Knowledge
Insights, research and perspectives from across the Combient network
Reinventing a 700-Year-Old Industry Leader with AI
Stora Enso’s CIO, Hannele Palje‑Rossi, joins Combient and Accenture leaders to share how they are using data and AI to transform a 700‑year‑old industrial company – shifting from scattered pilots to a few bold bets that reshape operations, leadership, and competitive advantage.
What if Your Toughest Competitor Is the Version of Your Business You Haven’t Become yet?
A Reinvention Lab is a high‑intensity, half‑day session co‑developed with PwC for C‑level teams feeling the heat from AI, climate demands, tariffs, and fragile supply chains. Instead of tweaking today’s plan, leaders step into a “killer competitor” scenario – like Nefab’s now‑famous “Killer Workshop” – and design the rival that could beat them at their own game. In just a few hours, they pressure‑test their strategy, decide what truly matters (and what to stop), and walk away with sharp future scenarios, AI‑driven disruption insights, and a clear roadmap for what to focus on next. As a Combient Associated Company, you can book a Reinvention Lab for your own leadership team.
From Strategy to Execution: How IPCO Unlocks Value Through Combient
In 2026, we were delighted to welcome IPCO to the Combient network. A 125‑year‑old industrial leader and global specialist in high-precision steel belts and continuous‑process equipment, IPCO serves critical industrial value chains across diverse sectors worldwide.
Rethinking Steel Use: Early Findings From Our AHSS Pre-Study, And What Lies Ahead
In Combient Pure's pre-study on the potential of AHSS to help decarbonize steel use, we have built a Self-Assessment Tool to help cross-functional teams find new AHSS applications. This fall, we turn to understanding the supply and value chain gaps for accelerating AHSS adoption - the results will be presented in a public workshop on November 26th.
What Comes After Copilots
At the end of August, we ran a Peer-2-Peer review with four companies in the Combient network on AI strategy, and specifically on how to move from experimentation and isolated pilots to scaling value. All four are past the point of arguing the case internally. AI is already part of day-to-day work: drafting, summarising, coding, first-pass analysis, etc. It is no longer treated as a pilot. Business functions are engaged and asking for more. There was also broad agreement that...
From Mingle to Bootcamp
A conversation within the Combient network sparked a hands-on exchange between Wärtsilä and Scania. What began as a discussion grew into Scania’s participation in Wärtsilä’s Agentic Automation Summer Bootcamp in Vaasa. Built on trust and shared challenges, the collaboration gave both companies a chance to compare approaches, work on real use cases, and turn peer learning into applied work.
Why Resilient 6G Is Non-Negotiable for Industry
Industrial leaders have spent years digitizing operations, automating production, connecting assets, and building data-driven enterprises. However, initial findings from the Finnish-Swedish FiSRE program — a Vinnova- and Business Finland-funded innovation collaboration in which Combient joins academic and industrial partners — point to an uncomfortable conclusion: much of today’s industrial connectivity is not designed for the severe disruptions it will increasingly face.
Turning carbon exposure into a competitive advantage: Key Takeaways
Internal Carbon Pricing (ICP) is no longer just a "nice-to-have" sustainability initiative — it is rapidly evolving into a core strategic and financial instrument for forward-thinking industrial companies. Carbon already carries a cost for all businesses, and that cost is rising. As regulatory frameworks, stakeholder expectations, and energy prices tighten, the financial implications of carbon exposure are becoming impossible to ignore. In the final webinar, we shared key insights from the Sprint work and heard from Konecranes, Roxtec, and Nefab on what they took away from the Sprint and how they are taking ICP into their business operations. We were also joined by John Willis from the World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD), who shared insights on carbon pricing from the wider global business environment.
Your Organization Doesn’t Have a Change Fatigue Problem – It Has a Change Logic Problem
Organizations are social, open systems – what happens in one part of your business quietly reshapes teams, decisions, and results elsewhere. In this article, we introduce the anchor session of our People & Organization Forum – Organizational Change Management Track (OCM), where Mette Tofte from Implement Consulting Group highlights that most companies don’t have a “change fatigue” problem but a “change logic” problem. We offer a glimpse into her alternative approach to OCM, moving beyond tools and checklists toward the real leverage points: mindsets, conversations, and the capacities leaders need for change that truly sticks.
Combient Conference — Recap from 2026
This is where the entire Combient network, from HR Directors to Innovation Leads, come together during one day. Participants can expect candid conversations and networking with curious peers from across the globe as well as concrete learnings and takeaways to bring back to your organization.
Inside China’s Supply Chains: Dan Wang’s Message to Nordic Leaders
I had the pleasure of sitting down with Dan Wang when he joined us as a keynote speaker at the Senior Executive Conference on February 5. In an honest and sometimes provocative conversation, we explored the core arguments in his book Breakneck and what they mean for industrial leaders in Europe, and in particular the Nordics.
From Global Factory to Intelligent Paradigm: IKEA's Advanced Manufacturing in China
China's automation landscape is drawing global focus, but the story is richer than simple data or robot numbers suggest. At a recent Combient Smart Production Forum, IKEA showcased how it is fundamentally rethinking global supply chain automation in China's distinctive manufacturing environment.
Combient and Lovable Announce Hackathon to Advance Digital Transformation in Business Processes
On October 9, 2025, Combient and Lovable teamed up to host an innovative hackathon focused on enhancing business critical processes across various industries. The "Combient x Lovable Hackathon" will utilize Lovable's AI-powered platform, enabling participants to develop software applications without requiring prior developer experience. This exclusive event is open only to employees of Combient's 36 Associated Companies (ACs), all committed to driving digital transformation.
Turning Ordinary into Extraordinary: Organizational Change at Stora Enso
How Organizational Change Management has become a mainstay at Stora Enso, and an interview with Ivana Lysák Janoskova who works closely with OCM within Stora Enso.
Sohini Roychowdhury on Revolutionizing Industrial Data
In May 2025, Sohini Roychowdhury, a researcher, engineer, entrepreneur, and renowned leader in artificial intelligence, gave a lecture titled “AI and the Change of Industrial Data” as part of Combient's AI Program 2025.
Agents at Work: Unlocking the Power of Agentic Intelligence
In April, 2025 Professor Venkat Venkatraman gave an inspiring keynote presentation where he did a deep dive on his research regarding AI Agents, and the impact they'll have on our personal and professional lives.
How SEB Created a Culture of Continuous Learning
SEB has established a serious and contagious learning culture across their campuses. Here's how they've managed to grow and develop their employees, and ensure they enjoying themselves while they learn.
From Moonshots to Space Programs
In today's fast-paced business landscape, innovation has become a buzzword that resonates throughout the corporate world. Companies are in a constant race to out-innovate their competitors, seeking new ways to stay ahead of the curve and thrive in an ever-changing market. Dan Toma, a prominent figure in the field of innovation and entrepreneurship, has emerged as a leading voice in reshaping the way organizations approach innovation. In this article, we will delve into the key takeaways from Dan Toma's keynote speech at the Combient Open Innovation Forum that was held in November 2023, and his subsequent interview, offering insights into the importance of innovation, the challenges companies face, and the strategies for measuring the impact of innovation.