Entrepreneurial Team Development in Academic Spinouts: An Examination of Team Heterogeneity

Abstract

Analyzes the effects of entrepreneurial team dynamics onthe performance of academic spinoffs. First, the definition of entrepreneurialteams is offered, and the link between team structure and performance isexamined. Next, data from a detailed field study of ten academic spinoffs inFlanders are used to explore the central research question. The data indicate that some researchers who are actively involved in thefirst phase of the spinoff process (i.e., market opportunity recognition)choose to stay with the parent firm instead of completing the spinoff process.Other researchers become impatient as the spinoff attempts to prove itsviability and leave the project. Once the spinoff has proven its viability, theremaining researchers stay and take the spinoff to maturity. In other cases,surrogate entrepreneurs are attracted to set up the venture. As a whole, the findings suggest that a team's heterogeneity changes as itevolves through the various stages of the spinoff process. Although newadditions to the team bring unique experiences to the spinoff, they generallyshare the initial team members' view of the business of launching spinoffs.(SAA)