Devon Triplett
Devon Triplett is a researcher, founder, and investor based in Cambridge, MA. He is the Founder & Managing Partner of 021T Capital Management, LLC—an early-stage venture capital firm partnering with ambitious founders building companies with $1T+ potential—and the Founder & Chairman of The 021T Institute, a research institute that curates data, insights, and reports to advance Cambridge–Boston through entrepreneurship.
Previously, Devon worked in Investment Banking at Goldman Sachs and in management consulting at McKinsey & Company. He has founded several companies and served as a Partner at Phoenix, a seed-stage venture firm backing leading Harvard-founded startups.
Research
View all2025 Harvard/MIT AI Unicorn Trends Report
As of September 2025, Harvard and MIT account for 26 AI unicorns valued at $124B on $12.6B raised. This report finds ~50% greater capital efficiency than non-AI peers (~15% capital intensity vs. 27.5%), an average of ~4 years (median 3) to reach $1B+, and an under-25/dropout cohort comprising 11 unicorns worth $79B. Included are data tables, the Top 50 companies, leading investors, the 021T Heat Index (hot sectors), superlatives, and 10 predictions, plus clear definitions and methodology.
Harvard's Unicorn Economy: Global Economic Impact of Harvard-Founded Unicorns (2005–2025)
Harvard's entrepreneurial ecosystem has produced 170 unicorns since 2005, creating ~$6.1T in public market value (~11% of the S&P 500) plus ~$490B in private value. These companies generate ~$560B in annual revenue, support ~3.37M jobs worldwide, and consistently add ~9 new unicorns per year, with ~32% ultimately exceeding $5B in valuation. It's hard to overstate Harvard's contribution to both the global economy and the health, wealth, and well-being of our society.
Thoughts
View allHarvard-MIT Data Briefing
We're living through a once-in-a-generation technology shift. Harvard–MIT founders are creating unprecedented value.
My Top 5 All-Time Books
I love to read. Here are the 5 books that I revisit annually.
In This New Paradigm, the First Check Is the Best Check
My mental model for institutionalizing first-check investing—and winning big.
Media
View allBoston's AI Supercluster: Harvard & MIT Powering Wave of Unicorns
Devon speaks at Imagination in Action @ MIT 2025 about how Boston, anchored by Harvard and MIT, has become the world's most productive AI supercluster.
Harvard/MIT AI Unicorns Reveal Key Trends In This New Paradigm
Forbes features Devon's research analyzing Harvard and MIT's AI unicorn ecosystem, revealing key insights about the trajectories of these companies in the AI age.