Resumo

The role of universities has changed over the years. Currently, in addition to activities aimed at the dissemination of knowledge and research, it is necessary that the research developed generates socioeconomic impacts on society. Transferring technology has become a major challenge. Among the various existing routes to technology, the creation of academic spin-offs has been an efficient way. Understanding what are the main drivers, barriers and success factors in the creation of spin-offs is essential to create favorable environments for and actions that promote academic entrepreneurship.

The research questions in this article are: What are the main journals that publish on this topic? What methods are used in the articles? Are there theoretical frameworks, fundamental theories or models applied to existing research? Which ones? What inferences can be drawn from existing research on drivers, boosters, and barriers? The main objective of this research is to define what are the main barriers, drivers and success factors faced during the process of creating academic spin-offs.

Currently, universities, in addition to carrying out teaching and research activities, should promote socio-economic benefits to society. Transferring technology developed in laboratories and research centers is a major challenge. One way to make this transfer viable is to create an ASO. However, what are the factors that favor the creation of an ASO? Understanding the main drivers, barriers and success factors is essential to support the decision-making process and the creation of actions to foster academic entrepreneurship.

Several variables were found in the more than 96 reviewed articles. Called third-layer characteristics, external factors are related to national and regional contexts, such as programs, policies, socioeconomic development, among others. The second layer features focus on instruments, programs, internal regulations and actions by universities and research centers to promote entrepreneurship. The first-tier characteristics evaluate the behavior that makes a researcher an academic entrepreneur. The point of intersection between the three layers favor the creation of ASOs

The results show that the point of intersection between behavioral, institutional and external characteristics is ideal for creating an ASO. The drivers and success factors of each layer must converge, such as the performance of government agencies, infrastructure and institutional action, actions to promote entrepreneurship and support mechanisms, as well as researchers must be endowed with entrepreneurial skills and previous experiences, increasing the chances design of an ASO. Future research focusing on barriers and possible solutions will bring great contributions.

The main bibliographic references focused on the theoretical framework contained in the academic entrepreneurship literature, as a focus on technology transfer, limiting itself to analyzing the state of the art on ASO creation, however, broadly understanding the external, national and regional context, the institutional environment and behavioral characteristics that favor the researcher to become an entrepreneur in order to commercialize an innovation derived from technological research.