Cutting-edge technologies are increasingly becoming the strategic focus of competition among countries, and China’s economic development is entering a critical period of accelerating the transformation and upgrading of old and new driving forces. In this context, it is of great significance to enhance the economic innovation capability and entrepreneurial vitality by stimulating the enthusiasm of technical personnel for innovation and entrepreneurship, so as to advance the national strategy of self-reliance and self-improvement in science and technology.

Using data from the 13th national sampling survey of private enterprises released by the Central United Front Work Department of CPC Central Committee and other departments, this paper constructs the framework of “willingness-demand-capability” and examines the impact of entrepreneurs’ technical work experiences on enterprises’ cutting-edge technology development activities. The study finds that entrepreneurs’ technical work experiences have a significant promoting effect on the level of cutting-edge technology development. Influence mechanism testing finds that entrepreneurs’ technical work experiences can enhance the level of cutting-edge technology development through strengthening the independent innovation path (willingness), establishing a rigorous development mode (demand), and promoting technical human capital construction (capability). Contextual factor analysis finds that in regions with higher entrepreneurial social capital, higher institutional development levels, and higher entrepreneurial activities, the role of entrepreneurs’ technical work experiences in promoting cutting-edge technology development activities is more prominent.

This paper has the following contributions: First, from the perspective of entrepreneurial human capital characteristics, it reveals the micro foundation and conditions for promoting self-reliance and self-improvement in science and technology. Second, it explores how technical personnel entrepreneurship affects the formation and selection process of their entrepreneurial strategies, enriching the research content on the relationship between entrepreneurs’ personal traits and enterprise innovation risk-taking. Third, it explores the important proposition of enterprise innovation in the entrepreneurial context, enriching the research content in the field of entrepreneurship under the new development pattern.