Knowledge and Entrepreneurial Skills in the Startup Ecosystem — The Case of Georgia

Georgia, despite the country’s specific and complex geostrategic position, continually tense political environment, diverse views on economic development among its society and many other issues, nevertheless resolutely strives towards an overarching national idea: liberation from Russian occupation, unification of the country, formation of a knowledge economy and European integration. Crucial for this idea is economic development, which in turn hinges in part on innovation. The pace and scale of innovation are shaped primarily by scientific research and entrepreneurial achievements. Robust economic development therefore requires universities to increase entrepreneurship and initiate change in the areas of science, technology development, and new technology startup support in economic and social terms. In this article, we examine the strong relationship between the development of an appropriate ecosystem for start-ups and support for the process of new business formation in Georgia. Academic centers form one of the essential components of the ecosystem for start-ups in Georgia; their development guarantees access to knowledge and the ability to manage entrepreneurship, and the development of new companies, including innovative ones.