AVEVA partners with IMD to study industrial AI ecosystems

Industrial software company AVEVA has entered a three-year research collaboration with IMD Business School that will examine how so‑called industrial intelligence shapes connected business ecosystems across sectors such as manufacturing, energy, transport and data centres.

The project will run as a dedicated programme led by IMD professors Michael Wade and Mark Greeven. It will study emerging trends and management practices as more industrial companies link operations, data and partners in wider digital networks.

AVEVA and IMD will focus on the use of data and analytics across extended supply chains, from plant-level operations to interactions with suppliers, partners and customers. The work will track how companies structure relationships, share information and manage risk inside these ecosystems.

The partners describe industrial intelligence as the combination of data-driven insight, industrial artificial intelligence and human expertise. They position it as a foundation for decision-making inside complex industrial environments that involve multiple organisations.

The research will gather input from executives and practitioners across global markets. It will look at how different regions and sectors use connected systems and what organisational changes follow.

Focus on AI and energy

A central theme of the programme will be the role of AI in managing industrial and business ecosystems. The researchers will analyse how companies apply AI tools to coordinate activities, monitor assets and integrate information from separate systems.

The project will also study how global business networks influence the energy transition and circularity goals. That includes how industrial players share data on energy use, emissions and material flows across value chains.

Another emphasis will be the development of ecosystem-based business models. The team will investigate how industrial firms move from transactional relationships with suppliers and customers towards more integrated and recurring revenue structures that depend on shared platforms and data.

Governance, compliance and risk management will feature as separate workstreams. The research will review how companies address regulatory obligations when they connect data and operations with third parties and when they exchange operational information across borders.

Redefining partnerships

The collaboration will explore how industrial companies redefine partnerships in a digital environment. It will examine how firms structure contracts, data sharing arrangements and joint innovation initiatives when they work on shared digital platforms.

The project will look at the impact on workforces as well. It will study how workers use operational data and AI tools in daily tasks, how organisations structure training, and how responsibilities shift between frontline staff, engineering teams and central analytics groups.

AVEVA sees industrial intelligence as central to its product strategy, which includes information management software, AI-based analytics and its Connect platform. IMD will provide academic oversight, research design and publication through its faculty and research units.

The partners plan to generate original thought leadership, case studies and frameworks over the three years. They expect the outputs to target senior leaders in industrial sectors, as well as policymakers and academics who focus on digital transformation and sustainability.

Caspar Herzberg, AVEVA's Chief Executive Officer, said the work aimed at practical outcomes for industrial firms.

"By bringing together AVEVA's deep technical roots in industry with IMD's applied research focus, we're cracking the code on how industrial intelligence can be harnessed to address higher-order business problems. We're excited to delve into the people, process and technology enablers of connected business ecosystems and how they can be a spur to transformation and improved productivity," comments Caspar Herzberg, CEO, AVEVA. "Through in-depth original research with executives and industry practitioners around the world, this research collaboration will unpack the critical success factors our customers must prioritise to drive resilience, sustainability and efficiency in operations."

IMD will integrate AVEVA's industry input into its broader research on digital ecosystems and leadership. The business school works with executives across regions such as Europe, Asia and Africa and has positioned ecosystem strategy as a core theme in its programmes.

Stefan Michel, Dean of Faculty and Research at IMD, said the collaboration responds to rising demand among executives for structured guidance on ecosystems.

"As business ecosystems evolve at unprecedented speed, leaders need actionable frameworks grounded in real-world experience. This research project combines IMD's academic rigor with insights from AVEVA, one of the industry's leading innovators. By integrating deep operational expertise into our scholarly approach, we are delivering applied research that speaks directly to the challenges decision-makers face -research from business, for business. This is how we expand what organisations can achieve in practice, not just in principle," said Michel.

The partners intend to publish findings at intervals over the three-year period and to test them in discussions with senior executives across industrial markets.