As the mentioned concepts made clear, there is a distinctive need for innovation controlling in practice today, especially in the strategic context of internal and external innovation.

On the other hand, too much discipline could counteract creativity which is the breeding ground for new ideas and innovations. However, innovation controlling can accomplish an important contribution to this probably most promising task of a company. The challenge is that controlling has to support innovation management and future orientation and that controllers have to act as reliable innovators and pilots for the future of an organization by giving orientation instead of building hurdles, and by providing relevant information in order to make good decision-making possible because:

“Innovation Controlling is more than competitive advantage – it’s survival!” (Enkel/Perez-Freije 2007)