IESE-led startups create 70,000 new jobs worldwide, raise $3.6 billion in capital

Companies founded by IESE alumni have created over 70,000 jobs worldwide and raised some $3.6 billion in capital as the school has expanded its entrepreneurial ecosystem, according to a new report.

The report measures the impact of IESE’s entrepreneurship activities over the last two decades, and sets out goals in the area for the year 2030. The numbers are based on an analysis of internal IESE data, complemented with external databases such as Crunchbase, Dealroom and LinkedIn, among others.

Among the highlights of the impact report:

• 70,000 jobs have been created by IESE-trained entrepreneurs in 5 continents
• $3.6 billion of capital has been raised by IESE-founded companies
• 30% of IESE students have started a business within 5 years of graduation
• $65 million has been invested in startups by IESE funds and other mechanisms

But IESE’s impact goes beyond helping to create thousands of companies. It has also conducted relevant research and held conferences and other events related to entrepreneurship and innovation, in order to advance knowledge in the field. That impact includes:

• 15 competitive research projects for which IESE has been selected by the European Commission, and governments in Asia and Latin America
• 20 publications per year over the past two decades, including refereed articles, books, studies and business cases
• 70 extracurricular events per year, such as entrepreneurship conferences, hackathons and workshops – tripling the activity of four years ago

“Entrepreneurship at IESE has an increasing relevance and these numbers reflect our deep global impact,” said Prof. Mª Julia Prats, Academic Director of IESE’s Entrepreneurship and Innovation Center (EIC). ”By developing entrepreneurs and innovators, we are supporting the creation of companies, jobs, knowledge and economic growth,” Josemaria Siota, Executive Director of the EIC, said.

2030 goals in line with UN Sustainable Development Goals

The report also sets ambitious goals for 2030, in line with three of the UN Sustainable Development Goals. Those are:

• Create 50,000 new jobs by supporting 5,000 entrepreneurs in building their startups and in raising at least €500 million in venture investment (UN Goal #8 Decent Work and Economic Growth)
• Impact 2,000 C-suite executives across the globe through IESE research and activities (UN Goal #17 Partnerships to Achieve the Goals)
• Release 200 new publications related to search funds, corporate venturing, technology transfer and angel investment, in order to foster innovation (UN Goal #9 Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure)

At IESE, the entrepreneurial mindset is embedded across programs, which prepares all its graduates for the startup world or to innovate within existing firms. In addition, IESE provides research, insights, networks and funding through its Technology Transfer Group, Open Innovation Institute, International Search Funds Center, Finaves venture capital fund, IESE Business Angels and weGrow mentoring program, among other initiatives.