Title: The entrepreneurial university's influence on commercialisation of academic research – the illustrative case of Chalmers University of Technology

Authors: Eva Berggren

Addresses: Knowledge Entrepreneurship and Enterprise (KEEN) Research, School of Business and Engineering, Halmstad University, Box 823, S-301 18 Halmstad, Sweden

Abstract: The aim of this paper is to describe how the development of an entrepreneurial university contributes to the commercialisation of research. This is illustrated with the case of Chalmers University of Technology in Sweden. The findings show the importance of early pioneers creating a favourable culture from the very beginning of the university|s existence. It also shows the influence of a few key individuals for the developed best practice in the innovation support system, which is to commercialise research by match-making researchers with complementing competences like entrepreneurship students as well as using alumni.

Keywords: entrepreneurial universities; higher education; research commercialisation; university spin-offs; innovation; support systems; matchmaking; R&D; research and development; Chalmers University of Technology; Sweden; favourable cultures; key individuals; best practice; researchers; complementing competences; entrepreneurship students; alumni; small and medium-sized enterprises; SMEs; entrepreneurs; academic entrepreneurship.

DOI: 10.1504/IJESB.2011.039684

International Journal of Entrepreneurship and Small Business, 2011 Vol.12 No.4, pp.429 - 444

Published online: 11 Oct 2014 *

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