10 best MBAs for entrepreneurs in 2026, ranked

For the entrepreneurially-minded, taking one or two years out to study an MBA isn’t always the obvious route in the journey to startup success. But speak to those entrepreneurs who began their journey at business school—of which there are many—and they’ll say otherwise.

An MBA provides unique networking opportunities, facilitating interactions between peers from vastly different backgrounds and allowing students to connect with professors, industry experts, and alumni.

The typical MBA journey involves a variety of practical experiences designed to refine students’ skills through business simulators, case competitions, consulting projects, and entrepreneurial exercises.

The learning environment, where students develop new knowledge and skills and are encouraged to try new things, often elicits a mindset shift, meaning they graduate with the confidence that’s essential when striving out alone to create something new.

It’s no surprise, then, that the world’s top business schools have produced thousands of startup founders. Each year, data and research platform Pitchbook produces a ranking of the best MBAs for entrepreneurs, based on schools’ number of graduate entrepreneurs, number of companies founded, and their total amount of capital raised.

In 2026, the list of the best MBAs for entrepreneurs is based on the total number of founders whose companies received a round of venture funding between January 2015 and August 2026.

So, which business schools made the top 10 this year? Let’s take a look.

Top 10 MBAs for entrepreneurs

10. London Business School 

Founder count: 568 | Company count: 528

All of the business schools in this list rank among the best in the world according to the Financial Times. London Business School (LBS) is one such institution.

LBS boasts an entrepreneurial ecosystem built upon both theoretical and practical learning. MBA students—and students on the school’s other graduate degrees—can undertake a range of electives in innovation and entrepreneurship-led areas. On the more practical side, members of the LBS community can also participate in an incubator program where budding entrepreneurs can access funding and additional support.

The school’s entrepreneurial pedigree breeds results, having produced 568 founders and 528 companies over the past decade.

Read about London Business School’s notable alumni

9. University of California, Berkeley Haas School of Business 

Founder count: 705 | Company count: 650

Being located next to the hub of innovation that is Silicon Valley gives the University of California, Berkeley’s Haas School of Business an advantage when it comes to entrepreneurship. The school’s MBA program has produced 705 founders and 650 enterprises since 2015.

Berkeley focuses not just on producing entrepreneurs, but also preparing students to work in parallel areas such as venture capital. Home to a thriving community, the school’s dedicated association hosts regular competitions on campus such as the UC LAUNCH Startup Accelerator, which offers prize money and networking opportunities.

Check out who studies the Berkeley Haas MBA

8. University of Chicago Booth School of Business

Founder count: 884 | Company count: 823

The MBA at the University of Chicago Booth School of Business fell one place in this year’s ranking, swapping places with MIT. It was the only change in the top 10. The program has produced 884 founders and 823 companies since 2015.

Booth MBAs can unlock their entrepreneurial potential through the school’s Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation, and a dedicated incubator spanning 34,000 square feet. Specialist modules for the school’s MBA students cover topics ranging from social entrepreneurship to the lives of inspiring founders and CEOs.

Find out how to ace your Chicago Booth MBA application 

7. Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) Sloan School of Management

Founder count: 934 | Company count: 858

The MBA at MIT Sloan has led to the creation of 858 companies since 2015. MIT is famed for its prowess in technical teaching. And with the dedicated Martin Trust Center for MIT Entrepreneurship, this environment creates an entrepreneurial melting pot that’s produced founders of leading companies including the software firm HubSpot and biotech innovator Invivo Therapeutics.

Find out the average age of MIT Sloan MBA students

6. Northwestern University Kellogg School of Business

Founder count: 1,015 | Company count: 966

Like Chicago Booth and MIT Sloan, Northwestern’s Kellogg School of Business ranks among the elite US-based M7 business schools, famed for their competitiveness and prestige.

Reputation, though, is not enough to ensure students can successfully launch companies. The school’s multifaceted approach to teaching entrepreneurship within its MBA is key in having helped it produce 1,015 founders and 966 companies over the past decade.

MBAs at Kellogg can learn entrepreneurship through a number of specialized pathways, offering insights into routes such as entrepreneurship through acquisition, and financing entrepreneurial ventures.

Check out the jobs and salaries available after the Kellogg MBA

5. Columbia Business School   

Founder count: 1,019 | Company count: 954

Columbia’s storied reputation is principally built on its prowess in finance, but with 1,015 founders and 954 companies, the school’s success when it comes to training and developing founders mean it offers the leading MBA for entrepreneurs in New York, according to Pitchbook.

Support for MBAs at Columbia continues after graduation, with first-year alumni able to make use of the school’s Columbia Startup Lab, where they can access support, mentorship, and coworking facilities. 

Read about Columbia Business School’s notable alumni 

4. INSEAD 

Founder count: 1,112 | Company count: 1,032

While the vast majority of business schools in this list are based in the US, INSEAD has three campuses located in Europe, Asia, and the Middle East. Taking on a large number of MBAs each year, INSEAD is a top recruiting school for careers in consultancy, but it also boasts strong entrepreneurial pedigree having produced 1,112 founders and 1,032 companies since 2015.

Within the school’s MBA program, students can choose from a wide range of elective modules in entrepreneurship, while various field trips provide opportunities to learn about building businesses in areas ranging from Silicon Valley to China.

Review the INSEAD MBA admissions interview questions 

3. University of Pennsylvania The Wharton School 

Founder count: 1,437 | Company count: 1,332

The Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania is home to the world’s top-ranked MBA program. And according to Pitchbook it’s also among the three best MBAs for entrepreneurs anywhere in the world, having produced 1,437 founders and 1,332 companies over the past 10 years.

Wharton offers interested students opportunities to enhance their entrepreneurial knowhow through an entrepreneurship and innovation major which is delivered in partnership with the school’s Venture Lab. Some of the relevant modules that Wharton students can take during their MBA include: Social Entrepreneurship, Scaling Operations, and Accounting for Entrepreneurs.

Learn how much the Wharton MBA costs in 2025

2. Stanford Graduate School of Business 

Founder count: 1,504 | Company count: 1,359 

Stanford is a business school that’s synonymous with entrepreneurship. Among the MBA Class of 2025, 16% of graduates chose to start their own business.

Its reputation means Stanford attracts students already interested in entrepreneurship, but the school’s ecosystem equally provides inspiration for students. Stanford MBAs can choose from more than 50 courses dedicated to innovation and entrepreneurship, and they get opportunities to devise, test, and build business models within the school’s dedicated Startup Garage.

Evidence of the school’s entrepreneurial accomplishments: it produced 1,504 founders and 1,359 companies between 2015 and 2026.

Check out who studies the Stanford MBA

1. Harvard Business School 

Founder count: 2,444 | Company count: 2,235

Whether it’s a ranking of MBA programs, entrepreneurship MBAs, or MBAs with the most notable alumni, Harvard Business School (HBS)—the birthplace of the MBA itself—is often found toward the top of the list.

HBS MBA students can avail themselves of a wealth of entrepreneurial resources. At the Rock Center for Entrepreneurship, they can participate in competitions and meet with entrepreneurs connected to the school. At the Harvard Innovation Labs, they can work alongside students from other Harvard schools, utilizing a range of support to build their ideas. There are also a variety of entrepreneurship-focused clubs present on campus.

Though the likes of Wharton and Stanford have a strong reputation for entrepreneurship, Harvard is the clear winner in this list. Over the last 10 years it has produced 2,444 founders and 2,235 companies—almost 1,000 more than the next best schools in the ranking.

Find out how to ace your Harvard MBA application