Analysing knowledge capture mechanisms: Methods and a stylised bioventure case

•We develop a methodology to link scientific and technological output.•We examine cognitive routes towards absorptive capacity.•Quantitative measure of adoption of academic research in industry.•Bridge scientists can aid effective knowledge transfer.•Novel use of NPLR to link datasets.

Knowledge transfer between science and technology has been studied at micro- and macro-levels of analysis. This has contributed to the understanding of the mechanisms and drivers, but actual transfer mechanism and process, be they through codified or tacit sources, have very rarely been mapped and measured to completeness and remain, to a large extent, a black box. We develop a novel method for mapping science–technology flows and introduce ‘concept clusters’ as an instrument to do so. Using patent and publication data, we quantitatively and visually demonstrate the flows of knowledge between academia and industry. We examine the roles of exogenous and endogenous knowledge sources, and of co-inventors and co-authors in the application of university-generated knowledge. When applied to a stylised case, we show that the method is able to trace the linkages between base knowledge and skill sets and their application to a technology, which in some instances span over twenty-five years.