Ben-Gurion University Ranks Third Globally for Alumni Founding Unicorn Startups
A new study by Stanford Graduate School of Business has ranked Ben-Gurion University of the Negev as the top Israeli university and third worldwide outside the United States for the likelihood of its graduates founding unicorn companies, startups valued at over one billion dollars. The research, led by Professor Ilya Strebulaev and the Stanford venture capital initiative, analyzed the academic backgrounds of 3,497 unicorn founders in the U.S. compared to 2,716 startup founders who raised venture capital. Using the Odds Ratio metric, which adjusts for institution size, Ben-Gurion University scored 6.6, surpassing prestigious institutions such as Cambridge (2.3) and Oxford (1.7). Only Tsinghua University in China (13.2) and INSEAD business school in France and Singapore (9.3) ranked higher outside the U.S.
The study highlights Israel's strong entrepreneurial ecosystem, with six Israeli academic institutions among the top 18 globally outside the U.S., more than any other country. Other Israeli universities on the list include Reichman University (5.4), Technion (3.1), Bar-Ilan University (2.9), Tel Aviv University (2.8), and the Hebrew University of Jerusalem (2.2). Ben-Gurion attributes its success to the Entrepreneurship 360 Center, which has supported over 5,000 students annually for nine years through training programs, hackathons, mentorship, and a student venture capital fund called Cactus Capital. Additionally, the university’s technology commercialization company, BGN, helps transform research into startups and industry partnerships.
Ben-Gurion University President Professor Daniel Haimovitch emphasized the unique ecosystem in Be’er Sheva that fosters not only excellent researchers but also bold entrepreneurs and global technology leaders. Entrepreneurship 360 Center director Dana Gabish credited the center’s role in equipping students with skills to identify opportunities, solve problems, and lead innovation. Vice President for Industry Relations Professor Dan Blumberg and BGN manager Josh Peleg also highlighted ongoing efforts to advance industry collaboration and convert research into impactful technologies.
This recognition underscores Ben-Gurion University’s growing influence in global technology entrepreneurship and Israel’s position as a leading startup nation.
