Bridging ties and the role of research and start-up experience on the early growth of Dutch academic spin-offs

•We discuss the role of experience and bridging ties on academic spin-off growth.•We examine interaction effects of experience and bridging ties on early growth.•More research experience increases growth when bridging networks.•More start-up experience increases growth when bridging networks.•Spin-off growth in bridging networks varies with level of prior experience.

Bridging ties are important for obtaining new information. However, when entrepreneurs try to bridge between two networks, they may face problems due to the variety of knowledge among individuals in both networks. In this paper, we argue that specific human capital is essential for interpreting new information and coordinating action when bridging between networks. In a sample of 70 Dutch academic spin-offs, our findings show that specific human capital increases the relative impact of bridging ties on early spin-off growth. This paper sheds light on the value of bridging ties for entrepreneurs and provides implications for practitioners.