The common definition of academic entrepreneur is similar to the original definition of ‘entrepreneur.’ It states “the AE (academic entrepreneur) is a university scientist, most often a professor, sometimes a PhD student or a post-doc researcher, who sets up a business company in order to commercialize the results of his/her research[1]” Academic entrepreneurship today can be understood as either: - A knowledge-based profession that is centered around technological development[2] - An income-oriented activity that creates a small business or firm from said technological development[2] - A particular behavior to be adapted by researchers in order to modify the pattern of university research[2] Academic entrepreneurship is part of the Third Mission of universities[3]” The scientific career in the early 19th century had very few sources of funding and support coming from the university, state, or federal level, very much in contrast to the system today.
[4] These surveys were funded by both the state and federal governments, and offered temporary employment for professionals such as chemists, mineralogists, and geologists.
While in Britain, there were a number of other opportunities for academic employment outside of surveys (such as writing, reviewing, instrument making, and public lecturing) American scientists of the time struggled to find well paying jobs.
Thus, to create more opportunities, many of these men began to lobby for more state and federal surveys that would offer more employment, which required experience, expertise, and a good deal of self-promotion.
[4] ‘Academic entrepreneurship’ also originates from the American system of research, due to the fact that many universities in the US already possess entrepreneur-like characteristics.
Many, if not most, AE's are also linked in some way to their university, faculty members, and students with both formal and informal obligations, which can create certain constraints and opportunities for researchers, while entrepreneurial businesses don't hold such connections.
[1] In addition, there tends to be a much stronger sense of competition between researchers in the US, as they must battle to receive public funding for their projects.
[5] The most potent result that arises from such distinction between the eastern and western application of academic entrepreneurship is the effect on the salary of the researchers.