How French academics create hi-tech companies: The conditions for success or failure

Surveys in 1988, 1992 and 1994 of enterprises created by scientists show that: these spin-off enterprises from research laboratories are robust, although they do not necessarily lead to job creation; a precondition for the development of these firms is that they establish networks of different players; firms that increased their co-operation arrangements with various laboratories were the most successful; it is important to integrate clients from the innovation design phase; and there is a crucial role for public funding during a firm's start-up and initial development stage. Copyright , Beech Tree Publishing.