University spin-off companies are under many competitive pressures that necessitate ongoing innovation and new product development. Technological and managerial knowledge endowed to spin-offs at start-up largely determine their potential for success, since exploiting this knowledge is their main activity. This chapter discusses the issue of university spin-off companies with particular emphasis on the role of intellectual capital, as the new engine of corporate development and one of the great clichés of recent years. In addition, the study also analyzes the relationships between intellectual capital and the company’s performance. It highlights how various types of intellectual capital (human capital, structural capital, relational capital) are strategically important for innovative start-up firms.
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