The MBA-to-VC pipeline is very realistic. But the path is a little more shaky than it used to be, according to Pitchbook Reporting and new academic research.
Harvard University has placed 50 of its 1,004 MBA alumni in VC roles in 2024 with a median departure of $177,500. Stanford has placed around 30 from a small class. More than 10,000 Harvard, Stanford and Wharton MBA alumni are currently in senior positions at U.S. VC companies, Pitchbook data shows.
However, Stanford's professor Ilya Strebulaev said the MBA's grip on venture capital is loose.
What is driving change? VCs have evolved beyond traditional sectors into AI and hardware, and as technological experiences beat business school qualifications, companies are increasingly scanning the talent of companies like Openai and SpaceX rather than Elite MBA programs. “At the moment, MBAs have a low appetite,” the executive extractor told Champagne on Pitchbook.
Students have not yet received notes. Stanford's VC club still boasts 600 members of the approximately 850 MBA students on campus. They're paying a sudden price too. Earn an MBA on top programs costs over $200,000.