The need for a change in the paradigm of entrepreneurship at universities: differences between innovative spin-offs and technology-based spin-offs

This study seeks to analyse the main characteristics of and barriers to the growth and development of innovative university spin-offs (which originate mainly from the fields of social science and law) and technology-based university spin-offs (which tend to originate from the experimental sciences, from technical studies and from health science). The idea is to examine whether there is a need to redirect university policies aimed in the field of entrepreneurship. The study is based on a sample of 40 university spin-offs originating from the University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU). A questionnaire was sent to entrepreneurs identified with the aid of the persons in charge of the university programmes for creating businesses at the UPV/EHU. To determine the main differences between innovative and technology-based spin-offs, once the replies were received a bivariate or contingent analysis was applied to characterise the two types of business. The main barriers to growth and development encountered by the two types were then identified. The data analysed reveal significant differences between the two types of business, and a need for a change in the paradigm of university entrepreneurship