Why Some Research Insights Find Their Way to Market and Some Do Not

In our knowledge-based society academic spin- offs are an important form of technology transfer. However, most related entrepreneurial efforts fail. When looking at determining factors, researchers have to be regarded as members of a complex social network consisting not only of academic peers but also of participants from industry, policy, and supporting institutions, and friends and family members. This network is the academic entrepreneur's general framework of operation characterised by resource and communication flows of differing nature. The book tries to answer the question under what conditions spin-offs from academia emerge with special emphasis on the entrepreneurs' social capital expressed in terms of their social networks. To this end a detailed analysis of the characteristics of the social network academic entrepreneurs operate in at the different stages of the spin-off process was executed. The results are intended to increase academic entrepreneurs' awareness on how to optimally using their social networks when setting up a new business, and to support political decision-makers in fostering respective entrepreneurial dynamics.