Stanford University and High-Tech Entrepreneurship: An Empirical Study

Abstract:     
This study examines more than 2,700 companies founded by alumni of Stanford University or having licensed a technology from this university. Stanford University is with MIT one of the most entrepreneurial university in the world, and surprisingly not much data is available on its spin-offs and start-ups. Some important features are described such as the use of venture capital, the dynamics of growth and exits through acquisition or initial public offering. Some characteristics of the founders are also considered such as the time lag between their academic activity and the start-up creation as well as the characteristics of serial entrepreneurs.

Number of Pages in PDF File: 15

Keywords: entrepreneurship, founders, high-tech, innovation, Silicon Valley, Stanford Universiry, start-ups, venture capital, academic entrepreneurship

JEL Classification: M13

working papers series