The academic spin-off has an important role in regional, social, and economic development. Therefore, it is relevant that this process has its flow of activities delimited from its peculiarities. However, little has been documented on the support networks for innovation structured by universities, companies, and government (triple helix) when a spin-off effort runs on universities. This study aimed to draw an international panorama on the relationship between academic spin-offs and universities through a systematic literature review of existing scientific publications. In the study, the importance of the triple helix and support policies for partnerships for academic spin-offs was identified. Literature also points to a demand for a deep understanding of resource allocations' best time by business incubators and technology transfer offices. There is a research gap concerning the operational mechanisms that connect universities and spin-offs to potentialize their relations under a win-win perspective.