Don't get me started on that. Academics snub their noses at 'businesses', that's for slimy 'business people', academics don't stoop to that level. Maybe if it's called a 'spin off', and if they're guaranteed to receive a salary for a part time position for at least a few years. At the same time of course, that grant money needs to keep coming in! Those cheap alumni should donate more, with their fat paychecks, and of course the government should spend more on research! Just tax companies more, they don't do anything useful anyway!
(Yes I'm bitter, sometimes. And yes I know that there are exceptions. And things are changing - even if very slowly.)
Yeah well I don't have any specific grief with academics, but it does strike me as ironic that those who are supposed to be the beacons also often seem to be the most risk averse.
I can of course only speak for Denmark and a little for the US (having worked there), but there doesn't seem to be any correlation (nor causation) between high academic merits and entrepreneurship.
Which I guess once you think hard about what entrepreneurship really is makes some sense.
(Yes I'm bitter, sometimes. And yes I know that there are exceptions. And things are changing - even if very slowly.)