Unlocking Economic Potential: A Review of University Entrepreneurial Ecosystems and Spin-offs within the New Zealand Context

This review synthesises the literature on university entrepreneurial ecosystems to understand their role in fostering university spin-off companies as drivers of economic development. This study adopts a systematised conceptual literature review design, employing a structured search and thematic synthesis to develop an integrative conceptual framework that positions university entrepreneurial ecosystems as a dynamic interplay between internal (e.g. university leadership, faculty) and external (e.g. government, venture capitalists) stakeholders. The framework identifies knowledge spillover and transfer as key mediating processes, and highlights intellectual property frameworks and mechanisms (e.g. university IP policy, legal system) as a critical moderator that can either enable or constrain academic entrepreneurship, and subsequently spin-off formation. Applying this lens to New Zealand, a paradoxical situation was uncovered: while home to a recognised “emerging world leading” university entrepreneurial ecosystem, there is a significant paucity of recent, system-wide academic research. Key gaps are identified, including the need for longitudinal data on spin-offs performances, and a deeper understanding of internal ecosystem dynamics like the critical imperative to integrate Mātauranga Māori (Māori traditional knowledge) into commercialisation pathways. This review provides a foundation for future empirical research and offers insights for policymakers and university leaders in New Zealand and other small, innovative economies.