Stanford Duo Raises $2M for Student Founder Accelerator

Breakthrough Ventures aims to back 100 startups with grants, compute credits, and follow-on funding.

Feb. 4, 2026 at 4:55am

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Two recent Stanford graduates, Roman Scott and Itbaan Nafi, have raised $2 million to launch Breakthrough Ventures, a hybrid accelerator program for college student and recent graduate founders across the U.S. The program offers grants, technical infrastructure, and follow-on investment to support early-stage startups.

Why it matters

Breakthrough Ventures aims to provide student founders nationwide with access to funding, resources, and investor networks that are often concentrated at elite universities like Stanford. The program seeks to democratize entrepreneurship opportunities beyond the traditional tech hubs.

The details

Breakthrough Ventures plans to allocate the $2 million over three years to back at least 100 startups. Founders can receive grants of up to $10,000 and may qualify for an additional $50,000 investment upon completing the program. The accelerator also provides technical infrastructure through compute credits from Microsoft and Nvidia, as well as legal support and mentorship to help founders navigate the early stages of company formation.

  • Breakthrough Ventures was founded in 2024 by Roman Scott and Itbaan Nafi, who organized Stanford-based Demo Days.
  • Scott completed his Stanford undergraduate degree in 2024 and a master's degree in 2025.
  • Nafi remains a Stanford master's candidate.
  • Breakthrough Ventures raised $2 million in funding in early 2026.

The players

Roman Scott

A recent Stanford graduate who co-founded Breakthrough Ventures.

Itbaan Nafi

A current Stanford master's student who co-founded Breakthrough Ventures.

Raihan Ahmed

The lead of the Breakthrough Ventures accelerator.

Mayfield

A venture capital firm that invested in Breakthrough Ventures.

Collide Capital

A venture capital firm that invested in Breakthrough Ventures.

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What they’re saying

“Breakthrough Ventures is a program built 'by student founders, for student founders,' framing it as an answer to the difficulty students face accessing capital and investor networks.”

— Roman Scott, Co-founder, Breakthrough Ventures

“Breakthrough Ventures' cross-campus appeal is similar to Stanford's Treehacks, while noting that the recent fundraise transforms Breakthrough from a periodic event into a longer-term platform supporting founders over time.”

— Itbaan Nafi, Co-founder, Breakthrough Ventures

What’s next

Breakthrough Ventures plans to continue expanding its accelerator program and supporting more student founders across the country in the coming years.

The takeaway

Breakthrough Ventures represents an effort to democratize entrepreneurship opportunities beyond traditional tech hubs by providing student founders nationwide with access to funding, resources, and investor networks that are often concentrated at elite universities.