Power in the Commercialization Process Adopting a Critical Sensemaking Approach to Academic Entrepreneurship Moilanen, Montonen & ERIksson, 2017

Background Universities are expected to take a more active part in society A push for commercialization of research New funding mechanisms based on commercialization opportunities A key government project in Finland The rise of academic entrepreneurship

The Case A group of scientists in the process of commercializing their research An experienced business advisor Innovation based on new technology

The Mentor An experienced scientist, with prior business experience A professor, whose experience was respected by the others Felt that the research was not mature enough for a spin-off ”I get it from a business perspective, but us scientists want to be sure that the product is ready before we start marketing too much.”

The Scientist The leader of the research group A career scientist with ambitions in academia Uncomfortable the expectations of commercialization Was wary of the repercussions for their academic career ”As a researcher, I felt that we can’t give promises about the product without 100 percent certainty.”

The CEO A young scientist Interested in working in the cross-section of research and industry Was keen on going forward with the commercialization ”Commercialization is missing from the university culture, even if it is apparent in it’s people or projects.”

Making sense of it all A conflict between business and research Capitalizing on being first in the market / Maturing the research Clash of power The power of academics and power of business Fallout with the business advisor No common sense The opportunity is lost / There is still time Commercialization wound back down to research

Conclusions Societal measures are successful in promoting academic entrepreneurship as an option, but support structures are lacking Academic culture is not inherently conducive of entrepreneurial activity The needs of commercialization clash with the scientist identity and academic career prospects Underlying power structures can hinder commercialization efforts of academic entrepreneurs

Suggestions To foster a culture of academic entrepreneurship, better support from universities, governments and institutions is required The requirements of a business venture need to be taken into account when building a team of scientists in an academic entrepreneurship project The power hierarchy of the academic profession needs to be considered carefully by scientists and business advisors in decision-making