Introduction/objective:

Innovation and entrepreneurship are important factors for long-term economic growth. Universities provide basic research and knowledge that form the basis for future innovations. Previous studies have examined the university-industry alliance in terms of knowledge diffusion, entrepreneurial activities, as well as regional competitiveness. However, the role that universities specifically have in Ecuador in terms of university-industry collaborations has not been explored.

Methods:

The contribution of the University of Guayaquil (UG) to the business environment of its city has been used as a case study. A qualitative research method was chosen in order to provide details about the intellectual property records of each faculty and compare them with the current work areas of the different entrepreneurship centers in the city.

Results:

Based on intellectual property data, the emergence of innovations in the field of architecture, dentistry, computer systems, educational sciences and industrial engineering was identified. Thus, there is a need to strengthen the efforts of the INNOVUG business incubator in these fields of study.

Conclusions:

This research not only satisfies a gap in the research, but also becomes a direct input for decision-making within the UG and brings practical ramifications for companies, and those responsible for evaluating the impact of education. superior in collaboration between university and industry.