Knowledge transfer through academic spin-offs and university to industry cooperations

Since the second academic revolution, a ‘third mission’ has been integrated into the tradi-tional functions of universities that is targeted to transfer universities’ research-based knowledge to industrial sectors and society as a whole. In this regard, the creation of academic spin-offs is becoming increasingly popular within the university technology transfer process, regional politics and current research. Academic spin-offs are regarded as central drivers of economic, social and ecological changes, and they lead to economic stability and social prosperity. Nonetheless, a high discrepancy exists between the propensity to found a company and actual implementation in the academic context. This so-called intention–action gap has been systematically overlooked and deserves more research. As such, this dissertation analyses how the intention–action gap in academic entrepreneurship can be bridged. From a theoretical perspective, this dissertation sheds light on the phenomenon of why academic entrepreneurs cease, postpone or actually implement their founding plans. From a practical perspective, this dissertation provides university administrators and pol-icymakers who are interested in fostering academic entrepreneurship with the help neces-sary to more effectively implement their support programmes.