Ignition Schools Methodology: How We Selected These Colleges and Universities  

Today, Inc. and Fast Company revealed Ignition Schools 2025, the second annual list honoring the schools in the U.S. and around that world that are breeding grounds for future entrepreneurs and innovators.  

Mansueto Ventures director of data operations Wyatt Hnatiw synchronized the data from applications and third-party sources to build the weighted scores used to produce this year’s list. Those sources include:  

1. Alumni Ventures: We evaluated the companies started and venture capital raised by these schools’ alumni founders, leveraging PitchBook data, to assess the institution’s strengths in supporting and scaling entrepreneurial ventures. This evaluation comprised the institutions’ undergraduate, graduate, and MBA offerings.  

2. New Startups and Patents: We assessed the number of new startups formed, invention disclosures, and patent applications via data from AUTM.  

3. Research: We evaluated research expenditures from AUTM as well as from the Higher Education Research and Development (HERD) Survey.  

From there, schools are evaluated by the Inc. team based on the distinctiveness of their offerings and achievements in a second round of review.  

Through this methodology, Inc. and Fast Company identified and recognized institutions that are driving tangible impacts in the entrepreneurial ecosystem, supporting future business leaders and innovators as they start and grow their companies, develop innovations, and more.  

Acknowledgments: Special thanks to Bailey Fox, director of content and communications, and Van Le, research intelligence engineer, at PitchBook; Katie Ventrice, Member Benefit Manager at AUTM.