Prez at 2010 Technology Transfer Society conference - full program at http://business.gwu.edu/t2s

1. “Lean startup” model:
From fad to best practice in
technology commercialization…
and its implications for
understanding “entrepreneurial”
universities
Norris Krueger, Entrepreneurship Northwest
Dianne Welsh, University of North Carolina Greensboro
Deborah Brazeal, Cal Poly Pomona
Technology Transfer Society 2010

2. Comparing Innovation Systems:
the Entrepreneurial Edge
Theme of this conference
Opportunities for T2S & members
Idea #1: What could we learn if we compared:
Innovation systems?
Entrepreneurial ecosystems?
Idea #2: And if it's truly about being…
entrepreneurial... WHY is it so HARD?

3. Comparing Innovation Systems:
the Edge IS Entrepreneurial
What makes the special places.. special?
A focus on nurturing entrepreneurial mindset
How do we know if universities are more
“entrepreneurial”? (Diagnostics?)
Beyond “best practice”?
Diagnostics: Comparing entrepreneurial
ecosystems & ecosystems?
Org Devel: Competencies?

4. What we know
Phan & Siegel (2006): Universities must have a
technology transfer strategy that emphasizes
entrepreneurship (not a 'bolt-on')
TTOs' experience matters – how often is there
a strong training in entrepreneurship, let alone
the mindset? [ Krueger & Brazeal 1994; Krueger
2000, 2009a, 2009b; Tello, Latham, & Kijewski, 2010;
Siegel et al. (2003, 2007) ]

5. Locus of entrepreneurship?
TTOs & b-schools too often are poorly
connected (Wright, Piva, Mosey & Lockett 2010)
University entrepreneurship is at least multi-
disciplinary, if not transdisciplinary – a critical
insight (Rothaermel, Agung, & Jiang, 2007).

6. * Cooperative Research Centers (CRCs) &
Engineering Research Centers
(Hayton, Sehili, & Scarpello, 2010).
* SBIR - Small Business Innovation Research
(Link & Scott, fc)
* Proof of Concept Centers
(Gulbranson & Audretsch, 2008)
Leading new 'Best Practice' models

7. from Incubating to Accelerating
POC centers: eg, MIT, UCSD
Physical accelerators: eg, Y-Combinator
Virtual accelerators: eg, TechStars
Immersion experiences: eg, Startup Weekend
A Clue?: Why does SW get so little traction at
universities?

8. What do accelerators share?...
(And great entrepreneurial training???)
Mindset IS Key: Entrepreneurial Thinking versus
Bureaucratic Thinking
Problem-based learning
Effectual not causal
Training minds not filling memories (knowledge
structure vs. knowledge content)
Getting to 'Expert': Mentoring, fast feedback
Sounds like...

9. Principles of Lean Startup
Startup = Vehicle to Identify Scable, Sustainable
Business Model
Test assumptions & “pivot”
Learning how to engage customers
Learning to lose 'inventors syndrome”
Execution >>>>> Idea
How a TTO/university might follow – or not?
Who does? Who says they do?

10. Durant versus Sloan?
Alfred Sloan = famous; Durant = ??
Steve Blank: “Why Accountants Aren't
Entrepreneurs”
Teach entrepreneurship in a business school or..
Teach business in school of entrepreneurship??
Dominant Logic: Bureaucratic or
entrepreneurial thinking?

11. DESIGNING METRICS
Systemic Metrics
Process Metrics
Competencies perspective

12. Systemic Metrics
Basic philosophy & assumptions:
– = INTENT
Protect IP or create value? (Or ???)
Top-down, bottom-up or ?
Focus on entrepreneurial potential?
= MINDSET!

13. Triple Helix or ??
Newly dominant triple helix?
or… Bridging assets?
A *real* map of the system?
What are the key assumptions?
Any evidence to support?
How does this apply to universities?
(Ptolemaic or Copernican?)

14. Mindset
Maybe the #1 takeaway here?
Cultivate entrepreneurial thinking across entire
ecosystem, entire innovation system
What IS the “entrepreneurial” mindset”?
How will we know when a university is doing
this?

15. Entrepreneurial Potential
Entrepreneurial potential = f(potential
entrepreneurs)
Increasing the quantity & quality of entrepreneurs
“ICE”: Innovation = Creativity + Entrepreneurship
1) Cultivate the mindset in everyone AND
2) Provide supporting ecosystem
– [human capital & social capital]
What characterizes ideal university efforts?

16. PROCESS METRICS
Cutting Edge Tools
Modeling Best Efforts
Sustainability

17. Cutting Edge Tools
More than “best practices”
Tools that reflect 21st
century thinking?
Tool that reflect entrepreneurial thinking!
Example #1: Key assumptions of what’s
become known as “lean startup”
Example #2: SoMe… done right

18. Modeling Best Efforts
Mimetic Isomorphism
Who are the role models?
Are they looking at the outstanding programs?
(or just looking at “peers”?)
My favorites: U of Utah and STVP
Again: How will we know?

19. Engaging Entire Ecosystem
Not enough to recognize
• there IS an ecosystem and
• entrepreneurs needed at its heart
Breadth of Ecosystem Engagement
• Life cycle / pipeline
Quality of Ecosystem Engagement
Again, what characterizes the truly entrepreneurial
university?

20. Research Project #1
Comparative studies of:
state Innovation Councils and/or
state Technology Councils
Catalog what they do & how they do it
Map onto ‘best practices’ or?
Example: comparing Idaho with the Basque
Country, Oregon, North Carolina

21. Research Project #2
Recurring desire by trade groups for tech transfer
“competencies”
implications for testing (certification)
implications for training
Huge risks of using “business as usual”
Combine:
comparative study and
Existing knowledge base re ‘best practice’