Indian universities are strengthening their presence in the global entrepreneurship ecosystem, with 8 institutions featuring in PitchBook’s 2026 list of the top 100 universities for entrepreneurs. The ranking highlights the contribution of graduates from the Indian Institute of Technology (IITs) to India’s venture-backed startup landscape.
IIT Bombay emerged as the highest-ranked Indian institution at 22nd globally, with 756 founders and 590 companies. IIT Delhi followed at 27th, with 640 founders and 546 companies. IIT Madras (48th), IIT Kharagpur (49th), IIT Kanpur (50th), Delhi University (62nd), University of Mumbai (74th), and BITS Pilani (91st) also made the list.
PitchBook’s annual rankings count alumni founders whose companies have raised venture capital over the past decade. The 2026 edition covers more than 222,000 VC-backed founders, based on companies that received funding between January 1, 2015, and August 1, 2026.
The five IITs in the top 100 collectively account for 2,705 founders and 2,256 companies, which together have raised $156.65 billion in capital.
IIT Delhi leads in capital raised at $55.65 billion, despite having fewer founders than IIT Bombay. IIT Bombay alumni have raised $33.64 billion, followed by IIT Kharagpur at $23.19 billion, IIT Madras at $22.98 billion, and IIT Kanpur at $21.2 billion.
Johnny Edward, Partner, Grant Thornton Bharat, said the ranking reflects not only the quality of talent but also the ecosystems built around universities.
“The IITs are particularly prominent because these advantages have compounded over several decades,” Edward said, pointing to their selective talent pool, alumni networks, incubation infrastructure, and investor connections.
Thillai Rajan, IIT-M professor and Head of Centre for Research on Start-Ups, said the strengthening ecosystem is a key reason behind the performance of Indian universities. “The ecosystem that is being created is doing the biggest thing,” he said, pointing to the growing focus on supporting student and faculty entrepreneurship.
On the IIT Bombay-IIT Delhi gap, Edward said the comparison highlights the difference between entrepreneurial volume and scale. While IIT Bombay has more VC-backed founders, IIT Delhi’s alumni have raised substantially more capital, potentially reflecting differences in sectors, company maturity, and the impact of a few large funding outcomes.
Experts said the difference reflects sectoral mix and company scale, with founder count and capital raised serving as complementary measures. They noted that funding needs vary by industry, with businesses such as e-commerce typically requiring larger capital.
The US dominates the global top 100 with 62 universities, while India and Canada have eight each. UC Berkeley tops the ranking with 2,380 founders, compared with 756 for IIT Bombay.
Edward said the difference reflects the greater depth of the US entrepreneurial ecosystem, where universities are more broadly connected to venture capital, research, industry, and established startup clusters.
Published on September 7, 2026
