Harvard has long held its spot at the top when it comes to academic prestige and influential alumni. But beyond boardrooms and courtrooms, the 389-year-old institution is still flexing its muscles in one of the most dynamic arenas of all: startup creation.
From billion-dollar exits to next-gen unicorns, Harvard grads—and even some famous dropouts—are still shaping the future of venture-backed tech. And while Stanford and MIT often share the spotlight, Harvard continues to rank among the top three universities for producing founders of funded startups.
Harvard’s Latest Scorecard in Startup Leadership
With graduation season in full swing and Harvard making national headlines for reasons beyond academia, it’s worth checking in on how the Ivy League icon stacks up in the startup space right now.
Let’s start at the top: Stripe, one of the world’s most valuable private companies, was co-founded by Harvard attendee John Collison. He famously chose to build a business instead of finishing his degree—echoing the paths of fellow Harvard dropouts like Bill Gates and Mark Zuckerberg.
More recently, Rippling has made waves by raising $450 million at a stunning $16.8 billion valuation. Its co-founder and CEO, Parker Conrad, is a Harvard graduate. Another top contender, Devoted Health—a Medicare-focused platform—was founded by Harvard alumni Ed and Todd Park, with Ed serving as CEO.
Over $200 Billion Raised by Harvard-Linked Startups
Zooming out, the numbers are staggering. According to Crunchbase, more than 1,900 startups founded by Harvard students or alumni have raised over $1 million in funding. In total, these companies have secured more than $200 billion in equity investment over the years.
A huge chunk of that capital has poured in recently. In the past year alone, Harvard-affiliated startups pulled in over $54 billion. This includes a major chunk—about $47 billion—tied to OpenAI, where co-founder and CEO Greg Brockman briefly studied at Harvard before transferring to MIT.
A Reliable CEO Pipeline for Unicorns
Harvard isn’t just a launchpad for startups—it’s also a reliable pipeline for leadership.
Crunchbase data shows that 158 current or former CEOs of unicorns (private companies valued at $1B+), whether still private or already exited, hold Harvard degrees. Many of them are also founders or co-founders.
Some of the better-known names on that list now trade on the public market, including Lyft, Grab, Cloudflare, and Moderna. A large number of these leaders hail from Harvard Business School, which continues to be a strong incubator for CEO talent.
Interestingly, some of the most disruptive companies of our era—like OpenAI, Stripe, Microsoft, and Meta—were co-founded by Harvard students who never finished their degrees. That’s led some to jokingly suggest the most fundable entrepreneurs might be those who leave Harvard early, not those who stay.
What’s Next for Harvard’s Startup Scene?
Whether Harvard will maintain its reputation as a startup breeding ground depends on many factors, from policy shifts to new VC trends. But so far, the data is clear: Harvard isn’t just keeping up—it’s still setting the pace.
More comparisons with other top institutions are coming soon. For now, though, one thing’s certain: Harvard is far from slowing down in the startup race.
