University-Industry Linkage Through Business Incubation

Abstract

This chapter focuses on the role played by business incubators in developing and facilitating knowledge transfer, networks, and business support to tenant firms through a sustainable ecosystem. The authors conduct an in-depth qualitative case-study of one tech-based business incubator in Portugal—IPN, created in 1991 by the University of Coimbra—to provide insight on how the incubator's direction/management board and a group of incubatees perceive incubation and its impact. Primary data was collected via participant observation/focus group involving the incubators' CEO and six team members. Semi-structured interviews were carried out among the CEOs and top managers from 11 companies supported by IPN whether as (1) incubates, (2) under acceleration, and (3) graduates. Results show a positive impact of incubation on internationalization and growth for incubatees and companies under acceleration. However, there is a need for new post-incubation follow-up mechanisms and a normative context promoting richer interactions with graduates.