​Biotechnology is considered as a key technology of the 21st century with the potential to offer technological solutions for global health and resource-based problems. Oliver Uecke analyses how early stages of the innovation process in biotechnology can be effectively managed, with the aim to transfer an innovation from academia to industry. A mixed method approach is applied with a multiple case study approach to identify characteristics for effective management and with the method of discrete choice experiments/best-worst scaling to estimate the importance of these characteristics. This study adds to existing research by identifying a group of five important characteristics that should be considered in the early stages of the innovation process, compared to a group of four characteristics that are less important. The results have implications for policy, directors and the management of research institutes and universities, entrepreneurs, TTO manager and other stakeholders involved intechnology transfer.