Stanford Students Launch $2M Nationwide Student Startup Accelerator Program
Two Stanford students have successfully raised $2 million in funding to establish Breakthrough Ventures, a nationwide accelerator program designed to support startups founded by college students and recent graduates across the United States.
Roman Scott and Itbaan Nafi developed the accelerator following the success of their Demo Day series at Stanford, which began in 2024. The program's evolution from a seasonal initiative to a comprehensive partnership model reflects the growing demand for student-focused entrepreneurship support.
"This fundraise transforms Breakthrough from a seasonal accelerator into a lifelong partnership with our founders," stated Nafi, currently pursuing his master's degree at Stanford. Scott completed his undergraduate studies at Stanford in 2024, followed by a master's degree in 2025.
Program Structure and Funding
The accelerator secured backing from prominent venture capital firms including Mayfield and Collide Capital, along with Stanford founder alumni. The program targets startups in key technology sectors: artificial intelligence, healthcare, consumer technology, deep tech, and sustainability.
Early in 2024, the founding team brought on Raihan Ahmed to lead accelerator operations, positioning the program as a student-founder-centric initiative that differentiates itself from existing institutional programs.
Competitive Landscape
While student accelerator programs exist at other institutions—including UC Berkeley's Free Ventures and MIT's Sandbox Innovation Fund—Breakthrough Ventures distinguishes itself through its cross-institutional approach. Stanford itself operates several accelerator programs such as StartX, LaunchPad, and Cardinal Ventures.
"Students have appreciated our approach to bringing together participants from diverse American colleges," Nafi explained, drawing parallels to Stanford's Treehacks hackathon model. "Breakthrough addresses the funding and opportunity gap that exists in many ecosystems where students historically lack access to capital and networks necessary for entrepreneurial ventures."
Program Benefits and Resources
The accelerator employs a hybrid operational model featuring in-person meetups at established VC firms, culminating in a Demo Day event at Stanford. Participating startups receive comprehensive support including:
• Grant funding up to $100,000
• Compute credits through Microsoft and Nvidia Inception program
• Legal support services
• Waymo ride credits
• Mentorship from industry leaders including Waymo CEO Tekedra Mawakana
• Opportunity for $50,000 follow-on investment upon program completion
Vision and Impact
"We've optimized the student-founder experience comprehensively," Nafi emphasized. "Our resource allocation and program structure reflect our deep understanding of student needs—because we are students ourselves."
The founding team plans to deploy the fund over a three-year period, with an ambitious goal of incubating at least 100 companies. The program aims to establish itself as the central hub for Gen Z entrepreneurship and thought leadership, addressing economic concerns prevalent among younger generations.
Applications for the current cohort are now open. "By supporting young entrepreneurs, we aim to amplify diverse success stories that inspire others globally to leverage available tools and knowledge for entrepreneurship—not only to transform their communities but also to achieve economic stability for themselves and their families," Nafi concluded.
