Knowledge Exchange and Entrepreneurial Value in University–SME Collaboration

Abstract

University–SME collaboration is widely promoted as a pathway to entrepreneurial renewal, yet the mechanisms through which collaboration generates entrepreneurial value—and the frictions that undermine it—remain unevenly specified in practice-oriented research. Building on a Triple Helix context where universities are expected to contribute to innovation and growth beyond teaching and research, this study asks: 1) Through what mechanisms and process stages does university–SME collaboration create entrepreneurial value? and 2) Which frictions weaken value creation, and what governance mechanisms (e.g., trust, contracts, roles, intermediaries) help overcome them? The theoretical framing is two-fold. First, Relational View of Interorganizational Value Creation conceptualizes entrepreneurial value as “relational rents” generated through cross-boundary knowledge-sharing routines, complementary capabilities, and governance arrangements—offering a mechanism to trace how value emerges in the relationship rather than within either party alone.  Second, Knowledge Exchange in Open Innovation frames collaboration as a purposeful mechanism for combining and utilizing external knowledge, and how intermediaries, clarified roles, and appropriate formalization can enable continued exchange under constraints. Empirically, the study draws on qualitative material collected in the NOKKA project, designed to empower SMEs to utilize academic research in their innovation processes. This study utilizes a shared semi‑structured interview protocol, documented in multiple interview summaries.  The interviews emphasize SMEs’ articulated needs for external expertise, capability development, and low‑barrier collaboration formats such as student-based contributions and applied, interactive support, while also highlighting constraints related to limited resources and the difficulty of navigating collaboration structures. The paper offers actionable guidance for designing low‑barrier university–SME collaboration that clarifies roles and value propositions early, to produce tangible outputs that SMEs can utilize in entrepreneurial development and commercialization pathways.