The Interests of Main Stakeholders in The Commercialisation Process of Business Ventures Within University Business Incubators

Abstract

The justification and directions of support for business ventures by innovation and entrepreneurship centres are nowadays the subject of extensive scientific and political discourse. The paper aims at adding arguments to this discussion, based on the results of empirical research conducted on the basis of the case study strategy carried out among companies developing in such centres in Poland in comparison with more developed countries, including the UK, Belgium and Ireland. Particular attention is paid to the issue of involvement of key stakeholders at various stages of business development, including universities and their business incubators as well as potential investors providing key resources to this development, combined with general economic objectives the achievement of which justifies public expenditure on support of specific entities. The conducted analysis is based on the process approach in the framework of which characteristic phases of business development are distinguished, since the company's establishment to the point when it gains the potential for global development. The analysis shows first of all that there is no contradiction between objectives of individual stakeholders of the process, provided that they are properly targeted. University business incubators seem to be a good coordinator of these objectives if their activities are carried out in an appropriate manner.