Poets&Quants has released its list of the 100 highest-funded MBA startups of 2024, marking the tenth year of this annual compilation that provides insights into the entrepreneurial landscape shaped by recent business school graduates. The ranking focuses on startups founded between January 1, 2019, and December 31, 2023, with at least one MBA founder during that period, using the amount of funding raised over the past five years as a standardized metric for comparison across industries and business models. This approach offers a clear view of financial success and investor confidence in ventures emerging from MBA programs worldwide.
Topping the 2024 list is Capchase, co-founded by INSEAD MBA graduate Luis Basagoiti Marqués, which has raised $1.1 billion in funding since its 2020 founding and climbed from second place in the 2023 ranking. Capchase's prominence is further highlighted by its inclusion in Forbes' 2023 list of Next Billion-Dollar Startups, underscoring its potential for significant market impact. The top 10 startups represent a diverse range of business schools and industries, with Tamara from London Business School, Kyte from UC Berkeley Haas, Merama from Harvard Business School, and Ajaib from Stanford GSB following Capchase. Other notable entries include MBX Biosciences and Pathway Homes from UCLA Anderson, AtoB from UC Berkeley Haas, and Forum Brand and Arc Technologies from Stanford GSB, illustrating the global spread of entrepreneurial talent nurtured by leading institutions.
A key implication of this year's list is the growing presence of women-led startups, with more than 23 founded by women collectively raising $756.5 million. This statistic reflects increasing diversity and inclusivity in the startup ecosystem, as well as the role of MBA programs in fostering female entrepreneurship. For prospective MBA students, the list serves as a valuable resource for identifying programs that successfully support startup growth, while investors and industry observers gain insights into emerging trends and potential future unicorns. The success of these startups highlights how business education drives innovation and economic growth, with the complete list available on the Poets&Quants website, offering detailed profiles for aspiring entrepreneurs and stakeholders interested in the intersection of business education and startup success.
As part of Times Higher Education, Poets&Quants continues to provide crucial coverage of graduate business education through rankings, news features, videos, and podcasts. This annual list acts as a barometer for the health of the MBA startup ecosystem, showcasing innovative ideas and business models that emerge from top schools. By relying on funding data over a five-year period, it offers a consistent measure for evaluating entrepreneurial outcomes, emphasizing the tangible results of MBA training in real-world ventures. The inclusion of diverse startups across sectors and geographies underscores the broad impact of business education on global entrepreneurship, making this list a key reference for understanding current trends and future directions in the startup world.
