Which universities are producing today’s business leaders?

Tuesday 8th August 2023

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

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

Full research can be found here.

Which universities are producing today’s business leaders?

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

The Top Universities for Aspiring Entrepreneurs

Regional Divide: More than just North Vs South

Bucking the Trend: Universities Defying Odds

About the Research

Methodology

Categories

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