Academic spin offs and technology transfer in Europe : best practices and breakthrough models While the US has traditionally been successful in commercialising new technologies Europe is confronted with an increasing dependency upon fast developing technologies like biotechnology or ICT despite having some of the best universities in the world. This book will explore the key attributes of commercialising academic knowledge focusing on spin offs. Bringing together the visions and best practices used by leading academics and professionals across Europe Sven H. De Cleyn and Gunter Festel offer new and practical insights on technology transfer in an attempt to resolve the European Paradox. Innovative contributions provide new insights into the special approaches used by European institutes when it comes to fostering and supporting technology transfer activities and the creation of new academic spin off ventures. This book illustrates the tools they have developed via compelling examples of successful corporate alliances with academic institutes and public research organisations. Practical and insightful this book will appeal to researchers policy makers and educators interested in technology transfer and high tech entrepreneurship. Investors will also gain from a greater understanding of the benefits of academic spin offs and technology transfer offices will find a wealth of information to help improve operations for their creation Introduction: what is the current state of knowledge transfer at research institutions in Europe what are the main challenges and why does it matter Sven H. De Cleyn and Gunter Festel Part I shaping the ecosystem 1. I3P as university business incubator a dual mission in technology transfer and start up ecosystem development Marco Cantamessa 2. Strategies for designing new venture units in complex contexts Elco van Burg Isabelle M.M.J. Reymen A. Georges L. Romme and Victor A. Gilsing 3. TU Berlin an entrepreneurial university in an entrepreneurial city Matthias Mrozewski Agnes Von Matuschka Jan Kratzer and Gunter Festel Part II supporting and coaching spin offs 4. Systematic spin off processes in university industry ecosystems Helmut Schönenberger 5. Supporting new spin off ventures experiences from a university start up program Magnus Klofsten and Erik Lundmark 6. Intrapreneurship at the Fraunhofer Gesellschaft: how to stimulate greater entrepreneurship among researchers Julia Bauer Matthias Keckl Thorsten Lambertus and Björn Schmalfuss Part III financing spin offs and technology transfer 7. Incubation to address the innovation gap Ulrich Mahr and Florian Kirschenhofer 8. The seed challenge Michael Brandkamp Part IV innovative tools for technology transfer 9. Founding angels as an emerging angel investment model to support early stage high tech spin offs Gunter Festel 10. Flipping the knowledge transfer model using start ups: how entrepreneurs can stimulate faster adoption of academic knowledge Sven H. De Cleyn and Frank Gielen 11. Stimulating student entrepreneurship within a traditional university model: the AU student incubator as a case Mia L. Justesen Rajiv V. Basaiawmoit Flemming K. Fink and Kirstine V. Moltzen Part V international perspective on academic spin offs and technology transfer 12. What Europe still has to learn from the US in academic innovation Hervé Lebret Part V conclusion 13. Academic spin offs and technology transfer in Europe concluding insights and outlook Sven H. De Cleyn and Gunter Festel.