Two Stanford University students have launched Breakthrough Ventures, a new startup accelerator backed by $2 million in funding, aimed at supporting businesses founded by college students and recent graduates across the United States. Announced Monday, the program seeks to address critical funding and opportunity gaps faced by young entrepreneurs.

Co-founders Roman Scott and Itbaan Nafi developed the accelerator after successfully hosting a series of popular Demo Days at Stanford, beginning in 2024. The positive reception and early successes of participating students inspired them to expand their initiative into a national program.

Itbaan Nafi, currently a master's candidate at Stanford, emphasized the long-term vision for the program, stating, "This fundraise turns Breakthrough from just being a seasonal accelerator into a lifelong partnership with our founders." Scott, who completed his undergraduate degree at Stanford in 2024 and earned a master's the following year, brings a similar firsthand understanding of the student entrepreneurial journey.

To spearhead the initiative, Scott and Nafi brought in Raihan Ahmed to lead the accelerator early last year. They successfully raised capital from prominent investors including Mayfair and Collide Capital, alongside contributions from numerous Stanford founder alumni. This funding is earmarked to support the next wave of innovation across diverse sectors, including artificial intelligence (AI), health, consumer products, deep tech, and sustainability. Scott highlighted the accelerator's unique proposition, noting it is specifically built "for student founders by student founders."

Differentiating in a Crowded Landscape

While student-focused entrepreneurial programs are not new—with examples like UC Berkeley's Free Ventures, MIT's Sandbox Innovation Fund, and Stanford's own StartX, LaunchPad, and Cardinal Ventures—Breakthrough Ventures aims to carve out its own niche. Nafi emphasized the program's unique appeal:

"Students have enjoyed how we've brought together so many others from different American colleges."

He drew a comparison to Stanford's Treehacks hackathon, underscoring the collaborative, cross-institutional environment Breakthrough fosters.

Scott further elaborated on the core mission of Breakthrough Ventures:

"Breakthrough's purpose is to fill in the funding and opportunity gap that exists in many of these ecosystems because students have historically lacked access to capital and the networks required to launch their entrepreneurial pursuits."

Program Structure and Benefits

Breakthrough Ventures will operate on a hybrid model, featuring in-person meetups at leading venture capital firms, culminating in a Demo Day hosted at Stanford. Participants in the program will gain access to a comprehensive suite of resources, including:

  • Grant funding of up to $100,000
  • Compute credits from partners like Microsoft and the Nvidia Inception program
  • Essential legal support
  • Waymo ride credits
  • Mentorship from industry leaders, including Waymo CEO Tekedra Mawakana
  • The opportunity to secure a $50,000 follow-on investment upon program completion

Nafi underscored the program's deep understanding of its target audience:

"We've nailed the student-founder experience to a T. Hence why we offer the resources we do and have structured the program in this way. Students really feel like we get them, and that's because we are students."

Vision for Gen Z Entrepreneurship

Scott and Nafi plan to deploy the $2 million fund over three years, with an ambitious goal of incubating at least 100 companies. Nafi envisions Breakthrough evolving into "the hub for Gen Z entrepreneurship and thought leadership," particularly in light of the economic anxieties prevalent among young people today.

Applications for Breakthrough Ventures' latest cohort opened today. Interested student founders can learn more and apply at breakvc.com.

Nafi concluded by articulating the broader impact they hope to achieve:

"We hope that by supporting young entrepreneurs, we're able to uplift as many stories as possible to then inspire many more across the world to use the tools and knowledge around them to pursue entrepreneurship not only to change their communities, but also gain economic stability for themselves and their families."