The necessity of proactive engagement in challenging economic conditions, leveraging external opportunities, and acting as a value-creating actor are among the factors that highlight the importance of university transformation and the realization of the entrepreneurial university. On the other hand, by closely examining the mission of intermediary institutions, it appears that these institutions play a significant role in the realization of third-generation universities. This issue is particularly important given that, over the past decade, there has been unprecedented growth and attention in our country to incubators, accelerators, and similar initiatives. Therefore, the aim of this study was to explore the role of intermediary institutions in transforming universities and realizing third-generation universities.This research was designed to explore novel opportunities and, accordingly, was conducted using a qualitative approach with a multiple-case study method. In interviews with officials and activists of intermediary institutions, the actions carried out by these institutions—whose direct or indirect outcomes contributed to the movement of universities toward entrepreneurship—were identified.Five core roles of intermediary institutions in university transformation and the realization of third-generation universities were identified: facilitative, motivational, promotional, theoretical, and symbolic roles. In this context, the concrete activities and specific actions of the intermediary institutions under study, in relation to these five roles, were carefully examined. These activities and actions included the implementation of a series of programs and initiatives such as “Pishgam,” “Ruyesh,” and “Halgheh-ye Rah-e Mohandesi,” as well as the establishment of smaller institutions such as “Karoojeh” and “Raidad.”