Entrepreneurship in the Humanities: Insights from a University Spin-off Experience

This paper examines the growing role of academic entrepreneurship in the humanities, highlighting both the opportunities and challenges involved in developing university spin-offs. Although often overlooked within innovation ecosystems, the humanities contribute distinctive value through interpretive expertise, ethical analysis, and human-centered approaches. Emerging support structures – such as incubator programs, networking initiatives, and university partnerships – are expanding the potential for humanities-driven innovation; nevertheless, constraints in funding and gaps in entrepreneurial skills continue to pose significant barriers. To illustrate these dynamics, we present Dahlia s.r.l., a humanities-based spin-off and innovative start-up that shows how linguistic expertise and AI technologies can be transformed into impactful solutions.