List of companies founded by MIT alumni
This is an list of companies founded by Massachusetts Institute of Technology alumni, including attendees who enrolled in degree-programs at MIT but did not eventually graduate. This list is not exhaustive, as it only includes notable, well-documented companies.
MIT alumni and faculty have founded numerous companies. As of 2014, some 30,000 companies founded by MIT alumni were ACTIVE, employing 4.6 million people and producing annual revenues of $1.9 trillion. Approximately 40% of MIT founders are serial entrepreneurs, starting multiple companies.
Ownership of public companies is shown by their STOCK symbol; subsidiaries of public companies are listed with their owner in parentheses. "Co-founder(s)" means that there were also non-MIT founders for a company. "ND" ("no degree") means that the person pursued a degree program, but never received the degree.
Year 2000 - Present
Company |
Type |
Stock |
Category |
Year Founded |
Founder/Co-founder (MIT Alumni) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Buzzfeed |
Private |
Online Media |
2006 |
Co-founder Jonah Peretti (M.S.) |
|
Clover Food Lab |
Private |
Restaurant |
2008 |
Ayr Muir (B.S.) |
|
Coursera |
Private |
Education/Technology |
2012 |
Co-founder Andrew Ng (M.S.) |
|
Dropbox |
Private |
Web Service |
2007 |
Drew Houston (B.S.), Arash Ferdowsi (B.S. ND) |
|
Eye-Fi |
Private |
Computer hardware |
2005 |
Co-founder Yuval Koren (B.S.) |
|
FireEye |
Public |
NASDAQ:FEYE |
Security/Technology |
2004 |
Co-founder Ashar Aziz (B.S.) |
Ginkgo Bioworks |
Private |
Biology |
2009 |
Tom Knight (B.S., M.S., Ph.D.) |
|
Grubhub |
Public |
NYSE:GRUB |
Delivery services |
2004 |
Co-founder Michael Evans (B.S., M.S.) |
HuffPost |
Private |
Online Media |
2005 |
Co-founder Jonah Peretti (M.S.) |
|
Khan Academy |
Non-profit |
Education |
2006 |
Sal Khan (B.S., M.S.) |
|
Kiva Systems |
(NASDAQ:AMZN) |
Technology |
2003 |
Mick Mountz (B.S.) |
|
Tactile Technologies |
Private |
Assistive technology |
2016 |
Chandani Doshi (M.S.), Grace Li (M.S.), Jialin Shi (B.S.), Bonnie Wang (B.S.), Charlene Xia (M.S.), Tania Yu (M.S.) |
|
Zipcar |
(NASDAQ:CAR) |
Car Rental |
2000 |
Co-founder Robin Chase (M.B.A.) |
Year 1980 - 1999
Company |
Type |
Stock |
Category |
Year Founded |
Founder/Co-founder (MIT Alumni) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Akamai |
Public |
NASDAQ:AKAM |
Internet/Technology |
1998 |
Daniel Lewin (Ph.D.) |
Alexa Internet |
(NASDAQ:AMZN) |
Web Analytics |
1996 |
Co-founder Brewster Kahle (B.S.) |
|
Apollo Computer |
(NYSE:HPQ) |
Computer Hardware |
1980 |
Co-founder William Poduska (B.S., S.M., Sc.D.) |
|
Art Technology Group |
(NYSE:ORCL) |
Computer software |
1991 |
Jeet Singh (B.S.), Joseph T. Chung (B.S., M.S.) |
|
Avid |
Public |
NASDAQ:AVID |
Computer software |
1987 |
Bill Warner (B.S.) |
Cambridge Innovation Center |
Private |
Real estate |
1999 |
Timothy Rowe (M.B.A.), Andrew Olmsted (M.B.A.) |
|
Cambridge SoundWorks |
Private |
Electronics |
1988 |
Co-founder Henry Kloss (ND) |
|
Constant Contact |
(NASDAQ:EIGI) |
Web services |
1995 |
Randy Parker (B.S.) |
|
E Ink |
Private |
Technology |
1997 |
Co-founders J.D. Albert (B.S.), Barrett Comiskey (B.S.), Joseph Jacobson (Ph.D.) |
|
E*Trade |
Public |
NASDAQ:ETFC |
Finance |
1982 |
Co-founder William A. Porter (M.B.A.) |
Electronic Frontier Foundation |
Non-profit |
Civic |
1990 |
Co-founder Mitch Kapor (M.B.A. ND) |
|
Frame Technology Corp. |
(NASDAQ:ADBE) |
Computer software |
1986 |
Steve Kirsch (B.S., M.S.) |
|
Free Software Foundation |
Non-profit |
Computer software |
1985 |
Richard Stallman (Ph.D. ND) |
|
Harmonix |
Private |
Video Game |
1995 |
Alex Rigopulos (B.S., M.S.), Eran Egozy (B.S., M.S.) |
|
Infoseek |
(NYSE:DIS) |
Web Search |
1994 |
Steve Kirsch (B.S., M.S.) |
|
Inktomi |
(NASDAQ:YHOO) |
Technology |
1996 |
Co-founder Eric Brewer (M.S., Ph.D.) |
|
Internet Archive |
Non-profit |
Digital library |
1996 |
Brewster Kahle (B.S.) |
|
iRobot |
Public |
NASDAQ:IRBT |
Technology |
1990 |
Colin Angle (B.S., M.S.), Helen Greiner (B.S., M.S.) |
ITA Software |
(NASDAQ:GOOG, GOOGL) |
Software |
1996 |
Co-founder Jeremy Wertheimer (M.S., Ph.D.) |
|
Javelin Software |
(NYSE:ORCL) |
Software |
1984 |
Co-founder Stan Kugell (B.S.) |
|
Lotus Development Corporation |
(NYSE:IBM) |
Software |
1982 |
Mitch Kapor (M.B.A. ND), Jonathan Sachs (B.S.) |
|
Macsyma, Inc. |
Private |
Software |
1992 |
Co-founder Richard Petti (B.S.) |
|
Mouse Systems |
(TWSE:2365) |
Technology |
1982 |
Steve Kirsch (B.S., M.S.) |
|
PlanetAll |
(NASDAQ:AMZN) |
Social networking |
1996 |
Co-founder Brian Robertson (B.S.) |
|
Qualcomm |
Public |
NASDAQ:QCOM |
Technology |
1985 |
Co-founders Irwin M. Jacobs (M.S., Ph.D.), Andrew Viterbi (B.S., M.S.) |
Renaissance Technologies |
Private |
Finance |
1982 |
James Simons (B.S.) |
|
SolidWorks |
(Euronext:DSY) |
Software |
1993 |
Jon Hirschtick (B.S., M.S.) |
|
Stellar Computer, Stardent Inc. |
Defunct |
Computer Hardware |
1980 |
Co-founder William Poduska (B.S., S.M., Sc.D.) |
|
Thinking Machines Corporation |
Defunct |
Computer hardware |
1983 |
Co-founder Danny Hillis (B.S., Ph.D.) |
|
TSMC |
Public |
NYSE:TSM |
Technology |
1987 |
Morris Chang (B.S., M.S.) |
VMware |
Public |
NYSE:VMW |
Technology |
1998 |
Co-founder Diane Greene (M.S.) |
Wildfire Communications |
(Euronext:ORA) |
Technology |
1992 |
Bill Warner (B.S.) |
Year 1960 - 1979
Company |
Type |
Stock |
Category |
Year Founded |
Founder/Co-founder (MIT Alumni) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
3Com |
(NYSE:HPE) |
Technology |
1979 |
Co-founder Robert Metcalfe (B.S.) |
|
Advent Corporation |
Defunct |
Electronics |
1967 |
Co-founder Henry Kloss (ND) |
|
Analog Devices |
Public |
NASDAQ:ADI |
Semiconductors |
1965 |
Ray Stata (B.S., M.S.), Matthew Lorber (B.S., M.S.) |
Bose Corporation |
Private |
Electronics/Technology |
1964 |
Amar Bose (B.S., Ph.D.) |
|
EMC |
(NYSE:DVMT) |
Computer hardware |
1979 |
Co-founder Richard Egan (M.S.) |
|
Gartner (Group), Inc. |
Public |
NYSE:IT |
IT journalism |
1979 |
Gideon Gartner, B.S., M.S. |
Genentech |
(SIX:ROG) |
Pharmaceuticals |
1976 |
Co-founder Robert A. Swanson (B.S., M.S.) |
|
Infocom |
(NASDAQ:ATVI) |
Software |
1979 |
Co-founders Dave Lebling (M.S.), Marc Blank (B.S.), Joel Berez (M.S.) |
|
Intel |
Public |
NASDAQ:INTC |
Technology |
1968 |
Co-founder Robert Royce (Ph.D.) |
International Data Group |
(SSE: 122458, 122470) |
Media/Technology |
1964 |
Co-founder Patrick Joseph McGovern (B.S.) |
|
InterSystems |
Private |
Software |
1978 |
Terry Ragon (B.S.) |
|
Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers |
Private |
Finance |
1972 |
Co-founder Thomas Perkins (B.S.) |
|
Lisp Machines, Inc. |
Defunct |
Technology |
1979 |
Richard Greenblatt (B.S. ND) |
|
Personal Software/Visicorp |
Technology |
1978 |
Co-founder Dan Fylstra (B.S.) |
||
Prime Computer |
Defunct |
Computer Hardware |
1972 |
Co-founder William Poduska (B.S., S.M., Sc.D.) |
|
Software Arts |
(NYSE:IBM) |
Technology |
1979 |
Bob Frankston (B.S.), Dan Bricklin (B.S.) |
|
Teradyne |
Public |
NYSE:TER |
Electronics |
1960 |
Alex d'Arbeloff (B.S.), Nick DeWolf (B.S.) |
Before 1960
Company |
Type |
Stock |
Category |
Year Founded |
Founder/Co-founder (MIT Alumni) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Acoustic Research |
(NASDAQ:VOXX) |
Electronics |
1954 |
Co-founder Henry Kloss (ND) |
|
Arthur D. Little |
Partnership |
Management consulting |
1886 |
Co-founder Arthur Dehon Little |
|
Cabot Corporation |
Public |
NYSE:CBT |
Chemicals |
1882 |
Godfrey Lowell Cabot (ND) |
Digital Equipment Corporation |
(NYSE:HPQ) |
Computer Hardware |
1957 |
Co-founders Ken Olsen (B.S., M.S.), Stan Olsen (M.S.) |
|
Gillette |
(NYSE:PG) |
Consumer products |
1901 |
Co-founder William Emery Nickerson |
|
Hewlett-Packard |
Public |
NYSE:HPQ, NYSE:HPE, NYSE:A |
Technology |
1939 |
Co-founder William R. Hewlett (M.S.) |
KLH |
Private |
Electronics |
1957 |
Co-founder Henry Kloss (ND) |
|
Koch Industries |
Private |
Conglomerate |
1940 |
Fred C. Koch (B.S.) |
|
Raytheon |
Public |
NYSE:RTN |
Defense |
1922 |
Co-founder Vannevar Bush D.Eng. |
Shepley, Rutan and Coolidge |
Private |
Architecture |
1886 |
Co-founders George Foster Shepley, Charles Allerton Coolidge |
|
Sprague Electric |
(NYSE:VSH) |
Electronic components |
1926 |
Robert C. Sprague |
|
Stone & Webster |
(NYSE:FTI, Westinghouse) |
Engineering |
1889 |
Charles Stone, Edwin Webster |
|
Texas Instruments |
Public |
NASDAQ:TXN |
Electronics |
1930 |
Co-founder Cecil Green (B.S., M.S.) |
Thermo Electron |
Public |
NYSE:TMO |
Technology |
1956 |
Co-founder George Hatsopoulos (B.S., M.S., Sc.D.) |
See also
- List of companies founded by Stanford University alumni
- List of companies founded by UC Berkeley alumni