Innovation as a transition process: proposition of a framework for the process of creating and developming academic spin-offs

An academic spin-off is a new type of firm that often comes to exploit a radical innovation capable of creating a new market or defying the rules of an established industry. Employing a combination of literature research, multiple case studies and interventions based on action research, this study aims to contribute in two ways to the literature on innovation and entrepreneurship. First, it proposes a concept of innovation as a transition in three dimensions: level (deviation from a rule), length (number of features and actors involved) and trajectory (sequence of innovations over time). The second contribution is building a framework that has a non-linear and recursive structure and integrates innovation with planning and the development of spin-offs, thereby addressing uncertainty management. Finally, it is concluded that the proposed framework can help entrepreneurs, investors and universities with the challenge of creating a firm to exploit a radical innovation.

Innovation; Planning; Technology roadmap; Academic spin-offs; Uncertainty