The “Super Class” of Electronics 1991 and 1992 – What Was the Key? on Fostering Entrepreneurship Beyond Organized Support System
Master thesis in Entrepreneurship, Innovation and Society The “super class” of electronics 1991 and 1992 – what was the key? On fostering entrepreneurship beyond organized support system. Trondheim, May 2017 Author: Karolina Lesniak Academic supervisor: Asbjørn Karlsen Cover figure: The “super class” of electronics of 1991 and 1992. Source: Adresseavisen Abstract The university gains constantly greater importance in the local and regional development policies. Apart from two traditional roles of university that is research and education, the third mission was added in recent decades – commercialization of science and technology by new firm formation. Although various institutionalized measures for fostering and supporting entrepreneurship were developed, like technology transfer offices, incubator, science parks, or formalized entrepreneurial education, the perfect formula for encouraging academic entrepreneurship has not yet been devised. The main aim of this study was to investigate the distinctive case of technology entrepreneurs from classes of 1991 and 1992 of electronics at NTNU. The case combines 9 entrepreneurs who established 6 highly successful technology companies. Among the companies 3 were categorized as corporate spin-offs and 3 as university spin-offs. The case stands out due to the fact that in the period in question the institutionalized support system for entrepreneurship was non-existent, and no forms of encouragement towards firm formation were noted. First research question asked in this study is concerned in the role that NTNU had in fostering entrepreneurial activities among the students in question. Through the case study it was argued that despite the lack of organized system for fostering commercial activities, NTNU indirectly influenced future entrepreneurs in several ways.
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