Golden State Today

UC Berkeley graduates have founded more venture-backed companies than undergraduate alumni from any other university globally, according to the 2024 PitchBook university rankings.

The data released on August 30 also indicates that Berkeley holds the top position for the number of undergraduate alumni who have founded companies. The report highlights a significant increase in female entrepreneurs from Berkeley, ranking the institution first for female graduates who started businesses, female-founded companies, and capital raised by women.

"Venture capital is clearly paying attention to Berkeley-generated companies," said Chancellor Rich Lyons. "And we're just getting started."

PitchBook, a data provider for private and public equity markets, annually ranks universities based on their startup founders. This year’s report reveals that Berkeley undergraduate alumni account for the most founders (1,811) and new companies (1,642) among all public and private schools worldwide.

Additionally, 283 female graduates from Berkeley have founded 281 companies and raised approximately $7 billion—metrics that also rank first globally.

Part of Berkeley’s success in this year's rankings can be attributed to campus leaders strengthening connections and alumni updating their records. Laura Hassner, executive director of UC Berkeley Innovation & Entrepreneurship and Berkeley Changemaker, noted the positive impact of the engaged alumni community.

"That UC Berkeley is No. 1 globally across five major categories, including three for female founders, shows how Berkeley continues to light the way, and we do so inclusively," Hassner said.

Stanford University ranked second with 264 fewer founders and 245 fewer companies than UC Berkeley. Harvard University, the University of Pennsylvania, and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology rounded out the top five institutions evaluated based on startups receiving initial venture funding over the past decade.

Last year’s rankings placed UC Berkeley as the leading public university for producing startup founders for six consecutive years.

"The data demonstrates that our undergraduates are founding the kind of companies that venture capitalists are backing," said Darren Cooke, interim Chief Innovation and Entrepreneurship Officer at UC Berkeley. "And they are doing so at a scale unrivaled by any other university, public or private."