While this definition incorporates the essential attributes of a technical entrepreneur, there are other features that are sometimes associated with this kind of business. For example, technical entrepreneurs typically make extensive use of networks comprising contact with universities, large companies and research institutes, as a source of both knowledge inputs and market opportunities. The mechanisms that help to maintain these contacts van take a variety of different forms. Autio (1995) notes that strategic alliances and R&D partnerships are often uses as well as other forms of collaborative agreement. Devices such as these help to provide an interface that can be used to convey information and knowledge through the network. Similarly , the knowledge, particularly the technical knowledge, that plays such an important part in these businesses tends to be tacit rather than explicit. It is very often knowledge associated with skills and capabilities which resides in individuals. One of the great strengths of technical entrepreneurs is that they are very effective both in accessing this kind of knowledge and in applying it to practical problem-solving situations where it can contribute to the development of new products, processes and services.