Page 5 - IDEA Studie 15 2016 Podnikani akademiku

Study 15 / 2016
Knowledge Transfer through
Academic Entrepreneurship in the
Czech Republic2
NOVEMBER 2016
VÍT MACHÁČEK A MARTIN SRHOLEC
Summary
 The study brings first quantitative evidence on the scale and scope of knowledge transfer through academic entrepreneurship in the Czech Republic. The main finding is that Czech academics do not shy away from taking on entrepreneurial opportunities. Admittedly, this is in a sharp contrast with the image of weak entrepreneurial spirit in academia that prevails in general public based on statistics showing low payments of business enterprises for contractual research and licensing fees to research organizations. The results are discussed with regards to implications for public policy.
 Exchange of knowledge between academia and business is essential in innovation systems. Strengthening these connections is one of the priorities of innovation policy. Besides informal contacts, the main channels of knowledge transfer are contractual research, licensing of technology, employment of academics in the business sector and academic entrepreneurship, the latter of which, however, has received little attention so far. How many academics engage in entrepreneurial activities? What are the main characteristics of their businesses? What are the most prominent success stories? Are there any problems? What should innovation policy do about it?
 Academic, who develops an invention during employment in an academic organization, is by law obliged to promptly inform the employer about it. If
2 This study received support from the research programme Strategy AV21 of the Czech Academy of Sciences. We would like to thank Štěpán Jurajdovi, Marta Merhautová and Daniel Münich for their precious comments. Any inaccuracies, omissions or errors are however down to the autohors.
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