Multilateral industrial software developer AVEVA and Swiss-based business school International Institute for Management Development (IMD) jointly launched the first Industrial Intelligence Report on Digital Ecosystems. The global study reveals a major contradiction among corporate leadership: while 74% of senior executives consider connected digital ecosystems a top strategic priority, only 27% actually share data extensively with their partners, noted a press release by AVEVA.
The report combines data metrics with insights from interviews with more than 275 industrial leaders across 12 global sectors. Case studies from major hubs, like the Port of Rotterdam and Australia’s Kwinana industrial area, show that the gap between ambition and reality is not caused by a lack of interest. Instead, companies are held back by old, fragmented software, complex integration challenges, and weak governance.
Despite these hurdles, businesses are increasingly trying to build digital networks to solve complex operational challenges, such as accelerating innovation, managing supply chain volatility, and cutting carbon emissions across global manufacturing systems.
“Through collaboration with IMD, our ambition is to define the frameworks, competencies, and leadership practices that will concretely enable companies to transcend silos and build more adaptive, ecosystem-driven operating models,” stated Caspar Herzberg, CEO of AVEVA, during a mainstage address at the AVEVA World 2026 summit.
Professor Michael Wade, Director of IMD’s Global Center for Digital and AI Transformation, emphasized that data coordination, structural clarity, and active governance currently outrank algorithmic development in driving strategic value. He noted that advanced cloud-connected platforms and industrial artificial intelligence are transforming traditional operational collaborations into real-time, intelligence-driven systems.
The underlying study establishes a new baseline definition for industrial intelligence, characterizing it as an enterprise-wide organizational capability that integrates operational technology (OT), information technology (IT), and artificial intelligence (AI) to facilitate cross-ecosystem decision-making.
This study comes at a time when global heavy industries are facing massive market volatility. As governments tighten environmental regulations, large-scale energy and industrial companies are turning to shared digital networks. These platforms help businesses break down internal data silos, improve international supply chains, and accurately track carbon emissions across their entire operations.
AVEVA World 2026 ,held in Milan from May 19-21, stands as a leading international forum for industrial intelligence. The event unites global corporations, sector experts, and international speakers to examine advancements in industrial artificial intelligence, digital transformation, and sustainable practices.
