs in Cameroon and Botswana, and direct involvement in the funding and execution of over $250 million in health, financing, and policy projects.

At Bakar Labs, Alberga has overseen a period of rapid expansion and growth. During his tenure, Bakar Labs tenant and alumni companies surpassed $1 billion in funding, powering a growing ecosystem of startups innovating solutions for human and planetary health. Alberga has also helped lay the groundwork for Bakar Labs to expand into three additional facilities: both the Bakar Labs for Energy & Materials and IGI-Bakar Labs buildings in Berkeley and Bakar Bio Labs at UCSF Mission Bay.

To colleagues, Alberga is known as a friendly, competent, and compassionate leader. His door is always open, and he seems never to be too busy to help solve problems both big and small. Whether in times of crisis or calm, Alberga guides Bakar Labs with a reassuring, steady hand.

In their nomination letter, Bakar Labs staff wrote that “looking forward to the next four years and our greatly expanded operations, we wouldn’t want anyone but Jeremy in the role of chief operating officer for our organization.”