1874-9151/10 2010 Bentham Open Open Access Do Business Incubators Function as a Transfer Technology Mechanism from University to Industry? Evidence from Portugal

Abstract: This paper concerns an empirical study on the university-industry cooperation, with the motivation that incubators would function as a transfer technology mechanism. It describes the links relating to R&D, human resources and provision of services for a sample of 79 firms based in the 11 incubators and universities. The results confirm some factors that affect the strength of such links-size of firms, R&D activities and economic sector, and revealed two other factors-incubators ’ statutory situation and firm origin. It also emerges that while the university stake in the incubators’ capital is quite small, and the involvement of firms in R&D activities is rare, there is a significant formal involvement with the society following a global trend towards “entrepreneurial university”. This suggests that the university contribution to the development of firms ' activities is more related to providing information that complements their technological endeavours, and less to creating innovations, ready for market