Monitoring bioeconomy transitions and their effects can be considered a Herculean task, as they cannot be easily captured using current economic statistics. Distinctions are rarely made between bio-based and non-bio-based products when official data is collected. However, production along bioeconomy supply chains and its implications for sustainability require measurement and assessment to enable considered policymaking. We propose a starting point for monitoring bioeconomy transitions by suggesting an adapted framework, relevant sectors, and indicators that can be observed with existing information and data from many alternative sources, assuming that official data collection methods will not be modified soon. Economic–environmental indicators and innovation indicators are derived for the German surfactant industry based on the premise that combined economic–environmental indicators can show actual developments and trade-offs, while innovation indicators can reveal whether a bioeconomy transition is likely in a sector. Methodological challenges are discussed and low-cost; high-benefit options for further data collection are recommended.

Industrial Biotechnology (IB) is considered as a key technology with a strong potential to generate new growth, spur innovation, increase productivity, and tackle environmental and climate challenges. Industrial Biotechnology is applied in many segments of the bioeconomy ranging from chemicals, biofuels, bioenergy, bio-based plastics, and other biomaterials. However, the segments differ profoundly regarding volume, price, type, and amount of needed feedstock, market condition, societal contributions as well as maturity, etc. This article aims to analyse a set of five different value chains in the technological innovation system (TIS) framework in order to derive adequate policy conclusions. Hereby, we focus on quite distinctive value chains to take into account the high heterogeneity of biotechnological applications. The analysis points out that policy maker have to take into account the fundamental differences in the innovation systems and to implement differentiated innovation policy to address system weaknesses. In particular, market formation is often the key bottleneck innovation systems, but different policy instruments for various application segments needed.

Zusammenfassung Im vorliegenden Beitrag wird untersucht, welche Rolle die Innovations- und Technologiepolitik im Rahmen einer modernen Industriepolitik spielen kann und welche Erkenntnisse über eine erfolgreiche Integration vorliegen. Die systemische Innovationspolitik ist wesentlicher Bestandteil einer modernen Industriepolitik. Dies zeigt sich durch eine Modifizierung der Rolle der Politik, der Aufstellung zentraler Designprinzipien bei der Ausgestaltung von Programmen und einer Vergrößerung der Instrumenten-Toolbox. Historische Beispiele für die Biotechnologie in den USA und der Software-Industrie in Israel verdeutlichen, dass die Kombination von innovations- und industriepolitischen Maßnahmen zu einer erfolgreichen Entwicklung des Innovationssystems beigetragen hat. In den hier gewählten Beispielen aus der europäischen Förderpolitik finden sich eine Verknüpfung von Industrie- und Innovationspolitik mit Wettbewerbs- und Bildungspolitik sowie der Einsatz von nachfrageorientierten Maßnahmen. Deren Verstä...