As the state spends millions of dollars to support innovation in other parts of North Carolina, the Triangle continues lead the way in startup creation.
The Triangle's three major research universities — Duke, UNC-Chapel Hill and N.C. State — were all included in a recent ranking of the top 100 colleges with the most startup founders by venture capital data firm PitchBook. No other North Carolina universities made the list.
PitchBook developed the rankings “based on the total number of founders whose companies received a round of venture funding between Jan. 1, 2013, and Aug. 1.” The analysis is based on data for global venture capital investment and educational information of nearly 167,000 founders, PitchBook says.
Duke, UNC and N.C. State all on PitchBook's ranking last year as well. The Triangle has long served as the main innovation hub for North Carolina, but state lawmakers have recently directed millions of dollars to a nonprofit that aims to boost innovation in other parts of the state as well.
Duke landed at No. 17 in a list of undergraduate universities. Over the 10-year period PitchBook analyzed, Duke had 607 university alumni involved in the creation of 579 companies, while raising $21.6 billion.
The five companies connected to Duke that raised the most money were:
- Airtable with $1.4 billion;
- Canoo with $1.1 billion;
- Plaid with $734 million;
- Neurlink with $687 million; and
- Kriya Therapeutics with $618 million.
Near the middle of the list, UNC ranked No. 48, with 332 alumni involved in 309 companies over the 10-year period. These companies raised a combined $5.6 billion.
The five companies connected to UNC-Chapel Hill that raised the most money were:
- Cdata with $510 million;
- Blockstream with $390 million;
- Kindbody with $342 million;
- Looker with $281 million; and
- Aptera with $214 million.
N.C. State secured a spot near the end of the list, landing at No. 99. The university had 186 alumni be involved in the creation of 171 companies, while raising $3.3 billion.
The five companies connected to N.C. State that raised the most money were:
- Carbon with $682 million;
- CData with $510 million;
- Inviata with $164 million;
- Major League Cricket with $159 million; and
- Lenz Therapeutics with $146 million.
Here's a look at the top five undergraduate universities:
University of California, Berkeley
- Founders: 1,811
- Companies: 1,642
- Capital raised: $59.7 billion
Stanford University
- Founders: 1,547
- Companies: 1,397
- Capital raised: $80.1 billion
Harvard University
- Founders: 1,352
- Companies: 1,222
- Capital raised: $57 billion
University of Pennsylvania
- Founders: 1,197
- Companies: 1,099
- Capital raised: $52.9 billion
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
- Founders: 1,175
- Companies: 1,049
- Capital raised: $53.6 billion
