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Which universities are producing today’s business leaders?

Tuesday 8th August 2023

Last updated: 25th February 2025

From Classroom to Boardroom: Novuna Reveals Universities Churning out Today’s Business Leaders

  • Our research looks at the top universities for producing entrepreneurs between 2020-2022.
  • Surprising outcomes with lower-ranked universities showcasing robust entrepreneurial outcomes.
  • A shift in regional trends: Northern and Welsh universities make strides in closing the North-South entrepreneurial divide.

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The Top Universities for Aspiring Entrepreneurs

We've scoured LinkedIn data of nearly 2.8 million alumni from 121 universities. The findings? A fascinating blend of familiar names and unexpected contenders in the entrepreneurial arena.

Index Rank University Region Guardian 2023 Rank % of Alumni Founders (2020-2022) Students Equivalents
1 University of Cambridge South East 3 6.85 4,374
2 SOAS University of London London 86 6.64 662
3 London School of Economics and Political Science London 4 5.9 3,456
4 Goldsmiths, University of London London 106 5.76 757
5 University of Oxford Midlands 2 5.16 2,902
6 University of Cumbria North West 115 5.1 303
7 Imperial College London 5 4.98 1,682
8 Falmouth University South West 97 4.95 397
9 University of the Arts London (UAL) London 19 4.33 1,250
10 University of St Andrews Scotland 1 4.11 533
11 Kings College London London 29 3.86 2,384
12 City, University of London London 58 3.75 723
13 University College London (UCL) London 9 3.63 2,652
14 St Mary’s University, Twickenham, London London 70 3.58 189
15 University of Sussex South East 66 3.51 806
16 York St John University Yorkshire 77 3.46 261
17 The University of Edinburgh Scotland 12 3.42 1,526
18 Royal Holloway, University of London London 33 3.38 540
19 Wrexham Glyndwr University Wales 94 3.32 149
20 University of Chichester South East 37 3.25 152
20 Middlesex University London 111 3.25 702
22 University of Warwick Midlands 8 3.24 1,021
23 University of Westminster London 116 3.2 1,024
24 London Metropolitan University London 104 3.11 607
25 Queen Mary University of London London 54 3.08 1,108
25 University of East London London 113 3.08 757
27 University of Roehampton (London) London 111 2.95 388
28 Bangor University Wales 82 2.94 254
29 University of Suffolk SE 69 2.91 175
30 Durham University NE 6 2.9 768
31 University of Gloucestershire SW 88 2.89 269
32 Queen Margaret University, Edinburgh Scotland 89 2.88 125
32 University of Stirling Scotland 59 2.88 281
34 University of Wales Trinity Saint David Wales 74 2.87 285
35 University of Dundee Scotland 44 2.8 300
36 University for the Creative Arts (UCA) SE 49 2.76 251
37 University of Essex SE 42 2.72 525
38 Brunel University (London) London 116 2.7 533
38 University of Aberdeen Scotland 13 2.7 422
40 Edinburgh Napier University Scotland 83 2.68 414
41 University of Bath SW 7 2.67 669
42 Bath Spa University SW 89 2.64 239
43 University of Kent SE 55 2.57 521
44 University Of Surrey SE 24 2.56 456
45 University of South Wales Wales 53 2.53 477
46 University of Exeter SW 15 2.52 930
47 University of Brighton SE 92 2.51 337
48 Kingston University London London 55 2.5 586
48 University of Bristol SW 16 2.5 924
50 Cardiff Metropolitan University Wales 73 2.46 493
50 Oxford Brookes University SE 42 2.46 687
52 University of York Yorkshire 21 2.45 609
53 Lancaster University NW 14 2.44 611
54 London South Bank University London 96 2.42 398
55 Heriot-Watt University, Edinburgh Scotland 45 2.41 488
55 Buckinghamshire New University SE 70 2.41 207
57 Staffordshire University Midlands 68 2.35 391
58 University of Bradford Yorkshire 80 2.34 211
59 Loughborough University Midlands 10 2.33 545
60 University of Chester NW 74 2.31 265
61 Abertay University (Dundee) Scotland 85 2.3 85
61 University of Bolton NW 38 2.3 183
63 University of Sunderland NE 50 2.28 328
64 University of Derby Midlands 48 2.23 413
64 UWE Bristol SW 24 2.23 721
66 University of West London London 23 2.22 411
66 University of Salford NW 89 2.22 595
68 Robert Gordon University (Aberdeen) Scotland 93 2.2 306
68 University of Reading SE 61 2.2 416
68 University of Bedfordshire SE 121 2.2 354
71 University of Northampton Midlands 95 2.19 359
72 University of Nottingham Midlands 63 2.18 944
72 University of Leicester Midlands 35 2.18 451
74 University of Hull Yorkshire 59 2.16 279
75 Solent University (Southampton) SE 101 2.15 255
76 Glasgow Caledonian University Scotland 52 2.13 345
77 University of Glasgow Scotland 11 2.1 734
78 University of Worcester Midlands 102 2.09 131
78 University of East Anglia (UEA) SE 27 2.09 384
78 The University of Manchester NW 30 2.09 1,286
81 University of Leeds Yorkshire 20 2.06 1,060
81 University of Plymouth SW 63 2.06 401
81 Anglia Ruskin University (ARU Cambridge) SE 109 2.06 559
84 Aston University Midlands 22 2.05 363
85 University of Wolverhampton Midlands 106 2.04 274
85 Liverpool John Moores University NW 87 2.04 692
87 University of Strathclyde Scotland 16 2.01 437
88 Arts University Bournemouth SW 70 2 98
89 Leeds Beckett University Yorkshire 102 1.98 503
90 Canterbury Christ Church University SE 116 1.97 215
91 Bournemouth University SW 108 1.96 377
92 Coventry University Midlands 51 1.95 899
93 University of Winchester SE 110 1.94 129
94 University of the West Scotland (UWS) Scotland 119 1.92 260
94 University of Liverpool NW 40 1.92 702
96 Northumbria University NE 46 1.91 643
97 Keele University Midlands 32 1.89 163
98 Liverpool Hope University NW 99 1.88 69
99 De Montfort University (Leicester) Midlands 120 1.86 504
100 The University of Sheffield Yorkshire 30 1.85 633
100 Newcastle University NE 63 1.85 573
102 University of Greenwich London 98 1.84 573
102 University of Birmingham Midlands 27 1.84 872
104 Queen's University Belfast Ireland 46 1.82 388
105 University of Southampton SE 16 1.79 477
105 University of Central Lancashire NW 104 1.79 377
107 Cardiff University Wales 35 1.77 568
108 Aberystwyth University Wales 40 1.76 107
109 Birmingham City University Midlands 100 1.71 509
110 University of Hertfordshire London 74 1.69 571
110 Nottingham Trent University Midlands 62 1.69 706
110 University of Huddersfield Yorkshire 78 1.69 258
113 University of Portsmouth SE 67 1.68 506
114 Swansea University Wales 26 1.62 312
115 Teesside University NE 80 1.6 250
115 The Manchester Metropolitan University NW 84 1.6 690
117 Leeds Trinity University Yorkshire 113 1.58 57
118 Sheffield Hallam University Yorkshire 78 1.54 474
119 Edge Hill University NW 55 1.51 133
120 Ulster University Ireland 38 1.46 368
121 University of Lincoln Midlands 34 1.41 247

While the likes of Cambridge and Oxford remain strongholds for entrepreneurial education, the limelight is shared by unexpected stars like the University of Cumbria and Goldsmiths.

Regional Divide: More than just North Vs South

While 75% of the top 20 entrepreneurial universities lie in London or the South, deeper exploration paints a more intricate portrait. The regions dominating in producing founders are:

Index Rank Region of University % of Alumni Founders (2020-2022) Student Equivalents
1 London 3.54 21,570
2 South West 2.64 5,320
3 South East 2.63 10,008
4 Scotland 2.61 6,204
5 Wales 2.41 2,874

However, the North and Wales seem to be punching above their weight, especially when examining universities that ramped up founder production from 2017-2019 to 2020-2022.

Bucking the Trend: Universities Defying Odds

A comparative look between the 2017-2019 and 2020-2022 periods reveals a decline in entrepreneurs across most regions. However, nine universities defied this trend:

Index University Region Guardian 2023 Rank % of Alumni 2017-2019 % of Alumni 2020-2022 No. of 2020-2022 Students Becoming Founders
1 University of Cambridge South East 3 5.7 6.85 4,374
2 University of Cumbria North West 115 4.22 5.1 303
3 University of Suffolk South East 69 2.11 2.91 175
4 York St John University Yorkshire 77 2.77 3.46 261
5 Liverpool John Moores University North West 87 1.73 2.04 692
6 University of Wales, Trinity Saint David Wales 74 2.61 2.87 285
7 University of Chichester South East 37 3.01 3.25 152
8 Wrexham Glyndwr University Wales 94 3.1 3.32 149
9 University of Bolton North West 38 2.23 2.3 183

A closer look reveals that apart from Cambridge, all the other top performers were ranked 37th or below by The Guardian.

John Atkinson, our Head of Commercial Business, reflected: "Our findings highlight that the entrepreneurial spirit is well and truly alive across a spectrum of universities, not just the usual top-tier suspects. For young people aspiring to be business leaders and evaluating university options, this data provides a fresh perspective."

About the Research

Field: 23rd July - 1st August 2023

Sample: 121 UK universities, Alumni between 2017-2019 and 2020-2023

Methodology

  1. Researched the official page of each university.
  2. Filtered by Alumni.
  3. Searched: Founder.

Full research can be found here.

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