Description
Book SynopsisIn this unique and timely volume, Scott Shane systematically explains the formation of university spinoff companies and their role in the commercialization of university technology and wealth creation in the United States and elsewhere. The importance of university spinoff activity is discussed and the historical development of university spinoff ventures is traced over time.
Scott Shane provides in-depth analysis of the four major factors that jointly influence spinoff activity: the university and societal environment, the technology developed at universities, the industries in which spinoffs operate, and the people involved. He documents the process of company creation, focusing on the formation of spinoffs, the transformation of the spinoff's technology into new products and services, the identification and exploitation of a market for these new products and services and the acquisition of financial resources. Also detailed are the factors that enhance and inhibit the performance of university spinoffs, as well as the effect that they have on the institutions that spawn them.
Authoritative and highly readable, this volume will appeal to scholars researching the spinoff phenomenon, university technology transfer officers, inventors, policymakers, external entrepreneurs and investors.
Trade Review'I would recommend this text as a good starting point for any serious researcher seeking to understand more about university spinoff companies.' -- Joanne Duberley, Prometheus
'Academic Entrepreneurship
is well structured and lives up to Shane's ambition to create a coherent picture of the spin-off phenomenon. The introduction demonstrates the importance and relevance of the subject, and provides historical anchoring. . . The broad and all-embracing content of the book is in the highest degree relevant for practitioners who want a deepened understanding and concrete tips about the spin-off phenomenon. Shane's book fills a need for innovators, entrepreneurs, investors and, not least, civil servants in both public and private institutions who work to support companies coming from the academic environment. Scott Shane's book has the potential to become one of the standard works in academic entrepreneurship. . . the book is unambiguously positive.' -- Magnus Klofsten and Johan Scheele, International Small Business Journal
'. . . likely to prove exceptionally valuable for researchers in this area and as a reference for those briefing policymakers. . . essential reading for those joining technology transfer offices, particularly in the USA, and for many who are there already. It will clearly give would-be academic entrepreneurs a feel for the terrain and some clue to the causes of success or failure.' -- Robert Handscombe, R&D Management
'. . . this book is very strong and is an essential read for practitioners and researchers in this subject area. The various parts of the book are well researched, being based on a good understanding of the published work on the subject and on Shane's own extensive fieldwork. . . What is particularly valuable about this book is that it appears to bring together a detailed understanding of the subject for the first time, covering all the elements that are important. . . the book is well written providing sound practical points and some extremely valuable insights for technology commercialisation managers.' -- Luke Pittaway, Education Economics
Table of ContentsContents: Foreword by Lita Nelson 1. Introduction 2. Why Do University Spinoffs Matter? 3. University Spinoffs in Historical Perspective 4. Variation in Spinoff Activities Across Institutions 5. Environmental Influences on Spinoff Activity 6. The Types of Technology that Lead to University Spinoffs 7. The Industries Where Spinoffs Occur 8. The Role of People in University Spinoffs 9. The Process of Spinoff Company Creation 10. The Process of Spinoff Development 11. The Financing of University Spinoffs 12. The Performance of University Spinoffs 13. The Problems with University Spinoffs 14. Conclusions References Index
