Title: Support programmes at British and Spanish universities for setting up spin-offs

Authors: José María Beraza-Garmendia; Arturo Rodríguez-Castellanos

Addresses: Escuela Universitaria de Estudios Empresariales, University of the Basque Country UPV/EHU, Plaza de Oñati 1, 20018 San Sebastián, Gipuzkoa, Spain ' Facultad de Ciencias Económicas y Empresariales, University of the Basque Country UPV/EHU, Avda. Lehendakari Agirre, 83, 48015 Bilbao, Bizkaia, Spain

Abstract: The main purpose of this study is to identify the most significant features distinguishing the programmes being introduced in Spanish and British universities to promote the creation of spin-offs using univariate statistical and logistic regression analyses. The results suggest that British are characterised by having a more interactive process of technology transfer through collaborative networks with various agents as well as a higher degree of professionalisation and standardisation in the assessment process and by using a more selective policy for choosing ideas that could be marketed by way of spin-offs. Finally, British universities appear to be more involved in the setting-up of spin-offs than their Spanish counterparts.

Keywords: university entrepreneurship; knowledge transfer; venture creation; academic spin-offs; support programmes; technology transfer; commercialisation; UK; United Kingdom; Spain; university research; new ventures.

DOI: 10.1504/IJTTC.2012.052418

International Journal of Technology Transfer and Commercialisation, 2012 Vol.11 No.3/4, pp.193 - 212

Received: 17 Nov 2011
Accepted: 11 Jul 2012
Published online: 21 Nov 2014 *

Full-text access for editors Full-text access for subscribers Purchase this article Comment on this article