Pathways to academic entrepreneurship: the determinants of female scholars' entrepreneurial intentions

Female entrepreneurship is somewhat rare in the academic sphere, and female scientists tend to set up spin-off companies less frequently than their male colleagues. Despite the relevance of the entrepreneurial role of universities for economic and social development and the particular attention of female entrepreneurs to these aspects, studies on the topic are still sparse and fragmented. This study aims to investigate female academic entrepreneurship, by verifying whether and under what conditions the antecedents of entrepreneurial intentions can explain it in depth. For this aim, the study offers an integrated view of the literature on entrepreneurial intentions and academic entrepreneurship, through a gender perspective. Fifty-two academic researchers, affiliated to 13 different university departments, are involved in the study. The fsQCA is used to analyze the data collected and the complexity of the entrepreneurial journey. The results obtained highlight different scenarios and implications related to female academic entrepreneurship.