AVEVA, a global industrial software company, in partnership with IMD Business School, has launched its inaugural Industrial Intelligence Report focusing on digital ecosystems and the future of connected industries.
AVEVA
The report was unveiled during AVEVA World 2026 held in Milan, Italy.
According to the organisations, the report reflects insights from more than 275 senior executives across 12 industry sectors worldwide.
The findings highlighted how organisations are increasingly building digital ecosystems to address business challenges such as innovation, supply chain volatility and decarbonisation of global operations.
However, the report identified a significant gap between ambition and execution.
It revealed that while 74 per cent of business leaders consider digital ecosystems a top strategic priority, only 27 per cent said they substantially or extensively share data with ecosystem partners.
The study attributed the gap to factors including integration complexity, legacy systems and weak governance structures.
The report defines industrial intelligence as the integration of operational technology, information technology and artificial intelligence to support connected and data-driven decision-making across industrial ecosystems.
Speaking during a fireside discussion at the event, Chief Executive Officer of AVEVA, Caspar Herzberg, said the collaboration with IMD was aimed at helping organisations move beyond operational silos.
“Our ambition is not merely to understand the motivations behind the move to digital ecosystems, but to define the frameworks, competencies and leadership practices that will enable companies to build more adaptive ecosystem-driven operating models,” Herzberg said.
Also speaking, Director of IMD Global Center for Digital and AI Transformation, Michael Wade, said governance, integration and organisational learning currently matter more than algorithms in the evolution of digital ecosystems.
“Ecosystems are already delivering operational value.
“The next phase is about converting that foundation into strategic advantage through better data sharing, coordination, clearer roles and more deliberate leadership,” Wade said.
The report also featured case studies from organisations including the Port of Rotterdam and Kwinana in Australia, examining how companies are using industrial intelligence to improve operational efficiency and collaboration.
AVEVA said the report aims to provide practical insights into how businesses can harness digital ecosystems to drive resilience, sustainability and long-term competitiveness in an increasingly connected industrial environment.
