An Assessment of Higher Education Spin-off Enterprises in Wales

This paper examines academic spin-off activity in universities and the development of different policies for academic entrepreneurship applicable to Wales. Detailed information on various aspects of spin-off development in Industrial South Wales (ISW) has been obtained through interviews with industrial liaison officers (ILOs) or their equivalents in all higher education institutions (HEIs) in ISW. The data gathered include quantitative information on developments over the last decade and qualitative information on university initiatives to help start-up businesses. The authors use this quantitative and qualitative information to address the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats relating to the development of academic spin-offs in ISW. The conclusions also draw on other initiatives in Europe and compare the results gathered with those of best practice elsewhere.