Stories
Successful Companies Founded By College Students
Facebook and Google are the most well known examples of successful companies started by college students. However, there are many such businesses which began on college campuses and turned into successful and iconic companies. Here is a list of five such companies which were founded by college students.
Successful companies founded by college students
1) Time
Time is a reputed American weekly magazine founded in 1923. Its founders, Britton Hadden and Henry Luce, were classmates at Yale University when they founded the Magazine, making Time the first weekly news magazine in the United States. Now, after 96 years since its foundation, Time is still a popular weekly magazine with a readership of 26 million worldwide.
2) Dell
Dell is a multinational computer technology company which develops and sells computer related products. The Company was founded by Michael Dell in 1984, while he was a student at the University of Texas at Austin. Michael Dell started his business from his dorm room and after making profits from it, dropped out of college to devote his time to build his company. The success of Dell Technologies Inc., made Michael Dell one of the richest people in the world, with a net worth of $ 35 billion.
3) The Onion
The Onion is a satirical digital media company which was conceived by University of Wisconsin students Tim Keck and Christopher Johnson in 1988. The duo initially started a satirical weekly magazine called The Onion, inspired by an onion sandwich. Short on funds just like many other college students, the duo began their business with a loan from Keck’s mother. The Company has grown from just a weekly magazine to a huge and beloved digital media organization.
4) Insomnia Cookies
Inspired by midnight cravings for cookies, Insomnia Cookies was founded by a University of Pennsylvania student, Seth Berkowitz. Berkowitz started baking cookies in his dorm room and started selling them to other students at his college. After the demand grew, Berkowitz branched to other campuses. Insomnia Cookies became a popular chain of bakeries in the United States of America and is present in over 150 locations nationwide.
5) Reddit
Reddit was founded as a social news site in 2005 by the University of Virginia students and roommates Steve Huffman and Alexis Ohanian. The duo struggled in the initial days of the startup, before securing a funding from Y Combinator. Reddit gradually became a popular site and is adored by many because of its unique and interesting features. The site is now dubbed as the “front page of the internet,” with a net worth of $ 1.8 billion.
The success of these founders and their companies shows students with great potential can utilize the resources colleges provide and create a successful career for themselves.
The success story of which of these companies inspired you the most? Comment below and let us know.
A decade ago, the success of a startup was measured largely by its ability to raise capital. Today, a different metric is gaining importance: the ability to generate meaningful exits for investors. Large stake sales by early backers are becoming increasingly common, not because growth opportunities have disappeared, but because India’s startup ecosystem is entering a more mature phase where capital is expected to complete its full cycle from investment to returns.
This evolution is particularly significant for consumer brands that have successfully blended technology, retail, and strong brand-building. Companies that were once viewed as high-risk startup bets are now attracting institutional investors capable of absorbing large transactions. Such developments indicate that these businesses are no longer being valued solely on future potential; they are increasingly being assessed on operational performance, market leadership, and long-term profitability. In many ways, investor exits are becoming a validation of a company’s ability to create lasting enterprise value.
The broader implication extends beyond a single company or investor. Successful exits encourage more global capital to enter India’s startup ecosystem because they demonstrate that liquidity opportunities exist at scale. As more venture-backed companies approach public listings, secondary transactions, or strategic investments, the focus of founders and investors alike may shift from chasing headline valuations to building durable businesses. The next chapter of India’s startup journey will likely be defined not just by the creation of unicorns, but by the creation of companies capable of delivering sustained returns to all stakeholders.
Apple has unveiled the new MacBook Air with M5 chip, starting at $999 for 13-inch and $1,299 for 15-inch models. The MacBook Air M5 boasts a 2nm M5 chip with 12-core CPU, 18-core GPU, and 50 TOPS Neural Engine for seamless AI tasks like real-time translation and 8K editing. Up to 22 hours of battery life, Thunderbolt 5, and Wi-Fi 7 make it the ultimate ultraportable, now 10% thinner at 0.44 inches with fanless cooling.
Key MacBook Air M5 features include Liquid Retina XDR display (500 nits, nano-texture option), 12MP Center Stage camera, and six-speaker Spatial Audio. Colors like new Sky Blue join Midnight and Starlight. Pre-orders are live today, with macOS Sequoia 15.4 enhancing Apple Intelligence and iPhone Continuity for students, pros, and remote workers.
Why buy MacBook Air M5 now? It outpaces Snapdragon X Elite rivals with ecosystem magic and future-proof performance, eyeing top 2026 laptop sales. CEO Tim Cook calls it “more capable than ever.” Visit apple.com for M5 MacBook deals and specs.
Delhi NCR-based gaming startup Zupee has acquired Mumbai-based microdrama platform Vertical TV in a deal valued under INR 40 Cr. This move strengthens Zupee Studio, its short-video arm launched in September 2025, by integrating Vertical TV’s expertise in bite-sized dramas like romance and thrillers.
Facing challenges from India’s 2025 real-money gaming ban, Zupee valued at $1 Bn after raising $120 Mn has pivoted to non-gaming content, including recent layoffs of 40% of its workforce. The acquisition builds on its November 2025 purchase of Australian AI firm Nucanon for interactive storytelling, targeting its 200 Mn+ users with engaging, mobile-first formats.
This deal underscores the rising microdrama trend in India, helping Zupee diversify amid regulatory pressures and compete in the short-video space dominated by quick, shareable content for on-the-go audiences.
