In 2013, US venture capitalist Aileen Lee studied what the fastest-growing unicorn companies had in common. One insight stood out:

Elite universities really do pump out unicorns.

📍 Stanford
📍 Harvard
📍 UC Berkeley
📍 MIT

A follow-up study in 2017 by Sage confirmed the same.
Recent data from PitchBook, Crunchbase, and academic studies (even as recent as 2024–25) continue to show that these universities dominate the list of alumni who’ve gone on to found unicorns.

Surprisingly, even universities like the University of Cincinnati and the University of Utah show higher-than-average chances of their grads becoming unicorn founders.

So, is this just about "brand value"?
Or is there something more?

Ash Ali and Hasan Kubba, in their bestselling book The Unfair Advantage, break it down clearly:

When you go to a top university, you gain 3 key advantages:
✅ Knowledge
✅ Network
✅ Signalling

Yes, knowledge is available everywhere. But top universities offer access to the best professors, mentors, and industry connections. Their systems are designed to bridge academic learning with real-world expertise.

Then there’s the network: a highly curated peer group (your potential co-founders), access to entrepreneurial societies, investor connects, university-backed VC funds, and powerful alumni networks.

And finally, signalling.
Getting into a top university is a signal to the world — a shortcut that says:

“I’m smart, diligent, and talented.”

This kind of status acts as personal branding and builds instant credibility with employers, investors, and future collaborators.

🎯 If you’re a software engineer or early-career professional thinking of studying abroad to accelerate your career — the right university can be your unfair advantage.

At De Consilio, we help you choose the best-fit university based on your goals, profile, and potential — not just rankings.