Top U.S. Colleges for Funded Founders in 2025
While a college degree isn’t required to launch a startup, many funded founders still come from a handful of top universities. Here’s a breakdown of where today’s venture-backed entrepreneurs studied.
You don’t need a degree to start a successful company. But when it comes to raising venture capital, many funded founders still come from the same group of elite schools.
Each year, we track which U.S. universities produce the most funded founders—those whose startups have secured seed to growth-stage funding. Once again, the top spots were dominated by Stanford, Harvard, MIT, and UC Berkeley.
The Usual Leaders: Stanford, Harvard, MIT, UC Berkeley
These four schools consistently lead the list, and for good reason. They combine strong academic programs with access to top-tier networks and venture ecosystems.
They’re also tough to get into. For the Class of 2028, Stanford admitted just 3.6% of applicants. Harvard and MIT were nearly as selective, with acceptance rates of 3.7% and 4.6%, respectively.
It’s worth noting that many successful founders from these schools might have been poised for success with or without a degree. Some even dropped out to build companies like Microsoft, Apple, and Meta. Still, formal education plays a major role—especially in fields like biotech and AI where technical expertise is essential.
Public Universities That Stand Out
Some public universities are also major contributors to the startup world, especially in tech-focused regions.
UC Berkeley leads this group, helped by its top-ranked STEM programs and proximity to Silicon Valley. UCLA follows, with over 100 funded founders emerging in the past year. Other high performers include Georgia Tech (97 founders), University of Michigan (93), and University of Texas at Austin (86).
These schools prove that you don’t have to attend an Ivy League university to build a venture-backed startup.
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Ivy League and Select Private Schools
All eight Ivy League schools made the list, continuing a long-standing trend. After Harvard, the top Ivies for funded founders were Columbia, the University of Pennsylvania, and Cornell.
Private institutions with strong STEM or business programs also ranked high. Stanford and MIT remain dominant, but others like Carnegie Mellon, Duke, and the University of Southern California stood out as well.
Small Schools, Big Impact
Some smaller schools punch well above their weight. Caltech, for example, enrolls just 2,500 students but consistently produces a high number of funded founders. These schools show that size isn’t everything—strong programs and focused talent can make a big difference.
The Role of Business Schools
Graduate business programs contribute heavily to the number of funded founders. Top schools like Harvard Business School, Stanford Graduate School of Business, Wharton at Penn, and Kellogg at Northwestern are frequent launchpads for startup founders.
Business school graduates often have the tools, networks, and confidence to raise capital and scale companies quickly.
Not Much Has Changed
Despite rapid changes in the tech and startup landscape, the schools that produce the most funded founders have remained largely the same year after year. While new trends come and go, one thing stays consistent: elite universities continue to dominate the startup pipeline.
Final Takeaway
Want to be a funded founder? There’s no single path. But attending a top school—especially one with strong ties to the startup world—can offer a real advantage. Stanford still looks like a smart bet.