Innovative startups play a central role in the technological advancement and international competitiveness of a country. For marketing, one of the most important factors for the success of young companies, there is a particular need for methods that address their specific characteristics. Carolin Wufka examines the suitability of marketing controlling for tackling this challenge. Building on a comprehensive analysis of the state of research, she derives hypotheses for the appropriate design of marketing controlling and tests them through case studies in internet companies. The specific bottom-up approach to customer acquisition in young companies and the high degree of innovation mean that learning from acquired customers is essential for successful marketing. Furthermore, marketing controlling serves additional purposes.