1 Academic entrepreneurship in developing countries: the case of an Entrepreneurial Department Ariel I. La Paz lapaz@fen.uchile.cl Universidad de Chile Mario A. Morales mamorale@fen.uchile.cl Universidad de Chile Natalia C. Alonso naalonso@fen.uchile.cl Universidad de Chile ABSTRACT The evolution of national innovation models expands the roles of the actors of innovation. In particular the triple helix model defines entrepreneurial universities as institutions that not only transfer knowledge in classrooms and scientific publications, but ones that engage in economic development through intertwined relationships with governments and industries. The typical cases describe the transformation of traditional universities into entrepreneurial universities following a top-down strategy with a strong leadership spreading such vision; however, many other cases of academic entrepreneurship follow a bottom-up approach. This article presents a case study of an academic department of a public university in a developing country describing one style of entrepreneurship from the bottom up. The importance of describing bottom-up approaches relies on the heterogeneity of the cases found in the literature, which in most cases are the way in which academic entrepreneurship is established in developing countries where the effects of innovation are necessary to increase their socio-economic growth. Subtheme: Triple Helix practice and experiences Keywords: Entrepreneurial University, Entrepreneurial Department, Triple Helix, University Transformation, National Innovation Models. _____________________ Copyright of the paper resides with the author(s). Submission of a paper grants permission to the 8th Triple Helix International Scientific and Organizing Committees to include it in the conference material and to place it on relevant websites. The Scientific Committee may invite papers accepted for the conference to be considered for publication in Special Issues of selected journals.