New Platform Aims to Connect Market Intelligence with Procurement Execution

Unveiled at Digital Procurement World (DPW) NYC, the platform combines procurement intelligence, consulting methodologies and AI technologies to provide real-time recommendations based on market developments and an organisation’s own supplier, contract and spend data.

MAX is designed to close the gap between market intelligence and procurement execution by helping teams identify opportunities and risks as they emerge.

Addressing Growing Procurement Complexity

The launch comes as procurement leaders face increasing responsibilities across supply chain resilience, sustainability, tariff management and margin protection.

Beroe and Kearney argue that traditional procurement operating models struggle to keep pace with rapidly changing supply markets, while many organisations continue to rely on disconnected technology platforms for intelligence gathering and execution.

MAX was developed to address these challenges by serving as a connecting layer between procurement data sources and operational systems.

Combining Market Signals with Procurement Expertise

The platform is built on what the companies describe as a neurosymbolic framework that uses agentic AI alongside procurement intelligence and consulting methodologies.

MAX combines Beroe’s market intelligence capabilities, third-party data sources and more than 30 million live market signals with Kearney’s procurement frameworks, benchmarks and decision methodologies.

The system applies this information to an organisation’s spend data, contracts and supplier base to generate recommendations tailored to specific business requirements.

When external events such as tariff changes, commodity price movements or supplier risk developments occur, the platform continuously reassesses affected categories and highlights areas requiring attention.

Supporting Faster Procurement Decisions

According to Beroe and Kearney, the objective is to enable procurement teams to move from periodic category reviews to continuous decision-making.

The platform provides a unified view of cost, risk and ESG factors, helping procurement professionals prioritise actions across sourcing, supplier management and risk mitigation activities.

Vel Dhinagaravel, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Beroe, said: “The processes procurement relies on today were built for a world that no longer exists. Teams have always had access to market data, but what they have lacked is a system that connects that data to their specific spend, applies procurement logic, and tells them where to act, continuously. MAX puts that capability into the hands of every category manager, not just the ones in the room with a consultant, enabling decisions and outcomes that were previously impossible.”

Designed with Global Procurement Organisations

The platform was developed through a multi-year collaboration between Beroe and Kearney and was shaped by a Strategic Advisory Council comprising 13 global procurement organisations.

The participating organisations represent some of the world’s most complex supply chains and helped validate the platform across multiple procurement categories.

Their involvement was intended to ensure that the platform reflects real-world procurement challenges and operational requirements.

Expanding Coverage Across Suppliers and Categories

Kearney said the platform enables procurement teams to extend analysis beyond their highest-priority categories and suppliers.

Suketu Gandhi, Co-Leader of Global Strategic Operations at Kearney, said: “CPOs are being asked to deliver competitive advantage in markets that move in hours, not quarters. MAX gives procurement leaders the real-time visibility and prioritized recommendations they need to anticipate shifts, focus where it matters, and move decisively. This is not a faster version of the function procurement has always been. It is a different function, one that stops waiting to be asked. It moves from responding to anticipating, from episodic to continuous. That is what it means to compete.”

Focus on Procurement Intelligence and Supply Chain Resilience

The launch reflects growing interest in AI-driven procurement technologies capable of analysing large volumes of supplier, market and spend data in real time.

Beroe said the platform is intended to support procurement organisations as they navigate increasingly volatile supply markets, changing trade conditions and expanding sustainability requirements.

MAX will initially be made available to selected customers over the coming months, with the companies positioning the platform as a new operating model for procurement teams seeking greater visibility, agility and decision-making capability across their supply chains.

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New AI-Driven Index Uses Real Procurement Data to Forecast Business Spending Trends

Built on Coupa’s $10 trillion dataset of actual business-to-business transactions, the index combines artificial intelligence, machine learning and econometric modelling to forecast business spend movements up to 90 days in advance.

According to Coupa, the initiative aims to help procurement, finance and supply chain leaders make more informed decisions by providing near real-time insight into changing market conditions and spending behaviour.

Key BSI Findings: 

• BSI Catches April Spend Pullback Before Surveys: All five tracked sectors registered month-over-month spend declines in April 2026, from −0.8% in Manufacturing to −3.3% in Business Services. In comparison, ISM PMI’s Manufacturing & Services surveys predicted the industry would expand in April. 
• Sector Contractions Predicted Over the Summer: The BSI is predicting that procurement spend will contract in sectors of High Tech, Financial Services, and Healthcare & Life Sciences over the summer. Financial Services is the sector forecasted to see the largest contraction.
• Tech’s Bet on AI is Yielding Enterprise Demand: High Technology procurement spend has climbed more than 40% since mid-2024 to a four-year cycle high. Tracking enterprise software and services procurement, the BSI provided a definitive early signal that enterprise demand is catching up to the massive AI infrastructure build-out commitments made.
• From Tariff Shock to AI Investment: Smaller U.S. manufacturing firms were forced to slash spend by 17.5% to survive 2025 tariff volatility, compared to just 14.6% for larger manufacturing firms. The February 20, 2026 Supreme Court tariff ruling introduced a significant source of policy stabilization, allowing businesses to shift away from short-term defensive maneuvers and return to long-term strategic investments in automation and AI-enabled execution systems.
• Manufacturing Invests in Resilience Despite Soft Demand: Typically, manufacturing spend only rises to meet surging customer orders. However, the BSI showed that late 2025 manufacturing spend surged even though new customer demand remained soft. Spurred by full expensing provisions in the July 2025 “One Big Beautiful Bill Act” (OBBBA), manufacturers are taking advantage of tax breaks to make bold internal investments in automation, capability, and supply chain resilience.

Moving Beyond Traditional Economic Indicators

The Business Spend Index was developed through a collaboration between Coupa and the MIT Data Science Lab to provide a more immediate view of business spending activity.

Unlike traditional economic indicators that can be revised after publication, the BSI is based on actual procurement transactions occurring across Coupa’s network of more than 10 million buyers and suppliers.

The index measures committed spend activity and is designed to capture market dynamics as they occur, providing visibility into business investment patterns before they are reflected in broader economic data.

According to the companies, the BSI successfully identified a significant turning point in manufacturing activity three months before it was reflected in the ISM Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI).

Procurement Data Provides Early Economic Signals

The report is based on anonymised procurement data representing $877.9 billion in 2025 spending across 1,487 Coupa customers operating in sectors including manufacturing, high technology, financial services, business services, and healthcare and life sciences.

By analysing actual purchasing commitments rather than executive sentiment surveys, the index seeks to provide a clearer view of business activity and investment intentions.

“With visibility into trillions of dollars of actual business spend, you don’t guess where the economy is going, you see it unfolding in real-time,” said Kevin Iaquinto, Chief Marketing Officer, Coupa. “By leveraging Coupa’s unmatched proprietary dataset and combining it with the best macroeconomic indicators and AI, MIT Data Science Lab and Coupa have collaborated to deliver a report that has tremendous business value for procurement, supply chain, and other business leaders who are debating and actioning future spend decisions.”

David Simchi-Levi, William Barton Rogers Professor and Head of the MIT Data Science Lab (retired), added: “Coupa has a very unique dataset that offers the basis for incredible economic insights. By applying rigorous econometric modeling and statistical analysis, we have mathematically observed that Coupa’s data has strong leading signals relative to numerous established macroeconomic indicators, such as FRED, IDEA, ISM PMI, and Real GDP.”

Procurement Spend Expected to Contract in Several Sectors

Among the report’s key findings, the BSI identified month-on-month procurement spend declines across all five tracked sectors during April 2026.

The index also forecasts procurement spending contractions during the summer across the High Technology, Financial Services, and Healthcare & Life Sciences sectors, with Financial Services expected to experience the largest decline.

The findings are intended to help procurement teams anticipate changes in supplier demand, budget allocation and sourcing strategies.

Manufacturing and Technology Investment Trends Emerge

The report highlights several significant procurement trends across key industries.

In manufacturing, the BSI found that smaller U.S. manufacturers reduced spending by 17.5% during 2025 tariff volatility, compared with a 14.6% reduction among larger manufacturers.

According to the report, policy stabilisation following a February 2026 U.S. Supreme Court tariff ruling has enabled organisations to shift focus from short-term defensive spending towards longer-term investments in automation and AI-enabled operational systems.

The report also found that procurement spend within the High Technology sector has increased by more than 40% since mid-2024, reaching a four-year cycle high.

Coupa said this trend indicates growing enterprise demand for software and technology services following significant investments in AI infrastructure.

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SHIFT IN POWER BALANCE

As businesses are being forced to rethink their networks to reduce exposure to geopolitical, trade, and climate disruption, demand for higher-quality, strategically located assets is increasing significantly.

According to Cushman & Wakefield’s (CWK) Waypoint 2026 report, an analysis of 135 global logistics markets suggests that the proportion experiencing tenant-favorable conditions is expected to fall from 52 percent in 2026 to 33 percent by 2029. This shift in balance is due to the declining vacancy rates and the continued constraint of supply.

“The next phase of the logistics cycle will be defined by preparedness. Businesses that embed resilience into their real estate strategies, through smarter use of technology, automation and energy‑secure assets, will be far better placed to navigate disruption and capture long‑term growth,” notes Sally Bruer, reporting author at CWK.

However, beyond just the global picture, there are significant differences between and within regions.

Specifically, the US is expected to see the most abrupt shift towards landlords, with these favorable markets anticipated to rise from 17 to 46 percent – the most pronounced shift across the globe.

REGIONAL DIFFERENCES IN LOGISTICS MARKETS

Meanwhile, APAC remains one of the most tenant-favorable locations globally, with approximately 47 percent of markets leaning towards occupiers at this point in time.

“Different markets across APAC are experiencing different stages of growth, fuelled by resilient occupier demand led by e-commerce and manufacturing. Supply constraints in markets such as Japan and Australia are driving competition; meanwhile, continued availability in China and India is creating opportunity,” details Dennis Yeo, Head of Investor Services and Logistics & Industrial, Asia Pacific, CWK.

On the other hand, EMEA is currently facing supply and energy-related constraint challenges, as tightening vacancy across Western and Northern Europe has reinforced the need for early decision-making to secure high-quality space.

In Central and Eastern Europe, markets are offering more varied conditions, although improving absorption is expected to gradually tighten availability.

Tim Crighton, Head of Logistics & Industrial, EMEA, CWK, highlights, “The shift in EMEA’s logistics landscape is less about speed and more about strategy. The right real estate is becoming harder to secure in key markets, and rising energy costs are making asset quality far more important. For occupiers, waiting is becoming a risk rather than a strategy, and success will be predicated on aligning real estate strategies with long-term operational performance, flexibility and sustainability.”

Ultimately, due to various global factors, including rising costs, more restricted supply, and structural uncertainty, landlord-favorable conditions are expected to become increasingly prevalent across global logistics markets over the next three years.

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The rapid rise of artificial intelligence (AI) is transforming industries worldwide, but it is also creating unprecedented demand for data centre infrastructure, energy systems, and construction materials.

Seeking to turn this challenge into an opportunity for innovation, Elemental Impact has unveiled the Data Center Innovation Initiative (DCII), a new deployment-focused investment programme designed to accelerate the commercialisation of emerging energy and materials technologies.

Bringing together some of the world’s largest technology companies, including Amazon, Google, Meta, and Microsoft, alongside philanthropic and industry partners, the initiative aims to create a pathway for entrepreneurs to test, validate, and scale breakthrough solutions within real-world data centre environments.

The collaboration will help promising startups bring emissions-reducing technologies to market more quickly, whilst delivering meaningful benefits for local communities through more affordable and dependable energy systems.

A PLATFORM FOR INNOVATION

As AI adoption accelerates, data centres have emerged as one of the fastest-growing drivers of global infrastructure investment, generating increasing demand for power generation, cooling systems, industrial equipment, and construction materials.

Against this backdrop, the DCII has been established to support technologies capable of improving the sustainability, efficiency, and resilience of future infrastructure.

Elemental Impact plans to invest between $500,000 and $5 million per project across up to 10 technology startups through 2027. Beyond funding, participating companies will gain access to specialist expertise spanning project financing, deployment strategy, workforce development, and commercial scaling.

Importantly, Amazon, Google, Meta, and Microsoft will take an active role throughout the process by helping identify priority technology areas, contributing to project evaluation, piloting solutions, and sharing lessons learned with the wider industry.

The initiative will focus on a broad range of technologies, including energy storage systems that support reliable clean power, advanced electrical infrastructure that improves operational efficiency, innovative cooling technologies that reduce both energy and water consumption, and low-carbon materials that lower the environmental footprint of new developments.

By testing these solutions in operational data centres and demonstration sites, the programme seeks to establish proven pathways for wider adoption across both the technology sector and the broader industrial economy.

SCALING BEYOND THE DATA CENTRE

While data centres provide the initial deployment opportunity, Elemental Impact believes the potential impact of these technologies extends far beyond digital infrastructure.

Solutions validated through the DCII could ultimately support schools, hospitals, manufacturing facilities, and communities seeking access to affordable and reliable energy.

The organisation views the current wave of AI-driven infrastructure development as a once-in-a-generation opportunity to influence how energy and industrial systems are designed and deployed in the decades ahead.

By documenting project outcomes and openly sharing results, the initiative aims to reduce risk for future adopters, helping promising technologies move more quickly from pilot projects to commercial-scale deployment.

According to Microsoft, the initiative will help advance technologies capable of supporting cleaner power generation, more sustainable materials, and improved infrastructure performance, whilst strengthening the resilience and efficiency of the communities where these projects are deployed.

Google has similarly highlighted the importance of collaboration in accelerating climate and sustainability solutions, viewing the initiative as a continuation of its long-term efforts to help create and scale markets for clean energy technologies.

Meanwhile, Meta sees data centres as an important catalyst for advancing clean energy and sustainable building materials, whilst helping entrepreneurs bring emerging innovations to market more quickly.

COMMUNITY-CENTRED GROWTH

A key component of the DCII is its emphasis on ensuring infrastructure investment delivers tangible local benefits alongside environmental progress.

Elemental Impact will work closely with participating companies to encourage early engagement with community stakeholders, clearly communicate project benefits, and invest in workforce development initiatives.

The organisation’s existing portfolio provides a strong foundation for this approach, with 98 percent of portfolio companies reporting that community partnerships have been critical to their success.

Industry partners share the belief that sustainable infrastructure growth must be aligned with community outcomes.

Salesforce views the initiative as an opportunity to support sustainability and community benefit alongside technological advancement, whilst Amazon believes its expertise in energy and water efficiency can help accelerate the deployment of emerging technologies in areas such as carbon-free energy, advanced cooling, and lower-carbon materials.

By combining technological innovation with local engagement, the initiative seeks to demonstrate how infrastructure development can create measurable environmental and economic value for communities whilst supporting broader decarbonisation goals.

ACCELERATING THE NEXT GENERATION

For many emerging technologies, the greatest challenge is not technical performance but securing the resources and deployment opportunities needed to scale.

The DCII seeks to address that gap by bringing together hyperscale technology companies, investors, philanthropies, and innovators under a common framework focused on real-world implementation.

Builders Vision Philanthropy believes that reducing the risks associated with early-stage deployment will help accelerate the adoption of promising infrastructure technologies and support the development of more resilient, sustainable systems over the long term.

This view is shared by legal partner Wilson Sonsini, which believes many promising technologies struggle not because of technical shortcomings, but because of challenges associated with early deployment capital and commercial scale-up. The firm sees the DCII as a collaborative model capable of helping innovators overcome these barriers and accelerate market adoption.

As AI continues to reshape the global economy, initiatives such as the DCII demonstrate how rapidly expanding digital infrastructure can also become a catalyst for cleaner energy systems, lower-carbon construction, and stronger local communities.

Through collaboration, investment, and deployment at scale, Elemental Impact and its partners are positioning data centres as launchpads for the next generation of sustainable infrastructure technologies.

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Honeywell Prepares for Split into Two Public Technology Companies

The move will see the creation of two independent publicly traded companies: Honeywell Technologies, focused on industrial automation and autonomy, and Honeywell Aerospace, a standalone aerospace technology supplier. Following the separation, Honeywell Technologies will continue trading on Nasdaq under the ticker “HON”, while Honeywell Aerospace will trade under the ticker “HONA”.

The announcement marks another milestone in Honeywell’s transformation strategy as it prepares to operate as two focused businesses with distinct technology portfolios and growth objectives.

Honeywell Technologies Targets Industrial Autonomy

Honeywell Technologies will focus on helping industrial organisations transition from traditional automation towards autonomous operations.

According to the company, the business will offer a portfolio of mission-critical technologies, software and solutions designed to improve productivity and support customer growth.

The new brand identity introduces a modern “HT” monogram while retaining Honeywell’s established red colour palette. The branding is built around the concept of “intersections”, representing the combination of technology and expertise to deliver precision, reliability and operational efficiency.

“Today marks another defining moment in our transformation into two independent, focused companies,” said Vimal Kapur, Chairman and CEO of Honeywell. “Drawing on Honeywell’s century-long legacy, these new brand identities honor our history while reflecting the bold vision and strategic focus that will define Honeywell Technologies and Honeywell Aerospace as standalone companies. This is the start of an exciting new era for both businesses.”

Kapur added: “Our new brand highlights the powerful intersections of our technology and expertise—from controls to intelligence to safety—that will redefine how industries operate, accelerating the shift toward a more autonomous future while unlocking new levels of growth and long-term value. As Honeywell Technologies, this bold new chapter strengthens our foundation for the future and reflects our ability to continuously evolve our capabilities to deliver outcomes for our customers.”

Aerospace Business Focuses on Next-Generation Aviation

Following the separation, Honeywell Aerospace will operate as an independent aerospace technology company with a focus on aviation systems, electrification and autonomous flight.

Honeywell said the business will be among the largest publicly traded pure-play aerospace suppliers, with established positions across aerospace technologies and systems.

The new Honeywell Aerospace identity features a redesigned logo incorporating a stylised “H” and “A”. The company said the branding reflects both its aviation heritage and future technology ambitions.

“Our new Honeywell Aerospace brand reflects the precision, confidence and forward momentum that has defined the past century of innovation and trusted performance we have delivered for our customers and partners,” said Jim Currier, President and CEO of Honeywell Aerospace.

“As an independent company, we will be uniquely positioned to innovate faster, move with greater agility and shape the next era of aviation.”

Brand Strategy Reflects Distinct Growth Plans

Honeywell said both companies will continue to draw on the strength of the Honeywell name while establishing distinct market positions aligned with their respective strategies.

The company noted that Honeywell’s brand value is estimated at $18 billion and has been associated with innovation for 140 years.

The new identities are designed to reflect the long-term direction of each business, with Honeywell Technologies focused on industrial autonomy and software-driven outcomes, and Honeywell Aerospace focused on advancing future aviation technologies.

Investor Events to Showcase Technologies and Strategy

Further details about both businesses will be presented during upcoming investor days.

Honeywell Aerospace will host its investor day in Phoenix, Arizona, on 3 June 2026, while Honeywell Technologies will hold its event in New York City on 11 June 2026.

The sessions will include management presentations, technology demonstrations and Q&A discussions covering the strategic direction of each company ahead of the separation.

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Global supply chains continue to face mounting pressure from volatility, disruption, and rising customer expectations. Against this backdrop, companies capable of delivering reliability, flexibility, and continuity are becoming increasingly valuable strategic partners.

Miami-based Blulabs has positioned itself firmly within that category.

The global supply chain, sourcing, manufacturing, and logistics specialist has announced a USD$7 million investment led by Lodestone Capital, valuing the business at USD$160 million pre-money and marking a significant milestone in the company’s long-term growth strategy.

The investment will support the continued expansion of Blulabs’ global supply chain platform, technology infrastructure, and customer service capabilities as the company scales operations across multiple international markets.

Blulabs currently operates across 10 countries and four continents, supporting airlines, hospitality companies, distributors, retailers, and Fortune 500 customers through a diversified manufacturing and logistics network.

The company has experienced approximately 40 percent CAGR since 2020 and is projected to reach USD$250 million in revenue through its capex-light operating model.

BUILT FOR RESILIENCE

Founded and developed by the Garson family over several decades, Blulabs has established a business model specifically designed to navigate increasingly complex global supply chains.

Through a diversified supplier base, flexible manufacturing footprint, and deeply integrated customer relationships, the company enables clients to maintain continuity, control costs, and minimise disruption in mission-critical supply environments.

Blulabs’ leadership believes supply chain complexity will continue to intensify, increasing demand for partners capable of combining global reach with operational adaptability and disciplined execution.

Operating largely behind the scenes, Blulabs has developed long-term, high-share customer relationships by prioritising responsiveness, operational consistency, and supply chain problem-solving over consumer-facing brand visibility.

Its customer base includes major commercial airlines, hospitality groups, janitorial and sanitation distributors, and retailers where continuity and reliability are essential.

AI-ENABLED EXPANSION

A portion of the new investment will accelerate development of Blulabs’ proprietary AI-enabled supply chain intelligence platform.

The technology is being developed to improve visibility across purchase orders, production schedules, freight routing, inventory planning, and customer commitments, enabling the company to anticipate disruptions and optimise operational decisions in real time.

By tracking critical variables across the supply chain ecosystem, the platform is expected to strengthen customer responsiveness and improve reliability during periods of market uncertainty.

Lodestone Capital views Blulabs as a strong example of a founder- and family-led business with scalable infrastructure, deep customer relationships, and significant long-term market opportunity.

The partnership also represents a broader institutionalisation of the Blulabs platform, with Lodestone Capital supporting governance, strategic planning, technology development, and long-term capital infrastructure, while maintaining the entrepreneurial culture that has driven the company’s growth.

NEXT-GENERATION LEADERSHIP

For Blulabs, the investment is as much about continuity as it is expansion.

According to the company’s leadership, the financing strengthens Blulabs’ ability to build upon the operational principles established by Founder and Chairman Marc Garson, while introducing additional technological and institutional capabilities.

The company maintains that its core identity will remain unchanged as it scales, with customer trust, reliability, and execution continuing to define the business.

Marc Garson believes the company’s long-term success has always been rooted in its ability to solve problems consistently and support customers during challenging market conditions.

As global supply chain complexity continues to intensify, Blulabs’ combination of operational flexibility, technology investment, and relationship-driven execution positions the company for sustained international growth.

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A MAJOR US COMMITMENT 

Unilever is reinforcing its long-term commitment to innovation in the US with plans to establish a new $270 million Global Innovation Center in New Haven, Connecticut. 

Scheduled to open in spring 2029, the facility will serve as a major R&D hub for the company’s beauty, well-being, and personal care businesses. The center forms part of Unilever’s broader strategy to accelerate growth in high-performing categories while strengthening its presence in key global markets. 

Designed as a digital-first and artificial intelligence (AI)-enabled campus, the center will bring together scientific expertise, advanced technologies, and consumer insights under one roof. Unilever believes the investment will enhance collaboration across teams and support faster product innovation cycles. 

The move represents one of the company’s largest US R&D investments in recent decades and reflects the increasing strategic importance of the North American market to its long-term growth ambitions. 

DRIVING NEXT-GENERATION DEVELOPMENT 

Located within New Haven’s expanding biosciences and technology ecosystem, the facility will focus on advancing product innovation across skin care, cleansing, and well-being categories. 

According to Unilever, the center will utilize AI and emerging quantum computing capabilities to accelerate scientific discovery and support the development of new materials and formulations. The company expects these technologies to help streamline innovation processes and improve responsiveness to changing consumer demands. 

The site will also include a dedicated “human performance lab” for on-site testing of ingestible products, further strengthening the company’s research capabilities in the well-being sector. 

Approximately 300 employees are expected to work at the facility, with many relocating from Unilever’s existing R&D site in Trumbull, Connecticut. Additional hiring is also anticipated as the project progresses. 

By bringing together marketing, technology, and scientific teams in one location, Unilever aims to create a more agile innovation environment capable of moving products from concept to market more efficiently. 

STRENGTHENING GLOBAL GROWTH 

Herrish Patel, President of Unilever USA, emphasized the strategic significance of the investment and the company’s growing focus on the US market. 

The company believes the new center will help position it more effectively within rapidly evolving consumer sectors, particularly as trends increasingly emerge and spread through digital and social media channels. 

“If something’s trending on social, we can make a dash to New Haven and figure out how we can quickly put something out there,” Patel added. 

The investment also reflects Unilever’s ongoing transformation into a more focused beauty, wellbeing, and personal care business, following a number of portfolio changes in recent years. 

As consumer expectations continue to evolve, the company sees innovation, speed, and technology integration as critical to maintaining competitiveness in the global marketplace. 

“Behind every Unilever product is world-leading science designed to deliver superior performance, combined with design, fragrance and sensory experiences that make our brands stand out,” says Richard Slater, Unilever Chief R&D Officer. 

The investment supports Unilever’s strategy to become a more focused beauty, personal care, and well-being company, leveraging shared capabilities in science-led innovation, demand creation, and operational execution.

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Defining a new industry model

IBM and Red Hat are investing $5 billion in a new initiative designed to help enterprises secure open source software as AI accelerates both software development and cyber risk.

Called Project Lightwell, the program combines AI-driven vulnerability analysis with a global engineering workforce of more than 20,000 people to create what the companies describe as a trusted enterprise clearinghouse for open source software security.

The initiative reflects growing concern across the technology industry about the security of open source software, which underpins much of today’s enterprise infrastructure and AI development. IBM and Red Hat said advances in frontier AI are increasing both the speed and scale of vulnerability discovery and exploitation.

AI and engineering teams target enterprise software vulnerabilities

Project Lightwell is designed to help enterprises identify, validate and remediate vulnerabilities across large volumes of open source code used in production environments.

The platform will offer commercial subscriptions that allow organizations to integrate validated patches directly into their software supply chains, with enterprise-grade lifecycle management and testing capabilities.

“Open source is the backbone of today’s digital economy and the foundation of modern AI, and we are at an inflection point in how it is built, secured, and scaled,” said Arvind Krishna, Chairman and CEO, IBM.

“With Project Lightwell, IBM and Red Hat are helping define a new industry model, one that brings together AI, engineering expertise, and trusted collaboration, to secure open source software at its source and across the entire supply chain. This is about strengthening trust in the systems that power business, government, and society.”

The initiative builds on IBM and Red Hat’s existing open source ecosystem, which already includes support for technologies such as Linux, Kubernetes, Kafka, Ansible, Terraform, Cassandra and Java.

Major financial institutions join early deployments

IBM and Red Hat said a group of early adopters is already collaborating on Project Lightwell, including Bank of America, BNY, Citi, Goldman Sachs, JPMorganChase, Mastercard, Morgan Stanley, Royal Bank of Canada, State Street, Visa and Wells Fargo.

The companies said feedback from these deployments will help shape how vulnerabilities are identified, validated and remediated across enterprise software supply chains.

The clearinghouse model is designed to allow enterprises to report vulnerabilities through a trusted intermediary framework while receiving validated patches optimized for production environments. IBM and Red Hat also plan to coordinate upstream disclosures with open source communities.

Open source security becomes strategic priority for enterprises

Project Lightwell comes as enterprises face increasing pressure to secure software dependencies across increasingly complex technology environments.

IBM and Red Hat said the initiative will focus on upstream maintenance, AI-assisted vulnerability triage, secure patch development, dependency hardening and release engineering.

The companies also positioned the initiative as a different approach to AI adoption in engineering, emphasizing expanded technical capacity rather than workforce reduction.

Project Lightwell incorporates learnings from broader industry efforts focused on AI and cybersecurity, including Anthropic’s Project Glasswing and OpenAI’s Trust Access for Cyber.

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DIGITAL ADOPTION MOVES BEYOND THE PILOT PHASE  

A new global study from Rockwell Automation has found that digital transformation is now viewed as a business necessity by manufacturers worldwide, with 90 percent saying it is essential to remain competitive.  

The findings come from the company’s 11th annual State of Smart Manufacturing Report, which surveyed more than 1,500 manufacturers across 17 countries. The report highlights a significant shift in the sector, with organizations focusing less on whether to adopt digital technologies and more on how to scale them effectively and generate measurable value.  

According to the study, manufacturers are increasingly moving beyond small-scale pilot projects and embedding smart manufacturing technologies into day-to-day operations. Nearly six in 10 respondents said they are actively using smart manufacturing technologies operationally, while only 18 percent remain in pilot mode.  

The report also found that around one-third of operating budgets continue to be allocated to industrial technology initiatives, signaling sustained long-term investment in digital transformation strategies. 

AI AND CONNECTED OPERATIONS DRIVE INVESTMENT  

The research points to growing adoption of artificial intelligence (AI) and connected technologies across manufacturing operations. Manufacturers are increasingly investing in tools that support resilience, productivity, and data-driven decision-making.  

“Across the industry, manufacturers are facing more complexity and pressure than at any point in the last decade,” says Blake Moret, Chairman and CEO.  

“What stands out in this year’s research is not just the challenges, but how leaders are responding – by making digital transformation a core operating priority. The organizations that are seeing results are those that connect technology, people, and processes to turn insight into better decisions, stronger performance, and greater resilience.”  

The study identified AI augmentation as a growing trend within manufacturing operations, with businesses increasingly integrating AI-enabled systems into production environments and operational workflows.  

At the same time, manufacturers continue to face challenges related to cybersecurity, operational complexity, and making effective use of the large volumes of industrial data being collected. 

FOCUS SHIFTS TO MEASURABLE OUTCOMES  

The 2026 report suggests the manufacturing sector has reached a turning point in its digital maturity, with companies increasingly prioritizing execution and measurable returns on investment over experimentation.  

The research draws on more than a decade of global manufacturing data and examines how organizations are strengthening operational resilience, improving adaptability, and transforming workforce capabilities through digital technologies.  

Industries represented in the survey include food and beverage, automotive, semiconductor, consumer packaged goods, energy, and life sciences, with participating companies ranging from organizations generating USD$100 million in revenue through to businesses exceeding $30 billion. 

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Rewriting the Rules of Global Manufacturing

Artificial intelligence, automation and digital manufacturing systems are rapidly changing the economics of industrial production, according to a new report from Boston Consulting Group and the BCG Institute. The findings suggest manufacturers that modernize production facilities with factory of the future technologies could unlock productivity gains of up to 60% and strengthen competitiveness even in traditionally high-cost regions.

The report, How the Factory of the Future Is Reshaping the Economics of Manufacturing, combines a global survey of 1,000 manufacturers with proprietary quantitative analysis examining how AI-enabled production systems are transforming manufacturing operations at scale.

Factory Transformation Becomes a Competitive Imperative

The report argues that competitiveness in manufacturing is no longer determined primarily by labor cost differences or offshoring strategies. Instead, performance increasingly depends on how effectively manufacturers redesign and deploy advanced production setups.

According to the report, upgrading facilities with factory of the future capabilities can now outperform offshoring strategies, even when lower-cost countries also adopt advanced manufacturing technologies.

Without these upgrades, roughly $1.03 trillion of manufacturing value is at risk of relocation out of Western Europe, while another $440 billion is at risk in the United States.

“Manufacturers are entering a new era where competitiveness is no longer defined by static cost comparisons, but by how effectively they can redesign production setups end to end,” said Daniel Kuepper, BCG managing director and senior partner, fellow at the BCG Institute, and coauthor of the report. “The factory of the future is fundamentally changing how companies create value and how they think about where to produce.”

AI and Automation Drive End-to-End Production Gains

The report highlights how AI-powered production environments are being redesigned holistically to improve multiple operational metrics simultaneously, including energy consumption, material efficiency, throughput and yield.

As manufacturers contend with geopolitical uncertainty and increasing supply chain volatility, advanced manufacturing technologies are also becoming central to regionalization and resilience strategies.

The report notes that production footprint decisions are increasingly shaped by a facility’s ability to deploy highly productive factory of the future technologies rather than solely by labor arbitrage or logistics economics.

This shift is particularly important for manufacturers seeking to produce closer to end markets while maintaining competitiveness.

Manufacturing Benefits Vary by Sector and Geography

BCG’s analysis found that the benefits of factory of the future adoption differ significantly depending on sector characteristics and regional cost structures.

Higher-cost manufacturing regions stand to gain more from automation of labour-intensive processes, energy optimization and improved production efficiency, helping narrow competitiveness gaps with lower-cost markets.

Sectors with higher logistics costs, including food and beverage manufacturing, may see additional advantages from producing closer to customers.

The report also identifies workforce capabilities and digital infrastructure as critical enablers of advanced manufacturing adoption. In the BCG Institute survey, 87% of respondents said access to talent and skills had become more important for sustaining factory of the future deployment, while 69% identified digital infrastructure as increasingly critical.

Advanced Manufacturing Reshapes Global Production Strategy

The report concludes that manufacturers must increasingly align technology deployment with broader production footprint strategies as the global manufacturing landscape becomes more dynamic.

Rather than relying on traditional cost comparisons, companies are being pushed to evaluate how advanced production technologies can redesign operations and unlock new value across manufacturing networks.

“Companies that integrate footprint strategy with advanced manufacturing capabilities will be best positioned to compete in the decade ahead,” Kuepper said.

The full report, How the Factory of the Future Is Reshaping the Economics of Manufacturing, is available from Boston Consulting Group.

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PRESSURES OF RISING AI DEMAND  

Salesforce has detailed a five-point strategy designed to reduce the environmental impact of artificial intelligence (AI) growth as global demand for data centers continues to rise. 

In a new report published by Salesforce, the company explained how it is embedding sustainability into its AI operations through supplier collaboration, efficient model deployment, real-time emissions monitoring, zero-copy data architecture, and water stewardship initiatives.  

According to Salesforce, global data center demand is expected to more than triple by 2030 due to the rapid acceleration of AI, placing additional pressure on power grids and increasing water consumption. 

“Beyond today’s energy use, the concern is the projected ‘hockey stick’ growth in demand and whether it will outpace clean energy,” says Sunya Norman, SVP of Impact at Salesforce and leader of the company’s AI sustainability strategy.  

PARTNERING TO REDUCE SCOPE 3 EMISSIONS  

Salesforce has said it is focusing on indirect, or Scope 3, emissions through partnerships with public cloud providers including Amazon Web Services (AWS) and Google Cloud Platform (GCP), which host the company’s Hyperforce infrastructure. 

“This isn’t only an environmental issue. It’s also a business and community one. Companies need to be thinking now about how to manage demand, improve efficiency and transparency, and support the transition to clean energy so innovation can scale responsibly,” Norman says. 

“We see our role as helping bring the ecosystem together, working alongside partners across the supply chain so we can collectively make progress that none of us could make alone.” 

IMPROVING AI AND DATA CENTER EFFICIENCY  

Salesforce also highlighted its focus on “right-sizing” AI models to reduce unnecessary energy consumption. The company said smaller, fine-tuned models used within its Agentforce Trust Layer can operate up to 99 percent more efficiently than larger frontier large language models (LLMs). 

In addition, Salesforce said its Hyperforce cloud architecture has delivered an estimated 40 percent increase in operational efficiency through the use of efficient data center facilities, updated hardware, and operational flexibility.  

“We use these deep relationships to drive change together,” comments Amanda von Almen, Senior Director of Sustainability Intelligence and Decarbonization at Salesforce.  

“We mutually align and work together on shared goals such as data centers powered by 100 percent renewable energy, reducing water use, and using efficient hardware.”  

USING AI TO TRACK SUSTAINABILITY PERFORMANCE  

The company also emphasized the role of AI-driven sustainability tools. Salesforce said its automated carbon accounting systems have reduced the time spent collecting environmental data by more than 40 percent and cut consultant spending by 37 percent.  

Another major focus is zero-copy architecture, which enables AI systems to work directly with external data sources without requiring large-scale data migration or duplication. Salesforce said this approach reduces energy-intensive compute cycles and storage redundancy.  

“The value is in being able to bring all of these different sources of data together and not requiring that the data be migrated or copied,” says Paul Constantinides, EVP of Engineering at Salesforce.  

EXPANDING WATER STEWARDSHIP INITIATIVES  

Water management also forms part of the company’s sustainability strategy. Salesforce said it is expanding its Nature Positive Strategy with a dedicated water program focused on resilient data centers, power supplies, and watersheds. 

“As AI infrastructure demand accelerates, the industry response should be increasingly focused on strengthening community relationships, water stewardship, and supporting long-term resource resilience in the regions where this infrastructure operates,” Norman said.  

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Building a Sustainable Future

Operating in more than 155 countries and territories, the parent company of KFC, Pizza Hut, Taco Bell and Habit Burger & Grill said it is continuing to integrate sustainability initiatives into both operations and supply chains.

Jon Hixson, Chief Sustainability Officer at Yum! Brands, said: “Whether it’s improving packaging, protecting the landscapes where our ingredients are sourced or working with partners around the world, these efforts reflect how we’re building a more resilient business for the future.”

Pizza Hut Packaging Redesign Targets Circularity

At Pizza Hut U.S., a redesigned wing bowl is helping improve recyclability while increasing the use of recycled materials in food packaging.

The packaging redesign, recognised by the Association of Plastic Recyclers, removes materials including carbon black and excess fillers that previously limited recyclability. The new packaging also incorporates recycled content intended to support wider reuse of food-grade recycled plastic.

Emily True, Director of Sustainability at Pizza Hut, said: “This redesign is about making better choices at every stage of the packaging lifecycle.

“From materials to recyclability, we’re working to reduce waste and support more sustainable systems while still delivering the quality our customers expect.”

Taco Bell Expands Sustainable Grazing Partnership

Taco Bell is continuing its partnership with National Fish and Wildlife Foundation through the Rocky Mountain Rangelands Program to support more sustainable cattle grazing practices in the Intermountain West region of the United States.

The initiative includes projects focused on restoring wildlife habitats, improving water management and supporting ranchers in adopting sustainable land management practices. The projects are also helping improve grazing conditions across more than 300,000 acres.

Missy Schaaphok, Senior Director of Global Nutrition & Sustainability at Taco Bell, said: “What people don’t see directly on our menu is how we also prioritize sustainability just as much as craveability.”

KFC Collaboration Focuses on Sustainable Palm Oil and Soy

In South America, KFC is working with Conservation International to support more sustainable production of palm oil and soy across Brazil and Ecuador.

The collaboration is focused on land management practices aimed at reducing deforestation, supporting farmers and strengthening agricultural supply chains linked to Yum! Brands’ global food system.

Yum! said the projects form part of broader landscape-level sustainability initiatives designed to create positive outcomes for both communities and ecosystems.

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Google Ties Data Center Growth to Grid Capacity and Energy Affordability

The investment will create thousands of construction jobs and hundreds of long-term operational roles while expanding energy infrastructure, workforce development programs and community initiatives across the state.

The announcement highlights a growing focus among hyperscale technology companies on pairing large-scale data center expansion with energy resilience and affordability measures.

Google said it has already contracted more than one gigawatt of new power generation capacity in Missouri and is supporting the development of an additional 500 megawatts through its partnership with Ameren Corporation.

The company also worked with Ameren and Evergy to introduce the Capacity Commitment Framework (CCF) in Missouri, designed to ensure large energy users fund the infrastructure and electricity required for their operations while protecting local ratepayers.

Ruth Porat, President and Chief Investment Officer of Alphabet and Google, said: “We look forward to expanding Google’s investments in Missouri and helping Missourians benefit from the next wave of American innovation.

“To deliver the upside of technology, we are investing in workforce development and energy affordability, both directly and through our partnerships with local organizations.”

$20 Million Energy Fund Targets Household Energy Costs

Alongside the infrastructure investment, Google announced a $20 million Energy Impact Fund aimed at supporting programs that reduce household energy costs in counties surrounding its planned data centers.

One of the first recipients will be North East Community Action Corporation, which plans to use the funding for home repairs, energy efficiency upgrades and expansion of its weatherization apprenticeship program.

Workforce Development Central to Expansion Strategy

Google said the project will support thousands of construction jobs during the build phase, with workforce training forming a key part of the initiative.

The company is partnering with the Construction Laborers and Contractors Joint Training Fund of Eastern Missouri to expand capacity at the Laborers and Contractors Training Center, with plans to train more than 2,300 construction laborers over the next two years, including 1,500 apprentices.

Brandon Flinn, Business Manager at the Missouri-Kansas Laborers’ District Council, said: “You can’t build the infrastructure of the future without investing in the workforce of today.

“This collaboration significantly expands our ability to recruit, train, and graduate the next generation of construction craft laborers.”

Water-Efficient Cooling and Long-Term Community Investment

Google said the Montgomery County facility will use advanced air-cooling technology to limit water consumption, with freshwater replenishment supported through local watershed initiatives including the Missouri SWAN Smart Irrigation Initiative.

Governor Mike Kehoe said the investment reinforces Missouri’s growing role as a destination for advanced technology infrastructure and innovation.

“This project represents more than infrastructure—it’s an investment in Missouri families, communities, and long-term opportunity,” he said.

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Tackling Growing Pressure for Supply Chain Emissions Transparency

Integrated directly into the Avetta platform, the new “eco-shaper mini” calculator is designed to help suppliers calculate and report Scope 1 and Scope 2 emissions using straightforward operational inputs and recognised carbon accounting methodologies.

The partnership responds to increasing demand from procurement teams and enterprise customers for more transparent supplier sustainability data. According to the release, suppliers are facing growing expectations around emissions reporting, despite many lacking the specialist expertise or resources needed to manage complex carbon accounting processes.

By embedding the tool within Avetta’s existing supplier management platform, suppliers can manage sustainability reporting alongside broader compliance and client requirements.

Katie Martin, Director, Sustainability and Innovation at Avetta, said: “Suppliers are being asked to provide more sustainability data than ever before, but many do not have the internal resources or tools to respond efficiently.

“Our partnership with eco-shaper removes a key barrier by making emissions measurement more accessible. It helps suppliers strengthen customer relationships through more consistent, accurate reporting while also identifying opportunities to improve their own ESG performance. At the same time, it gives hiring clients the reliable supplier data they need to advance sustainability goals across their supply chains.”

Simplifying Emissions Reporting for Suppliers

The companies said the tool was specifically designed as a practical entry point for organisations seeking a simpler approach to emissions reporting without the cost or complexity of enterprise sustainability software.

For suppliers, the platform aims to reduce the administrative burden associated with customer sustainability requests while improving reporting consistency and confidence.

Daniel Jacobs, Director of Sustainability at Harvard Maintenance, said: “Having a straightforward tool like this will make it easier to respond to requests for emissions data.

“It will save time, reduce uncertainty and support our ongoing commitment to improvement and meeting changing expectations.”

Supporting Sustainable Procurement and Supply Chain Collaboration

Avetta said broader supplier participation in emissions reporting could improve visibility into supply chain emissions and strengthen sustainability reporting inputs for hiring clients.

Tracey Carr, CEO at eco-shaper, said: “Most suppliers want to take meaningful action on sustainability, but are understandably unsure where to begin.

“By partnering with Avetta, we are putting an intuitive, credible solution directly into the hands of the companies that need it most, helping them to measure emissions confidently and to take the next step in their sustainability journeys.”

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What is Anderon?

The initiative will create a standalone company, Anderon, headquartered in Albany, New York, focused on advanced 300-millimeter quantum wafer production for the growing North American quantum ecosystem.

IBM will match the proposed federal support with a further $1 billion cash investment, alongside intellectual property, manufacturing assets and specialist talent. The project is designed to help scale U.S.-based quantum wafer production for multiple quantum hardware vendors.

Quantum Manufacturing Moves Into Industrial Scale

Anderon is expected to manufacture advanced quantum wafers using superconducting qubit technologies, with future plans to support additional quantum computing modalities.

The foundry will provide capabilities including superconducting wiring, through-silicon vias, wafer testing and process design kits designed to help quantum developers accelerate commercialization and scale production more efficiently.

According to IBM, the foundry initiative builds on decades of quantum computing and semiconductor fabrication expertise, positioning the U.S. to strengthen supply chain resilience and domestic manufacturing capacity in next-generation computing technologies.

“IBM has pioneered quantum computing for decades. Our work in silicon wafer fabrication has been a key to IBM’s success and will be critical to enable a broader quantum technology landscape that will reshape global innovation and economic competitiveness,” said Arvind Krishna, Chairman and CEO of IBM.

“With the support of the U.S. Department of Commerce, Anderon will be well-positioned to fuel America’s fast-growing quantum technology industry.”

CHIPS Funding Targets U.S. Quantum Leadership

Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick said the investment reflects growing federal support for quantum innovation and domestic advanced manufacturing.

“With today’s CHIPS Research and Development investments in quantum computing, the Trump administration is leading the world into a new era of American innovation,” said Lutnick.

“These strategic quantum technology investments will build on our domestic industry, creating thousands of high-paying American jobs while advancing American quantum capabilities.”

“The Department of Commerce’s incentives strengthen and accelerate U.S. quantum leadership and technological resilience,” said Bill Frauenhofer, Executive Director of Semiconductor Investment and Innovation.

“Quantum computing has significant implications for national defense, advanced materials and biopharmaceutical discovery, financial modeling and energy systems.”

Building a Domestic Quantum Supply Chain

Anderon is expected to support a broader network of quantum technology developers across North America, helping establish secure domestic supply chains for advanced quantum hardware production.

IBM said the foundry will initially focus on superconducting quantum wafers while enabling rapid iteration and scalable manufacturing for commercial quantum computing systems.

The project remains subject to final agreements between IBM and the Department of Commerce under the CHIPS program.

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