The relationship between entrepreneurship, innovation and growth in Italy

This chapter considers innovation driven by academic entrepreneurship a strategic lever that can accelerate the development of weaker local economies especially in Southern Italy. The analysis of this form of entrepreneurship follows multidimensional approach of the “strategic entrepreneurship” to capture possible correlations between the single analysis approaches widespread in the literature (teleological, psychological, environmental and relational). The chapter intends to launch a reflection on the role of the University inside two particular innovation ecosystems, science and technology parks and research spin-offs. In this way the study of the entrepreneurial phenomenon will explore the fundamental endogenous and exogenous factors in their genesis. The empirical analysis responds to the objective of verifying if the research spin-offs can reduce development gaps compared to the targets / targets set by Europe 2020 that penalize the South with respect to Central / Northern Italy. In particular, the objective under observation is that relating to research and development. The results will also be enriched by some final policy suggestions for the development of a more effective entrepreneurship.