The Start-Up University and the Entrepreneurship Ecosystem: The Story of Cornell

What makes an entrepreneurial university a source of innovative startups and catalyses entrepreneurial growth? The Startup University and the Entrepreneurship Ecosystem examines how Cornell University has built one of the world's leading entrepreneurship ecosystems through the coordinated efforts of universities, government, and industry.

Moving beyond the case study of Cornell’s ecosystem, the book develops a novel stage-contingent Triple Helix framework that explains how the roles of universities, government, and industry evolve as startups progress through different stages of development. Drawing on extensive qualitative research, in-depth interviews with key stakeholders, and using the conceptual Lens of Triple Helix, this book reveals how these actors collaborate to support new ventures throughout their startup journey—from idea generation and technology development to commercialization and global growth.

This is an essential read for scholars and students of entrepreneurship studies, the economics of innovation and sociology of science. By studying the prevailing innovation settings with rich empirical evidence, it also offers valuable insights for researchers, policymakers, university leaders, entrepreneurship educators, and innovation practitioners seeking to strengthen entrepreneurial ecosystems in both developed and emerging economies.