Factors Influencing the Commercialization of Academic Products among Students in Higher Learning Institution

Abstract

The commercialization of university-generated products has become an important strategy for promoting innovation, entrepreneurship, and economic development in Malaysia. Despite various government initiatives and university support programs, the commercialization rate among university students remains relatively low. Understanding the factors that influence students' commercialization activities is therefore essential for enhancing the effectiveness of entrepreneurship and innovation initiatives within higher education institutions. This study aims to examine the relationship between financial support, industry collaboration, social network, and innovator's characteristics on the commercialization of university products among Malaysian university students. Grounded in the Entrepreneurial Ecosystem Theory, this research focuses on final-year students from Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM). A total of 104 responses were collected through an online questionnaire, and the data were analyzed using multiple regression analysis. The findings demonstrate that industry collaboration and social network are significantly and positively associated with commercialization. Conversely, financial support and innovator's characteristics were not found to have significant effects. These results highlight the importance of collaborative partnerships and networking opportunities in shaping students' commercialization activities. The findings contribute to the growing body of knowledge on university commercialization by extending the application of Entrepreneurial Ecosystem Theory to the context of Malaysian university students. The study also provides practical implications for universities and policymakers in strengthening industry engagement and networking initiatives to enhance students' commercialization outcomes. Finally, the study discusses its limitations and offers recommendations for future research.