NUS Entrepreneurship Centre
Towards an Entrepreneurial University Model:
The Approach of National University of
Singapore
Poh-Kam Wong
Assoc. Prof., Business School &
Director, Entrepreneurship Centre
National University of Singapore
NUS Entrepreneurship Centre
The Context: Singapore’s Transition
towards a Knowledge Economy
Between 1960 and 2000, Singapore achieved GDP growth rate of 8%
p.a., driven by the manufacturing sector and sustained by
development as major regional business and transportation hub
Distinctly new phase of development emerging in the new millenium:
Shift towards Knowledge Based Economy incorporating:
High tech manufacturing
Knowledge intensive business services
Creative content production and distribution
Mirrored by a shift in the primary focus of the national innovation
system:
Creation and commercialization of knowledge protected by IP
Development of entrepreneurial mindsets and capabilities
NUS Entrepreneurship Centre
Stylized Stages of Singapore’s Economic Development
and National Innovation System Changes
1960s-1970s
Economic
Beginning of DFIDevelopment Driven, Export led
Industrialization
1970s-1980s
Transition to NIE
1980s-late1990s
Transition from
NIE to Developed
Economy
From Late-1990s
Transition to
Knowledge-based
Economy
National
Innovation
System
Primary focus on developing Adaptive
Capability to support
Process Technological
Deepening
Primary focus on
developing Innovative Capability
to support applied
R&D
Primary focus on
developing
Intellectual Capital
Creation and
Commercialization/
Entrepreneurial
Capability to
support Knowledgebased economic
growth
Primary focus on
developing Operative Capability to
man Production
NUS Entrepreneurship Centre
R&D Indicators, Singapore vs Selected Economies
Grouping
OECD
G-5
Industrialized
Small
Countries
Asian NIEs
Country
OECD Ave rage
Japan
Germany
U.S.A
U.K
Franc e
Finland
Switzerland
Sweden
Israel
Ireland
Netherlands
Denmark
Norway
Australia
New Zealand
Korea
Taiwan
Hong Kong
China
India
Singapore
Singapore
Singapore
Year
2003
2003
2003
2003
2003
2003
2003
2001
2004
2004
2004
2004
2004
2003
2002
2003
2004
2004
2002
2004
2001
1990
2000
2004
R&D/GDP
(%)
2.24
3.2
2.5
2.6
1.9
2.2
3.5
2.6
3.7
4.5
1.2
1.8
2.6
1.8
1.7
1.2
2.6
2.5
0.6
1.4
0.8
0.8
1.9
2.3
Researchers
per 10,000
Labour Force
79
101
68
91
a
55
71
159
63
106
Na
57
45
90
88
74
76
66
67
na
12
b
4
28
66
c
87
Target for R&D/GDP (% )
Year
Target
2010
3%
2015
2010
2010
2010
2010
2.5%
3%
3%
3%
3%
2010
2010
2010
2010
3%
3%
3%
3%
2007
2008
5%
3%
2020
2.5%
2010
3%
a 2001 figure b figure for 1998 c RSEs per 10,000 labour force
Source : OECD Science, Technology and Industry Scoreboard, OECD Main Science & Technology Indicators 2006
NUS Entrepreneurship Centre
International Comparisons of Patenting Output
Benchmark Countries
All Patents
Utility Patents
1985
1995
2000
2004
1985
1995
2000
2004
10
61
242
485
9
53
218
449
Large OECD
USA
43394
64510
97011
94129
39556
55739
85070
84271
France
Germany
2516
6906
3010
6874
4173
10824
3686
11367
2400
6718
2821
6600
3819
10234
3380
10779
United Kingdom
Japan
2620
13351
2685
22871
4092
32922
3905
37034
2494
12746
2478
21764
3667
31296
3450
35350
East Asian NIEs
South Korea
50
1240
3472
4671
41
1161
3314
4428
Taiwan
199
2087
5806
7207
174
1620
4667
5938
Hong Kong
66
248
548
641
25
86
179
311
Small European Economies
Ireland
31
55
137
197
30
50
123
186
Israel
Finland
185
223
432
387
836
649
1092
954
179
200
384
358
783
618
1028
918
Netherlands
Sweden
834
954
894
914
1410
1738
1537
1388
766
857
799
806
1241
1577
1273
1290
Switzerland
ASEAN NIEs
1274
1187
1458
1405
1233
1056
1322
1277
Malaysia
3
8
47
93
3
7
42
80
Thailand
1
10
30
28
1
8
15
18
1
11
63
38
163
131
597
376
1
10
62
37
119
131
404
363
Singapore
Emerging Economies
China
India
Source: Wong & Ho (2006), computed from Database of USPTO (various years) and NUS database of US Patents
Nationality of patent defined by residency of first inventor
NUS Entrepreneurship Centre
Benchmarking Patenting Intensity per 10,000 Population
Benchmark Countries
All Patents per 10,000 Population
Utility Patents per 10,000 Population
1985
1995
2000
2004
1985
1995
2000
2004
0.036
0.172
0.599
1.114
0.033
0.150
0.540
1.031
USA
France
1.820
0.456
2.420
0.518
3.436
0.703
3.183
0.610
1.659
0.435
2.091
0.485
3.013
0.643
2.850
0.559
Germany
Japan
0.889
1.106
0.842
1.825
1.317
2.598
1.379
2.908
0.865
1.056
0.808
1.736
1.245
2.470
1.308
2.776
United Kingdom
0.463
0.460
0.687
0.646
0.440
0.424
0.616
0.571
East Asian NIEs
South Korea
0.012
0.274
0.735
0.960
0.010
0.257
0.701
0.910
Taiwan
Hong Kong
0.103
0.121
0.981
0.397
2.621
0.823
3.148
0.935
0.090
0.046
0.761
0.138
2.107
0.269
2.594
0.454
Ireland
Israel
0.088
0.454
0.152
0.814
0.361
1.431
0.496
1.762
0.085
0.439
0.138
0.724
0.324
1.340
0.469
1.658
Finland
Netherlands
0.455
0.576
0.758
0.578
1.256
0.887
1.830
0.942
0.408
0.529
0.701
0.517
1.196
0.781
1.760
0.780
Sweden
Switzerland
1.142
1.941
1.036
1.656
1.959
2.008
1.545
1.886
1.026
1.878
0.913
1.474
1.777
1.820
1.436
1.714
Malaysia
0.002
0.004
0.022
0.040
0.002
0.004
0.019
0.034
Thailand
Emerging Economies
0.000
0.002
0.005
0.004
0.000
0.001
0.002
0.003
China
9.5E-06
5.2E-04
1.3E-03
4.6E-03
9.5E-06
5.1E-04
9.4E-04
3.1E-03
India
1.4E-04
4.1E-04
1.3E-03
3.5E-03
1.3E-04
4.0E-04
1.3E-03
3.4E-03
Singapore
Large OECD
Small European Economies
ASEAN NIEs
Source: Wong & Ho (2006), computed from Database of USPTO (various years) and NUS database of US Patents
Population figures from International Data Base (IDB) of US Census Bureau’s International Programs Center
Nationality of patent defined by residency of first inventor
NUS Entrepreneurship Centre
“Entrepreneurial University” Model in Transition
towards Knowledge Based Economy
Etzkowitz et al. (2002): World-wide Shift of University from traditional roles
of education provider and knowledge creators to incorporate additional role
of
Commercialization of knowledge
Contribution to development of private enterprises and regional economy
Greater Imperative to shift to entrepreneurial model in the context of Newly
Industrialized Economies NIEs from Asia?
Less autonomy from Government: Universities in NIEs are traditionally
public institutions, highly regulated by Ministry of Education, with muted
competition & market responsiveness, and less pressure to interact with
industry. However, public policy makers are increasingly expecting them
to contribute to economic development
Lack of readiness of Industry: Private enterprises have low demand and
ability to commercialize university knowledge
NUS Entrepreneurship Centre
Entrepreneurial University Model in the Context of
Singapore: New Roles of Universities
In the Singapore context, the local university system faces
greater urgency to take on other economic roles:
Contribute to the Creation of New Knowledge-based Industries
To support new indigenous industry development as a balance against high
dependencies on foreign global MNCs
Attraction of Foreign Talents
Small local population
Compete for global talents by attracting top students and faculty, as done
by top universities in USA
Fostering Entrepreneurial Mindset
In the past, high economic growth, good career prospects as salaried
employees, particularly in MNC subsidiaries and government
Higher-educated population have relatively low entrepreneurial
propensity
But in the knowledge economy, stable job opportunities not guaranteed
NUS Entrepreneurship Centre
Overview of National University of
Singapore (NUS)
Established 1905; Largest and oldest of 3 public
universities;
only “Comprehensive Research-Intensive University” in
Singapore
Basic Indicator for FY04-05
Tenurable and other teaching staff1
Research staff1
Undergraduate students enrolled2
Graduate students enrolled 3
Total research funding
of which % industrial sponsored research4
Total no. of research projects funded
Research publications 5
of which % articles in refereed journals
1,765
1,087
21,761
6,461
S$165.2 mil
12%
1,841
6,470
42%
NUS Entrepreneurship Centre
Role of NUS in Singapore’s
Knowledge Creation
Until 1991, public R&D concentrated in higher education sector
(particularly in NUS) and small number of government agencies
More recently, R&D funding in NUS has grown rapidly:
Doubled between 1997 and 2002
Accounted for over one third of R&D spending in higher education
sector
In 2003, NUS’ R&D budget accounted for 5% of R&D spending in
Singapore
NUS makes significant contribution to Singapore’s R&D manpower
NUS research staff accounted for over 25% of RSEs in higher
education sector, close to 6% of national RSE manpower
Including teaching faculty in Science, Engineering and Medicine, NUS
accounts for almost half of RSEs in higher education, over 10% of
national RSE manpower
NUS Entrepreneurship Centre
Recognition of Research Capabilities and
Educational Standards at NUS
Ranked 5th in Asiaweek’s list of Asia’s Best Universities 2000
Ranked 18th and 22nd in the 2004 & 2005 Times Higher Education
Supplement Ranking of top 2000 universities in the World
2004 ranking
2005 ranking
Overall
18
22
Biomedicine
25
15
Science
35
34
Engineering and IT
9
9
Social Sciences
10
13
Arts and Humanities
17
56
Source: Knowledge Enterprise Online, various issues, downloaded from http://newshub.nus.edu.sg/; The Times Higher Education
Supplement (various years)
NUS Entrepreneurship Centre
Shift Towards Entrepreneurial
University Model
Until the end of 1990s, NUS follows traditional British
university model of teaching as primary mission, research as
secondary function
Major impetus for change in late 1990s:
•Economic slowdowns precipitated by Asian Financial crisis
•Growing recognition by policy makers of the need to increase
entrepreneurial dynamism of economy
•Appointment of a new Vice Chancellor with new visions
Harvard trained, research leadership role at a leading US university
and corporate experience at a major US corporation
NUS Entrepreneurship Centre
Primary Roles of University in Singapore
“...the three primary roles which a world-class
university should play in a modern economy
and society:
i. delivering quality undergraduate education;
ii. developing graduate education and research;
and
iii. fostering entrepreneurship and industry
involvement.”
Dr Tony Tan Keng Yam, Deputy Prime Minister And Minister
For Defence, Official Opening Of NUS’ Prince George’s
Park Residences, 12 August 2002
NUS Entrepreneurship Centre
New Vision of NUS as a “Global
Knowledge Enterprise”
New Vice Chancellor adopted Towards a Global
Knowledge Enterprise as the new vision for NUS
• Aim to become a globally competitive education hub
through the pursuit of excellence in education,
research and services
• Adoption of globally competitive governance and
practices to stay competitive in global marketplace
for faculty, students and resources
NUS Entrepreneurship Centre
Towards an Entrepreneurial University
"NUS aspires to stand among the entrepreneurial
universities. This is in line with our vision to become
a global knowledge enterprise. We have taken steps
to inject an entrepreneurial dimension. We have
established NUS Enterprise: A FREE ENTERPRISE
ZONE, where innovation and entrepreneurship are
freed from traditional rules…"
-- Prof Shih Choon Fong,
State of University Address 2002, 13 August 2002
NUS Entrepreneurship Centre
Creation of a new Organizational Unit
-- NUS Enterprise
• Establishment of NUS Enterprise as a new Division in the
University that groups together existing units as well as
hosts the creation of new units relevant to the enterprise
mission
• Appointment as CEO an engineering school professor
who was among the first faculty to have founded a spinoff to commercialize his inventions
• Started with a broad mission to “inject more
entrepreneurial dimension to NUS education and
research”, later refined to embrace more specific missions
(“An agent of change, promoting the spirit of innovation
& enterprise within the NUS community, and generating
value from university resources”)
NUS Entrepreneurship Centre
NUS Organizational Chart
Enterprise
Cluster
Academic Cluster
Source: NUS staff intranet, http://my.intranet.nus.edu.sg/SAPPORTAL/
Corporate Cluster
NUS Entrepreneurship Centre
Challenges
Mindset Change
• Employee mentality of students
• Administration needs to be flexible
• Roadblocks need to be removed
Venture Support System
• Hardware and Software support
• Funding up to the receipt of significant external
funding
• Need to accept high proportion of failure
NUS Entrepreneurship Centre
NUS Enterprise’s Response: Key Initiatives
Reform university policies on technology commercialization and industry linkages
Reorganized the Industry and Technology Relations Office (INTRO) to make it
more “inventor friendly” and to emphasize “service to faculty” - more recently
renamed as Industry Liaison Office (ILO)
Expansion of Entrepreneurship Educational Program for all students in NUS
Creation of NUS Entrepreneurship Centre to initiate a new Technopreneurship
Minor Program for all NUS undergraduates, which increased the enrolment of
students in entrepreneurship courses from <300 before 2000 to >1400 in AY2005/06
Introduce the Overseas College Program (NOC) to offer an “immersion” approach
to international entrepreneurship education
Development of extensive entrepreneurship development program outside the
traditional classroom for the NUS and Singapore entrepreneurial community
Annual national and international business plan competition (StartUp@Singapore,
global StartUp@Singapore)
Networking links with the high tech venture community in Singapore
Establishment of Venture Support (NVS) Program to provide assistance for NUS
community to engage in new venture activities (incubator, spin-off seed funds)
Initiate Research on Entrepreneurship and Innovation
NUS Entrepreneurship Centre
Integrating Globalism & Entrepreneurship: The
NUS Overseas College initiative
Aim is to send up to 250 NUS undergraduate students per year
to five high tech entrepreneurial hubs in the world
“Learning by immersion” Model
Work as interns in high-tech start-ups for one year
Take entrepreneurship-related courses in partner universities
Return to NUS to complete their final semester/year
Infuse entrepreneurial, global mindset
Influence future career choices towards entrepreneurial and innovative settings
Establish social networks with overseas entrepreneurial communities
Serve as catalyst for mindset change among peers within campus
First NOC established in Silicon Valley in 2001, followed by
Philadelphia in 2002, Shanghai in 2004, Stockholm in 2005, and
Bangalore in 200
NUS Entrepreneurship Centre
Bridging the Start-Up Gap: The NUS Venture
Support (NVS) Program
Aim is to nurture spin-offs that seek to commercialize NUS
Intellectual Property as well as other start-up companies
involving NUS students, staff, alumni until they receive
significant external funding
Incubator – facilities on campus to incubate up to 80 companies
Seed Funding – NVS Seed Fund (S$5 million) and Student
Enterprise Seed Fund, with co-funding from Singapore
Government
Mentoring – Network of experienced entrepreneurs and venture
investors to provide mentoring to NUS spin-offs
NUS Entrepreneurship Centre
NUS Venture Support Fund
World’s first sub-100 micron
Integrated machining tool
Web content creation and
Management tools
Chiral Sciences & Technologies
Safer drugs
Complex constraint scheduling
Solutions – NASA Mars Mission
Mozat – Mobile solutions
Cadi Scientific – Remote biosensing
Next Generation Email
NUS Entrepreneurship Centre
Impact of Shift towards the
Entrepreneurial University Model
Shift still in early stage; assessment of impact is necessarily
preliminary in nature
Changes in NUS between the 1990s and the mid 2000s
Moderate expansion in traditional dimensions
Education and research output
Significant change in new dimensions
Foreign talent attraction (foreign students, researchers, faculty)
Technology Commercialisation (invention disclosures, patents,
licenses)
Entrepreneurship promotion (spin-offs and start-ups)
Entrepreneurship Education (particularly of technical students)
NUS Entrepreneurship Centre
Summary Profile of Changes in NUS, Before and
After Shift to Entrepreneurial University Model
Indicator
Teaching staff
of which % foreign
Research staff
of which % foreign
Undergraduate students enrolled
Graduate students enrolled
Graduate students as % of total student enrolment
Percentage of foreign students studying at NUS
Total research funding 2
of which % industrial sponsored research 3
Total no. of research projects funded 2
Research publications
of which % articles in refereed journals
Patents filed
Patents granted
Cumulative patents granted by USPTO and IPOS
AY1996/7
1414
39.0%
843
70.1%
17,960
4,478
20.0%
13% 1
na
na
1,751 2
4,949 4
34.7%
13
4
30 6
FY 2004/5
1,765
51.9%
1,087
78.6%
21,761
6,461
22.9%
27.6%
S$165.2 mil
12%
1,841
6,470 5
42%
124
51
311 7
1 Percentage of total student intake for 1997/8
2 Figure for FY2003/4
3Includes foundations and individuals
4 CY1997
5 CY20026 CY1990-1997
7 CY1990-2004
Source: NUS Annual Research Report (various years), National University of Singapore; NUS Annual Report; Database of the USPTO; IPOS
NUS Entrepreneurship Centre
Number of invention disclosures, patents filed by and
granted to NUS, FY 1997-2004
(a) No. of
invention
disclosures
(b) Patent
Applications
(c) Patents
Granted
1997
NA
52
9
1998
76
75
18
1999
65
103
12
2000
68
130
21
2001
83
83
17
2002
59
91
34
2003
78
119
28
2004
123
124
51
Financial
Year
Source: NUS Research Report 2003-2004; NUS Annual
Report 2005
Note: Figures include patents filed in multiple countries
NUS Entrepreneurship Centre
Top 10 Organizations in Singapore with US Patents
invented in Singapore, 1976-20041
No. of
patents
1976-1995
No. of
patents
1976-2004
Rank
19761995
Rank
19762004
Chartered Semiconductor Manufacturing
14
678
6
1
Hewlett-Packard Company
24
178
2
2
National University of Singapore
13
162
7
3
-
155
-
4
Motorola Inc
26
93
3
5
Texas Instruments
20
92
4
6
Institute of Microelectronics
-
78
-
7
Micron Technology Inc
-
65
-
8
ST Assembly Test Services
-
60
-
9
Tri-tech Microelectronics **
-
56
Company
Seagate Technology
1Patents
10
where at least one inventor is a Singaporean. Includes patents which are jointly assigned.
** A company called Tri-tech Microelectronics was granted a total of 56 patents before filing for bankruptcy and entering liquidation in 1999.
Source: Database of the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) (various years)
NUS Entrepreneurship Centre
NUS Licensing Agreements, 1987-2004
Year of license
1987-1990
1991-94
1995-1999
2000
2001
2002
1
2003
1
2004
Total
No.
8
9
28
25
10
17
18
20
135
%
5.9
6.7
20.7
18.5
7.4
12.6
13.3
14.8
100.0
Note: Excludes 10 licenses for which data on year of signing is missing
1 Data is for financial year
NUS Entrepreneurship Centre
Number of NUS Spin-offs and Start-ups, 1980-2004
1980 - 1996
1997
1998
1999
2000
2001
2002
2003
2004
Total
Spin-offs
6
4
0
4
5
4
6
7
7
40
Start-ups
7
1
1
4
2
3
5
13
6
42
TOTAL
13
5
1
8
7
7
11
20
13
82
Note: spin-offs refer to new companies formed by NUS faculty members/researchers to commercialize
NUS intellectual property, while start-ups refer to companies formed by NUS faculty/researchers that do
not involve IP owned by NUS
Source: NUS INTRO and NUS Venture Support
NUS Entrepreneurship Centre
Comparisons of NUS vs leading universities, 2003
Spin-offs
Invention
disclosures
Licences
R&D Expenditures
(US$)
% industry
sponsored
Patents
University of California
22
1027
323
208
2,623,300,000
4.7
MIT
15
452
152
114
994,354,000
16.7
University of Illinois
6
229
39
86
785,088,000
2.5
Stanford University
12
362
117
128
639,895,454
5.1
1,767
University of
Pennsylvania
12
321
50
83
549,700,000
4.8
4,238
Oxford University
3
131
34
31
434,702,200
8.4
3,463 (FTE)
Cambridge University
3
127
41
40
427,732,400
8.6
3,620 (FTE)
University of South
California
6
131
34
77
414,100,000
6
3,100 (FTE)
Georgia Tech
12
226
41
30
386,379,550
9.1
365,095,500
13.4
2,982 (FTE)
94,813,454
12
3,232
Name of Institution
Imperial College
NUS
7
78
28
21
For Cambridge University: Figures are for FY 2004, Academic Staff figures from FY 2001
For Oxford University: Figures are for FY 2003, except for Academic Staff figures from 2001
For Imperial College: Figures are for FY 2001
Sources: AUTM Survey, NSF Science and Engineering Indicators 2006, NUS Research Report 2003, University websites
Academic Staff
1,620
NUS Entrepreneurship Centre
Factors for Success in Implementing an
Entrepreneurial University Model based on
the Experience of NUS
• Leadership from the Top
• Organizational Innovation & Long-Term Resource
Commitment
• Recruit the Right Champions to Lead the Change
• Benchmark and Adopt Global & Industrially
Relevant Best Practices
• Demonstrate Results in Focused Areas to Get Wider
Buy-in from the Larger University Community
• Constantly Evolve to Respond to Changing
Environments (especially Corporatization of NUS)
NUS Entrepreneurship Centre
Adoption of Global & Industry Best Practice:
Some Examples
• Significant and active involvement of industry practitioners as
adjunct professors in the entrepreneurship educational
program and as mentors for NUS spin-offs
• Involvement of a leading venture capitalist in Silicon Valley to
advise NUS spin-offs on how to enter US market and attract
VC funding
• Recruitment of a venture capitalist in Singapore with global
investment experience to take over as CEO of NUS Enterprise
to guide its next stage of growth
• Benchmarking NUS IP management and licensing practice to
those of leading North American universities
NUS Entrepreneurship Centre
New Mission of NUS Enterprise
“An agent of change, promoting the spirit of
innovation & enterprise within the NUS
community, and generating value from
university resources.”
Through:
• Experiential Education
• Industry Development
• Venture Creation
NUS Entrepreneurship Centre
New NUS Enterprise Goals
1. University of choice for entrepreneuriallyminded students in Singapore & the
region
2. Enriching the pool of faculty with
innovative and entrepreneurial mindset
3. University of choice for industry-relevant
R&D collaboration in Asia by leading
global high-tech firms
4. Recognized leader in entrepreneurial
promotion in University education,
technology commercialization and venture
creation
NUS Entrepreneurship Centre
New ETP Organisation Chart
ETP CEO
Office
Strategy and Business
Development.
Corporate
Services
NUS
Overseas Colleges
NUS
Industry Liaison Office
NUS
Entrepreneurship
Centre
NUS Extension
Finance, HR,
Admin& IT, Legal,
Public Relations
NUS Silicon Valley
Life Sciences
Venture Support
Secretariat
NUS Bio Valley
Chemical; Energy;
Environment
Outreach Program
NUS Shanghai
Electronics; ICT;
Media
Entrepreneurship
Education*
NUS Stockholm
Precision Engineer;
Light Industry;
Others
Research
NUS Bangalore
Consultancy
Projects
- Holdings & Pte
NUS Press