University technology transfer: leveraging experiential learning and TTO's resources

We examine how experiential learning from both previous technology transfer experience and the disclosure of discoveries impact universities' technology transfer outcomes, in terms of the number of spinoffs created and licenses granted, while acknowledging that TTOs provide specialized resources that support technology transfer processes. By using panel data models on a sample of public Spanish universities for the 2006-2011 period, our model introduces discovery disclosures as an instrument to account for the endogenous nature of the scientific research process. Results show that spinoff creation and license granting depend on their own experiential learning and on the number of discovery disclosures, which in turn depends on its own experiential learning. Technology transfer is influenced by two learning processes connected to technology transfer outcomes and discovery disclosures. Also, the effect of TTOs' specific resources appears as not significant. In the context of Spanish universities, the findings support the view that, compared to TTOs' staff specialization, accumulated knowledge from their own experience adds more value for generating technology transfer outcomes. The involvement of scientists, together with the resources deployed by technology transfer offices (TTOs), are crucial for the transformation of scientific knowledge and technology into commercialized products and services. The article explores how two distinct, interconnected learning curves related to discovery disclosures and technology transfer outcomes (i.e., spinoffs and licenses) explain the commercialization of new knowledge generated within Spanish universities. The findings support the notion that scientific research processes can benefit from experiential learning. Past experience with both discovery disclosures and technology transfer outcomes was found to positively impact universities' capacity to create spinoffs and grant licenses. On contrary, we did not detect that TTOs' staff specialization affects the generation of technology transfer outcomes. These results are relevant to university managers and social planners. This study provides a template for future work interested in enriching our understanding of both barriers and enables to technology transfer outcomes.