Title: The case of academic spin-off companies as technology transfer mechanisms: evidence from two Italian regions

Authors: Davide Chiaroni, Vittorio Chiesa, Eugenio Pozzi, Lorenzo Rossi

Addresses: Dipartimento di Ingegneria Gestionale, Politecnico di Milano – School of Management, Piazza Leonardo da Vinci 32, 20133, Milano, Italy. ' Dipartimento di Ingegneria Gestionale Politecnico di Milano – School of Management Piazza Leonardo da Vinci 32, 20133, Milano, Italy ' Dipartimento di Ingegneria Gestionale, Politecnico di Milano – School of Management, Piazza Leonardo da Vinci 32, 20133, Milano, Italy. ' Dipartimento di Ingegneria Gestionale, Politecnico di Milano – School of Management, Piazza Leonardo da Vinci 32, 20133, Milano, Italy

Abstract: In the recent years, universities and research centres at a worldwide level have become increasingly interested in the direct exploitation of research results. The paper focuses on the creation of new companies by academic community members (academic spin-offs) as one of the major mechanisms to effectively spread the scientific and technological knowledge. The paper analyses the cases of two Italian regions (Lombardia and Piemonte) through the direct survey of 38 academic spin-offs, discussing particularly the following aspects: the characteristics of academic spin-offs; the profile and motivations of founders; the problems faced in starting academic spin-offs.

Keywords: high-tech companies; technology transfer; technology management; academic spin-offs; entrepreneurship; Italy; research exploitation.

DOI: 10.1504/IJTIP.2005.007047

International Journal of Technology Intelligence and Planning, 2005 Vol.1 No.3, pp.340 - 355

Published online: 09 May 2005 *

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