IIT and IIM startup founders fell as AI jobs drew graduates
In short
Only 79 IIT alumni and 20 IIM alumni started new tech startups from January to August this year, according to Tracxn data shared with ET. The report also said there were 307 IIT graduates and 71 IIM graduates who founded startups in all of 2025.
This matters because fewer graduates are choosing startups. The story says AI jobs are more appealing, but it does not give a number for how many took those jobs.
What the reporting says
Only 79 IIT alumni and 20 IIM alumni launched new tech startups between January and August this year, according to Tracxn data collated for ET. The publisher compared that with 307 IIT graduates and 71 IIM graduates who founded startups in the entire 2025, though it said Tracxn tracks only the year of incorporation and lacks comparable January-August 2025 data. The figures suggest weaker startup formation among top campus graduates, but the reporting does not quantify the role of AI jobs beyond the headline framing.
Why it matters
Tracxn data collated for ET shows only 79 IIT alumni and 20 IIM alumni founded new tech startups between January and August this year, compared with 307 IIT graduates and 71 IIM graduates in the full 2025 period referenced by the publisher. Tracxn tracks only the year of incorporation, so a direct January-August 2025 comparison is not available. The reporting points to changing job preferences among top-tier graduates, possibly toward AI roles, but does not quantify that shift.