Alignment between innovation systems and entrepreneurial ecosystems in translating academic knowledge into entrepreneurial activity: Governing the knowledge filter

Europe excels in scientific output but struggles to translate public research into entrepreneurial ventures. Building on the Knowledge Spillover Theory of Entrepreneurship (KSTE), this paper interprets this gap as a systemic knowledge filter problem arising from misalignment between Innovation Systems (IS) and Entrepreneurial Ecosystems (EE). We develop a conceptual framework defining IS–EE alignment as a multi-dimensional governance condition across structural, functional, and resource domains, arguing that its configuration determines knowledge filter permeability. Using the Triple Helix Twin model, we position regional public actors as orchestrations of this alignment. Empirically, we investigate academic spin-offs through a case study conducted across seven European regions. Analysis identifies recurrent systemic tensions and governance archetypes, showing that limited knowledge commercialization stems less from structural constraints or resource scarcity, and more from functional misalignments. Our findings extend KSTE by reframing the knowledge filter as an emergent property of ecosystem governance rather than a fixed barrier. For policymakers, the study highlights that improving commercialization outcomes requires more than expanding support instruments. It depends on improving the functional integration of governance structures and resource systems to better connect actors, align instruments, and sustain commercialization pathways across ecosystem levels.