Evaluating "startup readiness" for researchers: case studies of research-based startups with biopharmaceutical research topics

Tomotaka Goji; Yuki Hayashi; Ichiro Sakata

doi:10.1016/j.heliyon.2020.e04160

Evaluating "startup readiness" for researchers: case studies of research-based startups with biopharmaceutical research topics

Heliyon. 2020 Jun 12;6(6):e04160. doi: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2020.e04160. eCollection 2020 Jun.

Authors

Tomotaka Goji¹, Yuki Hayashi¹, Ichiro Sakata²

Affiliations

¹ The University of Tokyo Edge Capital Partners, Co., Ltd. (UTEC), Tokyo, Japan.
² Innovation Policy Research Center, Institute of Engineering Innovation, School of Engineering, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan.

Abstract

For research domains such as life sciences, which pursue fundamental scientific understanding and applications intended for immediate use, academic entrepreneurship has played a pivotal role in commercialization. This paper presents an evaluation method of researchers related to user-inspired fundamental research, using global databases of startup finances and academic research papers of "startup readiness." Case studies of startups related to biopharmaceutical research topics suggest that the biopharmaceutical field has rich opportunities stemming from scientific research, commercialization, and entrepreneurship. This evaluation method sorts specific industry segments by which financing activities are active, and by which related growing research topics attract increased academic attention. We constructed networks of author citation and co-authorship from paper citation networks related to research topics in industry segments in the biopharmaceutical domain. Results obtained across all research topics we surveyed demonstrated that authors in the top 10% of degree centrality ranking in both networks are far more likely to be startup participants than other authors. Our computational approach might provide convenient, dynamic, global, and real-time understanding of the "startup readiness" of researchers working with research topics for which academic attention is emerging in actively financed biopharmaceutical fields.

Keywords: Academic entrepreneurship; Biopharmaceuticals; Biotechnology; Business; Co-authorship networks; Computer science; Paper citation networks; Pharmaceutical science; Research-based startups; Startup finances; Startup readiness; Technological innovation; User-inspired fundamental research; Venture capital.