Building Technology Transfer within Research Universities

For the past number of years, academic entrepreneurship has become one of the most widely studied topics in the entrepreneurship literature. Yet, despite all the research that has been conducted to date, there has not been a systematic attempt to analyze critically the factors which lie behind successful business spin-offs from university research. In this book, a group of academic thought-leaders in the field of technology transfer examine a number of areas critical to the promotion of start-ups on campus. Through a series of case studies, they examine current policies, structures, program initiatives and practices of fourteen international universities to develop a theory of successful academic entrepreneurship, with the aim of helping other universities to enhance the quality of their university transfer programs. This book is a valuable resource for university research administrators, technology transfer office professionals, academic entrepreneurs, incubator management officials, R&D managers, venture capitalists, researchers, policymakers, and others involved in the commercialization of intellectual property.

'This volume brings alive the modern synthesis of entrepreneurship and universities that has created a powerful force for change and wealth in societies. The contributors are at the forefront of the subject and leaders everywhere will need to understand the insights discussed.' Phillip A. Sharp, Nobel Laureate in Medicine, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and co-founder, Biogen Idec, Alnylam, 'This book is a must-read for scholars, practitioners and policymakers who want to really understand the emergence of technology-based start-up companies from academic institutions around the world. Edited by two of the leading researchers on academic entrepreneurship and with chapters from many other experts in the field, the book is unique in its coverage of universities from around the globe and for opening up the black box of the university practices that actually contribute to the formation of spin-off companies.' Toby Stuart, Chair of Entrepreneurship, Hass School of Business, University of California, Berkeley, 'This edited volume by Allen and O'Shea provides excellent insight into the academic spin-off phenomenon by detailing the institutional development of a range of research university efforts in this vitally important means of technology transfer.' David H. Hsu, Associate Professor of Management, Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania, 'While technology transfer from the university to industry is critical to economic growth and competitiveness, our commensurate understanding thereof is quite limited. Using an entrepreneurial lens, Allen and O'Shea [have] edited an important volume that opens the black box of technology transfer by studying leading research institutions across the globe. This book is a must-read for any policy maker, university administrator, academic, and student interested in technology transfer, innovation, and economic growth.' Frank T. Rothaermel, Deedy Professor, Georgia Institute of Technology

Thomas J. Allen is the Howard W. Johnson Professor of Management, Emeritus and Professor of Organization Studies at the MIT Sloan School of Management. His long-term research focuses on project management in the pharmaceutical and aerospace industries. Specializing in organizational psychology and management, he explores the relationship between organizational structure and behavior, the role of technological gatekeepers in technology transfer, and how a building's layout influences communication. Rory O'Shea is a Visiting Assistant Professor in Innovation and Entrepreneurship at the MIT Sloan School of Management. His research is primarily focused on the commercialization of academic research, with a particular emphasis on the optimal organizational and financial mechanisms for transferring university-based IP into knowledge-based start-ups. He teaches courses in the areas of new venture finance, technology strategy and entrepreneurship.