According to new data, the University of Oxford is the UK university that produced the most startup founders between 2020 and 2025.
The stats, which were compiled by Nithish A from Crustdata and shared by Scaling Europe’s Seb Johnson on Linkedin, revealed the list of universities that have fostered the most founders over the last 5 years.
Oxford Tops The List
When it comes to the top 15 universities, it’s the University of Oxford that takes the top spot.
Oxford had 1,239 alumni who founded startups over the last 5 years, almost 100 more than Cambridge, which came in second place at 1,148.
Not just two of the most entrepreneurial universities in the UK, Oxford and Cambridge are world-renowned institutions that have been at the forefront of major research in areas like computing, medicine and engineering.
It’s no surprise then that so many of their alumni have gone on to become successful entrepreneurs.
London’s Universities Come In Hot
Just shortly behind Cambridge is UCL (University College London) at 1024 founders, which sits in the top 7 alongside other London unis Imperial College (765), London School of Economics (735) and King’s College London (721).
Topping the universities from the north of England is Manchester in at 4th place with a total of 767 founders.
Other names on the list include:
- University of Leeds: 619 founders
- University of the Arts London (UAL): 582 founders
- University of Warwick: 573 founders
- University of Nottingham: 572 founders
- University of Bristol: 528 founders
- University of Edinburgh: 481 founders
- University of Westminster: 436 founders
- University of Exeter: 399 founders
The full list can be found in the graph below:
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Universities As Hubs Of Innovation
Over the past decade or so, universities have moved on from simply being places of study to really becoming hubs of entrepreneurship.
In fact, many universities have actually started their own accelerators to help launch alumni-led businesses into the startup world.
Some of the most famous include:
- Accelerate Cambridge at the University of Cambridge
- Imperial Enterprise Lab at Imperial College London
- Launchpad at Falmouth University
- SETsquared Bristol, Bath, Exeter, Southampton and Surrey
- Oxford University Innovation’s Startup Incubator
- Accelerate Cambridge At The University of Cambridge
- UCL Hatchery
- Warwick Enterprise
- King’s Start-up Accelerator
- Edinburgh Innovations at The University of Edinburgh
Why Are University Accelerators So Successful?
When you think of a famous accelerator, you might think about Y Combinator or Techstars, but some of the most innovative accelerators are actually found in universities.
There are a few reasons why they do so well:
Research-Led With Access To Talent
Universities are full of innovative research projects led by some of the brightest minds in the world.
These university accelerators can use university campuses to give startups access to research capabilities and academic knowledge that few competitors can match.
Alumni Networks To Draw On
Startups need more than just funding, which is why so many VCs and accelerators talk about their networks. Universities have some of the best networks in the country, usually with highly engaged alumni.
Because of this, university spinouts are able to not only lean on the guidance of the university, but on the community behind it.
Prestige
Being part of a university accelerator not only improves network, but adds credibility too. It shows that the company has been vetted by a respected institution and comes with a great name behind it. For startups raising funds, this can be a great trust signal.
Early Support
Unlike other accelerators which focus on companies that already have a product or team, university accelerators usually engage with startups that are very early stage – sometimes whilst the founders are still at university!
This means that they can be part of the journey from day 1, helping shape strategies, teams and goals.
How Else Do Universities Foster Entrepreneurship?
Aside from building accelerators and spinouts to help foster entrepreneurship amongst their student base, universities also:
- Have specific MBAs or courses that students can attend to teach them how to grow and nurture their own businesses.
- Host demo days, where investors and alumni are invited to listen to pitches for funding from alumni-led startups.
- Host hackathons, so startups can quickly build products and innovate.
- Provide workspaces for startup teams.
- Host events with famous business people to inspire entrepreneurship amongst its student body.
- Connect alumni for mentoring.
- Partner with investor networks to unlock grants for university businesses.
The Growth Of Universities As Innovation Hubs
As the UK continues to try and position itself as a startup leader on the global stage, universities will remain an important part of this.
As places that are driven by innovation, the link between academics, investors and students can be one that helps turn todays students into tomorrow’s startup leaders.
