Are Non-Economic Goals and Financial Performance Friends or Foes in Hybrid Ventures? (Minola et al., 2025)

Welcome to "Revise and Resubmit", the podcast that brings you the most fascinating stories from the world’s top academic research journals. Today, we’re diving into a paper that bridges the worlds of academia and entrepreneurship: "Are Non-Economic Goals and Financial Performance Friends or Foes in Hybrid Ventures? A Duality Perspective on Academic Spin-Offs" by Tommaso Minola, Davide Hahn, Giuseppe Criaco, Daniel Pittino, and Francesca Visintin. This study, published in the prestigious Strategic Entrepreneurship Journal, an FT50 journal, unpacks the delicate balancing act between academic ambitions and financial success in academic spin-offs. Imagine this: You’re a professor turned entrepreneur. Your startup is built on your groundbreaking research, but now you’re torn. Should you focus on financial growth or stay true to the academic values that inspired your venture? This study challenges the conventional belief that these goals are always at odds. Instead, it reveals a nuanced relationship where success depends on the level of academic ownership. Sometimes, the right mix of academic focus can be a financial boon. At other times, it’s a hindrance. Using a sample of 179 Italian academic spin-offs, the authors uncover how goal alignment and ownership structures impact performance, offering a fresh perspective on how to thrive as a hybrid venture. A big thank you to Tommaso Minola, Davide Hahn, Giuseppe Criaco, Daniel Pittino, Francesca Visintin, and John Wiley & Sons Ltd, along with the Strategic Management Society, for bringing this important work to light. Don’t forget to subscribe to "Revise and Resubmit" on Spotify, and check out our YouTube channel, "Weekend Researcher". You can also find us on Amazon Prime and Apple Podcasts. So here’s a thought to leave you with: Can hybrid ventures, like academic spin-offs, truly have the best of both worlds—or is there always a trade-off between purpose and profit? Reference Tommaso Minola, Hahn, D., Criaco, G., Pittino, D., & Visintin, F. (2025). Are non‐economic goals and financial performance friends or foes in hybrid ventures? A duality perspective on academic spin‐offs. Strategic Entrepreneurship Journal. https://doi.org/10.1002/sej.1529 Youtube Channel ⁠https://www.youtube.com/@weekendresearcher⁠ Support us on Patreon https://patreon.com/weekendresearcher