The role and experience of start-ups in commercializing university inventions: Startup licensees at the University of California

This chapter summarizes findings from case studies of university-based start-up firms. Case studies were used to contribute descriptive accounts and a set of discussion points to this emerging area of research. The case studies contribute several important insights on the invention-innovation process, focusing on the role of public institutions — such as university research labs and federal funding programs — and the interaction between public and private interests. In addition, these case studies highlight the importance of the inventor's personal (tacit) knowledge in developing the technology.