Special Introduction: The Entrepreneurial University Wave

Abstract

An entrepreneurial wave is spreading across the academic universe. If not a tsunami, it is certainly more than a ripple as evidenced by the increasing attention to the model by policy makers, universities, and researchers since I initially set it in motion 30 years ago (Etzkowitz, 1983). As awareness and interest grow, a university wants to play a more strategic role in encouraging regional innovation, renewal, and growth. This occurs through local actors from academia, industry and government, coming together, at the invitation of a respected person with convening power, to formulate and implement a strategy to promote regional development via a ‘High-tech Council’ or ‘Knowledge Circle’ (Jonker, 2013).