Industrial software maker AVEVA and Swiss business school IMD have released a new global report showing that while companies increasingly view digital ecosystems as critical to future competitiveness, most still struggle to share data effectively across partners and supply chains.
The inaugural Industrial Intelligence Report on Digital Ecosystems and the Future of Connected Industries, unveiled at AVEVA World 2026 in Milan, surveyed more than 275 senior executives across 12 industries. The findings highlight growing demand for connected industrial operations powered by artificial intelligence, operational technology and data-sharing platforms.
According to the report, 74% of executives consider digital ecosystems a top strategic priority, yet only 27% said their organizations share data substantially or extensively with ecosystem partners. Researchers identified legacy infrastructure, integration complexity and weak governance frameworks as key barriers slowing adoption.
The study defines “industrial intelligence” as the organizational capability to integrate operational technology (OT), information technology (IT) and artificial intelligence (AI) to support connected, data-driven decision-making across industrial ecosystems.
The report argues that companies are increasingly turning to digital ecosystems to address mounting operational pressures, including supply-chain volatility, decarbonization targets and the need for faster innovation.
“Understanding why that gap persists, and how organizations are beginning to close it, has become a strategic imperative for success in today’s volatile operating environment,” the report said.
AVEVA Chief Executive Officer Caspar Herzberg said the partnership with IMD aims to establish practical frameworks for companies seeking to transition from siloed operations to ecosystem-driven business models.
“With this collaboration with IMD, 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 concretely enable companies to transcend silos and build more adaptive, ecosystem-driven operating models,” Herzberg said.
Michael Wade, Director of IMD’s Global Center for Digital and AI Transformation, said companies should prioritize governance and organizational learning ahead of purely technological considerations.
“Governance, integration and learning matter more right now than algorithms,” Wade said. “The next phase is about converting that foundation into strategic advantage through better data sharing, coordination, clearer roles and more deliberate leadership.”
The report also includes case studies from organizations including the Port of Rotterdam and Australia’s Kwinana industrial region, examining how industrial operators are using connected systems to improve coordination and operational resilience.
AVEVA, headquartered in Cambridge, UK, provides industrial software and AI-enabled platforms used by energy, manufacturing and infrastructure companies worldwide. The company says more than 90% of leading industrial enterprises use its technologies.
IMD, based in Lausanne, Switzerland, is a global business school focused on executive education and digital transformation research.