The unofficial online home for fans of the University of Cincinnati Bearcats. Part of Collegiate Sports Nation (CSN).

https://bnnbreaking.com/breaking-news/ed...ford-study

University of Cincinnati, Utah Outpace Ivy Leagues in Birthing Unicorns, Reveals Stanford Study Stanford research overturns the belief in Ivy League's monopoly over unicorn startups, spotlighting the University of Cincinnati and Utah as new leaders.

In a surprising turn of events, recent research from Stanford University has shed light on an unexpected trend in the startup world. Contrary to common belief, Ivy League schools are no longer the primary breeding grounds for unicorns—startups valued at over a billion dollars. Instead, the University of Cincinnati and the University of Utah have emerged as significant players, overshadowing their prestigious counterparts.

Unlikely Champions in Unicorn Genesis

The study, spearheaded by Ilya Strebulaev, a professor at Stanford's Graduate School of Business, meticulously analyzed the backgrounds of founders from 1,110 U.S.-based, VC-backed unicorns and 1,028 other VC-backed companies. Findings revealed that founders affiliated with the University of Cincinnati were 3.3 times more likely to establish a unicorn than the average, with the University of Utah not far behind at a 3.2 times likelihood. This stark contrast with Stanford's own 1.6 times average underscores a significant shift in the entrepreneurial landscape.


Methodology and Insights

The study's approach involved comparing the educational backgrounds of unicorn founders against a randomly selected group of VC-backed startups. Remarkably, the University of Cincinnati was associated with 1% of all unicorns examined, compared to just 0.3% of the control group. This methodology allowed for a clear comparison, highlighting the universities' disproportionate impact on unicorn formation. The fluctuation in rankings from previous studies suggests a dynamic and evolving influence of educational institutions on the startup ecosystem.

Implications for Entrepreneurial Ecosystems

The findings challenge the conventional wisdom that elite, Ivy League institutions are the primary nurseries for high-impact entrepreneurship. Instead, they highlight the role of broader educational environments in fostering startup success. This shift prompts a reevaluation of how we perceive the relationship between academia and entrepreneurship, especially considering the potential for universities to nurture the next generation of business innovators outside the traditional Ivy League nexus.

This revelation not only showcases the University of Cincinnati and the University of Utah as pivotal players in the entrepreneurial sphere but also ignites a conversation about the evolving dynamics of startup success. As we delve deeper into what makes a startup ecosystem thrive, it's clear that diverse educational backgrounds contribute significantly to the landscape of innovation and enterprise. This study's insights offer a fresh perspective on the pathways to achieving unicorn status, emphasizing the importance of broadening our view beyond the Ivy League to uncover where true entrepreneurial talent is being cultivated.

Hopefully these UC grads give back to the University.

And Utah fans said we were part of a Truck Stop Conference .

(03-02-2024 07:17 AM)CliftonAve Wrote:  And Utah fans said we were part of a Truck Stop Conference .

This was an excellent find and great posting. And yes, how humorous that two (new) Big 12 schools are leading the pack in this metric.

What is still being built at the new MLK interchange with I-71 for digital futures and other entrepreneurial efforts (nearby at the 1819 Innovation Hub) all plays into the idea of UC being a hub for such efforts. I feel our university has strong leadership right now and UC if far from reaching its zenith in terms of research, enrollment, and national profile.

Ivy League aint about smarts. It's about money.

Who are these grads and what are their educational backgrounds at UC? I want to know more.

How does a blue collar public university far outside the key venture capital hotbeds kick Stanford’s and Harvard’s butts?

(03-02-2024 01:57 PM)Bear Catlett Wrote:  Ivy League aint about smarts. It's about money.

It's about both. Yes, there are plenty of legacies and the children of billionaires and Senators that aren't any smarter than the average UC student. But there are also plenty of extremely brilliant hard working kids who were valedictorians of extremely competitive high schools, had close to perfect SAT scores and are majoring in things like astrophysics

I dug a bit more into the study and now understand that it includes both those who studied or worked at their respective universities.

Some comments I read note that a Harvard or Stanford have exponentially more startups than Cincinnati. There were different takes on what that means, but I suppose the VC world is more likely to shell out bucks to a prestigious school grad than a Cincinnati grad and maybe a Cincinnati grad gets VC only if it’s a sure thing.

I guess it’s nice to know that IF a Cincinnati grad gets the VC, he/she will be more likely than any other to produce a unicorn.

This is the list of UC unicorns:

GitHub - Christopher Wanstrath - drop out
Zscaler - Jay Chaudhry
NorthPoint Communications - Michael Malaga
Intrexon - Thomas Reed
Allbirds - Tim Brown
Ruckus Wireless Inc. - Victor Shtrom
Hyzon - Gary Robb
Archaea Energy - Charlie Anderson
Rebellion Defense - Chris Lynch
Pacaso - Austin Allison
Resilience - Patrick Yang Ph.D

(03-03-2024 05:10 PM)BearcatsUC Wrote:  This is the list of UC unicorns:

GitHub - Christopher Wanstrath - drop out
Zscaler - Jay Chaudhry
NorthPoint Communications - Michael Malaga
Intrexon - Thomas Reed
Allbirds - Tim Brown
Ruckus Wireless Inc. - Victor Shtrom
Hyzon - Gary Robb
Archaea Energy - Charlie Anderson
Rebellion Defense - Chris Lynch
Pacaso - Austin Allison
Resilience - Patrick Yang Ph.D

I don’t want to turn this into politics, but Chris Wansrath and Vivek Ramaswamy graduated from the same class at St. X. Talk about some serious dough to showcase at the 20 year reunion.

Ive only checked three - Anderson, Allison, and Robb - all three are engineers, with Allison also having a UC law degree. Anderson extracts gas from Rumpke dumps, Robb develops hydrogen vehicles, and Allison sold dotloop to Zillow.

None of those businesses are based near Cincinnati

Shtrom has a degree in electrical engineering and computer science. Also has a PhD.

https://www.uc.edu/news/articles/2021/03...htrom.html

Lynch develops software for national security and defense out of the DC -Baltimore area. He is a College of Business grad.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/lynchseattle

Wanstrath briefly studied English at UC. His estimated net worth is $1.8-$2B.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chris_Wanstrath

Reed got his PhD from UC in molecular biology. Masters from Wright State.

(03-02-2024 01:08 AM)BearcatsUC Wrote:  Hopefully these UC grads give back to the University.

This! UC needs to leverage these new money grads. It would be nice if one or two were UC sports fans.

(03-04-2024 08:51 AM)nachoman91 Wrote:  

(03-02-2024 01:08 AM)BearcatsUC Wrote:  Hopefully these UC grads give back to the University.

This! UC needs to leverage these new money grads. It would be nice if one or two were UC sports fans.

I'll go out on a limb here and suggest the Kelce brothers have been the most generous former student athletes UC has ever had.

Let's hope these "new money" grads include at least some who will become the rising generation of elite level donors for UC. It's hard to replace a Lindner, a Nippert, or a Corbett when they pass after giving so generously to our university.

Tim Brown is a New Zealander who played soccer at UC from 2001-2004. His is the only company I was familiar with as I have purchased a couple pairs of Allbirds. I was unaware that it’s a billion dollar company. Brown is a DAAP grad.