Our Approach
1 Real-World Housing Impacts
Whether supporting ventures from start to scale, launching tools for policy decision-making, or modernizing construction methods, our work aims to spur innovation to increase housing affordability.
2 Collaboration for Collective Change
Our work brings together a diverse and energized community of change-makers, ranging from entrepreneurs, experts, and investors to our partners in communities, government, and private industry. We have worked with research partners and academic institutes across the country, including the Terner Center for Housing Innovation at UC Berkeley, the Morrison Institute for Public Policy at Arizona State University, and the Rocky Mountain Land Institute at Denver University.
3 Policy and Practice Expertise
Terner Labs works closely with the University of California, Berkeley's Terner Center for Housing Innovation, which generates actionable housing solutions through rigorous research, policy engagement, and cross-sector collaboration. Together, we combine bold innovations and deep expertise to advance affordability, equity, and sustainability.
Timeline
2015
Terner Center Founded
The Terner Center for Housing Innovation is founded at UC Berkeley with the mantra “No Limits.” It is named for Don Terner, a visionary leader in addressing California’s housing challenges. Read more about Don Terner.
2020
Terner Labs Founded
Terner Labs was founded as an independent 501c3 to house the Housing Venture Lab program and to launch aligned initiatives to scale technology and construction innovation to address significant housing challenges.
2022
Data Solutions Lab Launches
Terner Labs’ Data Solutions Lab launches its Housing Supply Simulator in Los Angeles, helping leadership in the planning department refine housing policy decisions.
2023
Housing Venture Lab Grows
The Housing Venture Lab’s portfolio grows to over twenty organizations with the start of the fourth cohort. Alumni raise over $490M to accomplish their goals.
2024
Builders Lab Launches
Our pilot Builders Lab program launches to support innovators in architecture, engineering, construction, and design.
Our Team
Careers
Join Our Team
Terner Labs is currently hiring a Graduate Student Fellow for JOIST Fund.
JOIST Fund is Terner Labs’ newest initiative, a mission-aligned venture fund designed to bridge the “scale gap” that stalls promising housing solutions.
The Fellow will work closely with the Fund Manager on diligence, fund modeling, investor materials, and operations. This is a hands-on opportunity to contribute to an early-stage impact investment fund while gaining exposure to housing innovation and impact capital.
Our Supporters
- Arnold Ventures
- Arrow Impact
- Ballmer Group
- Build it Green
- Chan Zuckerberg Initiative
- Bill Falik and Diana Cohen
- Ivory Foundation
- JP Morgan Chase & Co
- Levine Foundation
- Meta
- MK Reichert Sternlicht Foundation
- Nathan Cummings Foundation
- Payette River Foundation
- Skidmore, Owings and Merrill LLP
- Suffolk Construction Company
- Wells Fargo
Our work with the Terner Center
Our relationship with the Terner Center for Housing Innovation at UC Berkeley grounds our work in research and equips us to identify emergent policies and innovations with potential to scale.
Terner Center and Terner Labs are separate legal entities with their own budgets and are funded by separate sources. The allocation of funding for joint projects is determined in advance by the funder and is structured as a sub-award.
Except as otherwise specified by formal agreement, contributions to the work of Terner Labs by Terner Center staff are made outside of university duties and with only de minimus use of UC Berkeley facilities, staff, or students; and without use of the UC Berkeley’s gift, grant or funding. Terner Labs does not rely on, nor commercialize, the intellectual property of UC Berkeley, other than that which resides in the public domain.
As part of our efforts to help develop next-generation leaders in housing, Terner Labs offers internships to UC Berkeley students. These internships are separate from their coursework or other academic positions they may hold on campus.
Students working at the Labs are not selected by, supervised by, nor evaluated by UC Berkeley academic faculty.