How academics' engagement in university-industry interactions influences their start-up intentions: a study on nanoscientists in Turkey

Abstract

This paper investigates the start-up intentions of nanoscientists at Turkish universities. It specifically focuses on how (i) different forms of university-industry engagements such as informal interactions, research-based interactions, consultancy and academic interactions, (ii) the nature of research done by university scientists such as doing applied research or having an invention (or research outcome) ready for commercialisation and (iii) role models and motivations influence nanoscientists' start-up intentions. Data were collected from nanoscientists employed at Turkish universities through a questionnaire survey. Our results suggest that interactions with industry mostly are not related to start-up intentions of nanoscientists. However, doing applied research and the perceptions of academics regarding to the commercial value of their research outcomes are positively related to their entrepreneurial intentions. On the other hand, experience and the number of nanotechnology publications are negatively related to entrepreneurial intentions.