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Scientist entrepreneurship across scientific fields

Author

Listed:
  • T. Aldridge
  • David Audretsch
  • Sameeksha Desai
  • Venkata Nadella

Abstract

Knowledge generated in universities can serve as an important base for the commercialization of innovation. One mechanism for commercialization is the creation of a new company by a scientist. We shed light on this process by examining the role of scientist characteristics, access to resources and key university conditions in driving the likelihood of a scientist to start a company. Our sample comprises 1,899 university scientists across six different scientific fields. We make a methodological contribution by using self-reported data from the scientists themselves, whereas most previous research relied on university or public data. Our consideration of six scientific fields is a substantive contribution and reveals that scientist startups are heterogeneous in nature. Our findings are largely consistent with extant research on the role of individual and university variables in scientist entrepreneurship; in addition, we uncover the novel finding that the type of research field is also a key driver of scientist startup activity. Copyright Springer Science+Business Media New York 2014

Suggested Citation

  • T. Aldridge & David Audretsch & Sameeksha Desai & Venkata Nadella, 2014. "Scientist entrepreneurship across scientific fields," The Journal of Technology Transfer, Springer, vol. 39(6), pages 819-835, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:kap:jtecht:v:39:y:2014:i:6:p:819-835
    DOI: 10.1007/s10961-014-9339-x
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    2. Susan M Fitzpatrick, 2018. "Universities and the Entrepreneurial Ecosystem By David B. Audretsch and Albert N. Link," Science and Public Policy, Oxford University Press, vol. 45(4), pages 591-592.
    3. Tijssen, Robert J.W., 2018. "Anatomy of use-inspired researchers: From Pasteur’s Quadrant to Pasteur’s Cube model," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 47(9), pages 1626-1638.
    4. B. Urban & J. Chantson, 2019. "Academic entrepreneurship in South Africa: testing for entrepreneurial intentions," The Journal of Technology Transfer, Springer, vol. 44(3), pages 948-980, June.
    5. Carolin Bock & Alexander Huber & Svenja Jarchow, 2018. "Growth factors of research-based spin-offs and the role of venture capital investing," The Journal of Technology Transfer, Springer, vol. 43(5), pages 1375-1409, October.
    6. Letícia Castro Peixoto & Ricardo Rodrigues Barbosa & Adriana Ferreira Faria, 2022. "Management of Regional Knowledge: Knowledge Flows Among University, Industry, and Government," Journal of the Knowledge Economy, Springer;Portland International Center for Management of Engineering and Technology (PICMET), vol. 13(1), pages 92-110, March.
    7. Thang Nguyen & Lan Nguyen & Scott Bryant & Hieu Nguyen, 2020. "What Motivates Scientists in Emerging Economies to Become Entrepreneurs? Evidence from Vietnam," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(3), pages 1-18, February.
    8. Maksim Mõttus & Oliver Lukason & Urmas Varblane, 2019. "Which Individual Characteristics are Associated with Academic Entrepreneurship? Evidence from Estonia," International Journal of Innovation and Technology Management (IJITM), World Scientific Publishing Co. Pte. Ltd., vol. 16(02), pages 1-16, April.
    9. Ferran Giones & Kari Kleine & Silke Tegtmeier, 2022. "Students as scientists’ co-pilots at the onset of technology transfer: a two-way learning process," The Journal of Technology Transfer, Springer, vol. 47(5), pages 1373-1394, October.
    10. Lisa Craiut & Constantin Bungau & Tudor Bungau & Cristian Grava & Pavel Otrisal & Andrei-Flavius Radu, 2022. "Technology Transfer, Sustainability, and Development, Worldwide and in Romania," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(23), pages 1-33, November.
    11. Holgersson, Marcus & Aaboen, Lise, 2019. "A literature review of intellectual property management in technology transfer offices: From appropriation to utilization," Technology in Society, Elsevier, vol. 59(C).
    12. Rosa Caiazza & Aileen Richardson & David Audretsch, 2015. "Knowledge effects on competitiveness: from firms to regional advantage," The Journal of Technology Transfer, Springer, vol. 40(6), pages 899-909, December.
    13. Uwe Cantner & Philip Doerr & Maximilian Goethner & Matthias Huegel & Martin Kalthaus, 2024. "A procedural perspective on academic spin-off creation: the changing relative importance of the academic and the commercial sphere," Small Business Economics, Springer, vol. 62(4), pages 1555-1590, April.
    14. Duong Cong Doanh & Tomasz Bernat & Nguyen Thanh Hieu & Nguyen Bich Ngoc & Nguyen Thi Phuong Linh, 2021. "Academic Entrepreneurship: An Empirical Research of Invention Commercialisation," Central European Business Review, Prague University of Economics and Business, vol. 2021(4), pages 33-62.
    15. Haiyan Yu & Shan Li & Yiyuan Liu & Qiuping Liu & Yuxin Lu, 2023. "Do International Trade Frictions Influence the Competitiveness of Entity Enterprises? Evidence from the Perspective of Financialization," SAGE Open, , vol. 13(4), pages 21582440231, December.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Scientist entrepreneurship; Commercialization; Startup; University; Research; L26; M13; O30;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • L26 - Industrial Organization - - Firm Objectives, Organization, and Behavior - - - Entrepreneurship
    • M13 - Business Administration and Business Economics; Marketing; Accounting; Personnel Economics - - Business Administration - - - New Firms; Startups
    • O30 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Innovation; Research and Development; Technological Change; Intellectual Property Rights - - - General

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