Engineers, entrepreneurs and the commercialization of technology

Summary form only given. Engineering and entrepreneurial skills are essential ingredients in the commercialization of technology. This paper compares and contrasts the two skill sets. It examines the experience, training, inclination, and arena for each. Engineering favors conservative, proactive, risk averse, individuals committed to variance reduction, incremental advances and technological feasibility. Entrepreneurship demands visionary, optimistic, risk seeking, individuals who are good communicators seeking economic rewards. It becomes apparent why these skill sets rarely reside in a single individual and why, in the development process, a certain tension is both inevitable and sometimes beneficial