Spin-off Process and the Development of Academic Entrepreneur’s Social Capital

The present study was conducted with the aim of investigating how the process of spin-offs contributes to the development of the social capital of university entrepreneurs. The current research is inductive, exploratory, and qualitative. The research method is Multiple case analysis. The selection of this particular number was the result of theoretical saturation during the coding and data analysis phase). In this connection, eight ventures of University spin-offs two to four years old, with Maximum variation in the key components of spin-offs, including entrepreneur, mother organization, and technology, were examined. Data were collected through 35 semi-structured interviews with an average time of 2 hours, including 22 interviews with entrepreneurs and 13 with managers and other incubator staff. Data analysis and interpretation werefinally done through Transcription of interviews, Interview codification and analysis with the help of the NVivo 2.0 software, Description file for each case, Analytical tables, Intra- and inter-case comparisons, and finally, Comparison with the literature. The result showed thatthe relationships, that three mechanisms of the Entrepreneur´s affiliation with the university, Entrepreneurs´ immersion in the university´s network of relationships, and creating a Preparation for creating venture capital for entrepreneurs will be effective in explaining the contribution of the spin-off process in the development of the social capital of university entrepreneurs. MechanismsMechanisms of Entrepreneur´s affiliation with the university causes; Entrepreneurs project credit, preferential access to specific contacts and resources. Immersion mechanism; Provide opportunities for meetings and entrepreneurs to develop their support network with the network of contacts and structure of the nearby university. Preparation mechanisms through creating meeting opportunities for entrepreneurs, mechanisms through creating meeting opportunities for entrepreneurs, and mediating between entrepreneurs and other contacts will develop social business and financial support skills that will lead to the development of business networks.