Abstract

This article presents the results of the research carried out within the framework of the Red Universitaria de Emprendimiento REUNE, part to the Asociación Colombiana de Universidades ASCUN, in which participated the Pontificia Bolivariana University, the University of Medellin, the University of Antioquia, the Santo Tomas University and the Francisco de Paula Santander University. The research process was exploratory, cross-sectional and field-based. It’s aim was to identify if the Colombian Higher Education institutions develop specific practices for the generation and accompaniment of technology-based ventures. The conceptual gaps and different perceptions of what is entrepreneurship and technology-based companies are substantial findings among the Higher Education institutions surveyed. The relevance of the results obtained in the research responds to the growing interest of the country towards the subject of entrepreneurship based on specialized knowledge, reinforced by the recent approval of the Spin-off bill. This bill seeks to define guidelines and standards to allow public and private universities the creation of technology-based companies (Spin-off) undertaken by their researchers, so they can obtain incentives for the application of their research results.

Keywords: Entrepreneurship; Technological base; Start-up; Spin off; Higher Education Institutions