The creation of university spin-off companies (USOs) is one of the most visible form of commercialization of university research. To date, there is scant and mixed evidence about USOs and their performance, thus producing a debate about their impact on the economy and society and about the...

The contribution analyzes the individual traits of a sample basket of entrepreneurs - the founders of 104 new technology-based firms established after 2002 - in the Emilia Romagna region in Italy. Based on 166 face-to-face interviews, the paper provides some evidence on the reasons that led to...