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The UK government’s emphasis upon knowledge as a key competitive differentiator has led to the establishment of incubators within universities to support the commercialization of ideas; however understanding of the process by which research ideas are commercialized is limited. The findings in this paper, based on a case study of the high-tech incubator at the University of Southampton, suggest that some of the salient factors that strengthen the incubation process include; a steady flow of new ideas, an empathy with founders, the creation and maintenance of internal and external networks and appropriate exit strategies for firms leaving the incubator. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]