This paper develops understanding about how incubation support and innovation strategy can determine the performance of academic spin-offs. Using a sample of spin-offs from the United Kingdom, the Netherlands and Norway, we analyse the potential moderating effect of incubation support (networking and entrepreneurial support) on innovation strategy effectiveness. The empirical results demonstrate: (1) a technology and market exploitation strategy has a stronger and more positive effect on the performance of spin-offs than a technology and market exploration strategy. In relation to an ambidextrous technology and market exploration and exploitation strategy, a market growth strategy (combining technology exploitation and market exploration) has a positive effect on performance while a product development strategy (combining technology exploration and market exploitation) has little effect on performance; (2) incubation support in the form of networking and entrepreneurial support has a positive effect on the performance of spin-offs; (3) networking support moderates the relationship between an exploitation strategy and spin-off performance while entrepreneurial support moderates the relationship between a market growth strategy and spin-off performance. By examining the interactions between types of innovation strategies and incubation support, this study provides a more refined understanding of the strategy selected by spin-offs. In doing so, it offers new insights about the role of incubator support in enhancing the effect of strategy on performance.
This is the author’s version of a work that was accepted for publication in Technovation. Changes resulting from the publishing process, such as peer review, editing, corrections, structural formatting, and other quality control mechanisms may not be reflected in this document. Changes may have been made to this work since it was submitted for publication. A definitive version was subsequently published in Technovation, 50-51, 2016 DOI: 10.1016/j.technovation.2015.11.001