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16:30 | Applied Micro Research Seminar
Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Barcelona, Spain
Authors: Michael Ewens and Christian Fons-Rosen
Abstract: This paper studies if and how individual-level patenting activity changes as an employee transitions to entrepreneurial firm founder. Using a large database of employment and innovative histories of over 1110 spinoff firm founders, the empirical strategy tracks both founders and her co-inventors who remain at her previous employer. There are significant changes in patenting focus and quality. Founders are relatively more likely to focus on fewer industry patent classes as the lead patent author, while citing their previous work less. Their patent quality increases after spinoff firm founding in several ways. Non-self citations received increase and the types of patent applications point to a move towards longer-term projects. Finally, a higher probability of producing a patent in the extremes of the quality distribution and a move to citations of younger patents suggests that spinoff founders switch to pursuing riskier projects after firm founding.
Full Text: “The Consequences of Entrepreneurial Firm Founding on Innovation”
