Agentic AI: the trade-offs awaiting executives before deployments AI agents are crossing the threshold into enterprise production this year. For an executive, the real question is no longer whether to adopt the technology, but how to arbitrate three gaps that, if left unaddressed, will install lasting dependencies that are hard to undo.
CES 2026: the moment to choose between enduring AI and architecting your ecosystem. At CES in Las Vegas, a strategic shift is unfolding before our eyes: AI no longer stacks on top of platforms : it merges with them. For European companies, now is the time to choose between remaining a technology user or becoming an architect of their market.
225 billion dollars for AI in 2025: what are European companies doing now? The CB Insights report on the state of AI in 2025 reveals a major tipping point: global investments have nearly doubled, but most is concentrated on a handful of players. For European SMEs and mid-caps, the challenge is not to rival these giants, but to understand where the real opportunities for action lie.
Full-stack AI: beyond the buzz, a question of strategic control The concept of 'full-stack AI company' is electrifying investor circles. But behind the jargon lies a more ancient and fundamental question: who controls the value chain? For SMEs and mid-caps, the answer doesn't necessarily involve replacing existing players. It involves the platform.
Beyond EBITDA: why investors value platform businesses differently Digital transformation should no longer be perceived as a cost center. For SME and mid-cap leaders, the real challenge of 2026 is to convert their technology investments into strategic assets that multiply their company's valuation.
Meta-platform archetypes: the infrastructure of the ecosystem The meta-platform no longer connects users, but systems. It is 'the platform of platforms.' Its role is to provide the technical, normative or informational oxygen that an entire sector needs to breathe.
AI in industry: start with your morning decisions, for example AI can optimize production lines, monitor machines, improve procurement, invent new services or new business models. For an industrial SME or mid-cap, a particularly concrete entry point is to focus on the quality of daily decisions.
AI in SMEs/Mid-caps: ambition must match the reality on the ground Everyone says artificial intelligence will 'revolutionise' businesses. What's less discussed is that many projects never move beyond the demonstration stage. The problem isn't the power of algorithms, but the gap between stated ambition and what the organisation can actually absorb.
Platform archetypes: decoding orchestration models If the platform model always relies on connecting two groups, the nature of what is exchanged and the structure of the interaction define distinct archetypes. For a leader, choosing your archetype means choosing your mode of rent capture.
The IDP platform: from simple cost to strategic lever Intelligent Document Processing (IDP) is no longer a question of internal efficiency. It's the new strategic lever that transforms documents into monetizable assets, redefining competitiveness and company valuations.
Trust arrives on foot but leaves in a Lamborghini. "Trust is the most important currency in the business world." If trust is important for any company, it is even more crucial & critical for platforms.
Ease, ease, ease When the platform erases friction: lessons from a transformed healthcare journey. Platforms that succeed don't sell technology: they methodically eliminate obstacles in the customer journey.
All that glitters is not gold. The race to platform models closely resembles the 1848 gold rush: many are called, few are chosen. For SME and mid-cap leaders, the real question is not becoming the next Uber, but understanding where value really lies.