University Spin-offs in the Commercialization of Research

Abstract

The desire to exploit intellectual property (IP) in the public sector research base has been an ongoing concern of those within as well as outside government. In this paper, the author compares the regional success of UK university spin-off firms (USOs) in managing the exploitation of IP through both informal and formal linkages with universities. The central finding is that USOs do not resolve problems endemic to the commercialization of publicly funded research.