EPISODE · Dec 22, 2022 · 21 MIN
Newsflash: IBM Partner Ecosystem Strategy 2023
from Scouting for Growth · host Sabine VdL
On this episode of the Scouting For Growth podcast, Sabine VdL shares some timely insights from the team at IBM. One of these findings relates to one of IBM’s 2023 strategic themes and to IBM’s new partner program. KEY TAKEAWAYS Autonomous vehicles are expected to account for about 12% of car registrations, and global car sales of autonomous vehicles are expected to reach some 101 million units by 2030. Autonomous vehicles or companies that are working on self-driving technologies include perception, mapping, and localisation solutions, as well as cybersecurity risk prevention, testing, and fleet management solutions, are doing very well. The autonomous vehicle market raised over $51 billion across 500+ companies, meaning each company received an average of $102 million in funding. Many devices use embedded intelligent systems today, besides car functionalities, like Point-of-Sale terminals, smart TVs, smart metres, video surveillance equipment, traffic light controls, digital signs, and aviation controls. This means we need to understand how embedded intelligence systems operate and how they enable breakthroughs for established and new market players. For years, IBM Research and Centres of Excellence have invested in developing AI capabilities that are embedded in IBM software offerings. IBM's partnership strategy is combined into a single organisation, where all the pieces of the IBM Partner Ecosystem within the sales and distribution organisation operate. It is also consolidated under one single leadership and direction. IBM is making the same capabilities available to its IBMers and to its ecosystem of partners, providing them with a more straightforward path to create AI-powered solutions and access engagement materials to ensure that each ecosystem partner can create bulletproof propositions aligned with IBM’s high standards. BEST MOMENTS ‘Embedded intelligence 'is a term used for a system or program that can analyse and monitor their own operations and then adapt and optimise, consequently, in real-time, its routines with limited human intervention. They enable companies to get more innovative in the way they deploy and use technology, identify market opportunities, and target new markets.’ ‘The global embedded intelligence market is projected to reach a market value of $ 86 billion US dollars in 2032, increasing from $ 25.5 billion dollars in 2022 and expanding at a CAGR of 13% between 2022 and 2032.’ ‘Today, the lack of expertise and skills in Artificial Intelligence remains the biggest barrier to adopting advanced programming techniques by businesses, large and small, while limiting biases and ethical issues.’ ‘It is indeed crucial for data scientists, developers, sellers, and experts, among other types of users, to gain access to cutting-edge capabilities to learn new business development techniques and technological skills regardless of their level of expertise.’ ABOUT THE IBM PARTNER ECOSYSTEM PROGRAM: IBM has worked throughout 2022 to enhance its approach and systems to deliver a unique partner experience, giving partners access to the same capabilities available to IBMers. To find out more, use the two links provided below: Embeddable AI IBM PartnerWorld ABOUT THE HOST Sabine VanderLinden is a corporate strategist turned entrepreneur and the CEO of Alchemy Crew Ventures. She leads venture-client labs that help Fortune 500 companies adopt and scale cutting-edge technologies from global tech ventures. A builder of accelerators, investor, and co-editor of the bestseller The INSURTECH Book, Sabine is known for asking the uncomfortable questions—about AI governance, risk, and trust. On Scouting for Growth, she decodes how real growth happens—where capital, collaboration, and courage meet. If this episode sparked your thinking, follow Sabine VanderLinden on LinkedIn, Twitter, and Instagram for more insights. And if you’re interested in sponsoring the podcast, reach out to the team at [email protected]
What this episode covers
The most powerful intelligence in the world isn’t sitting in dashboards — it’s quietly embedded in the systems that run everything around us. In this solo episode of the Scouting for Growth Podcast, Sabine VanderLinden shares timely insights from IBM that illuminate one of the company’s key 2023 strategic themes: embedded intelligence — and how IBM’s newly reimagined Partner Ecosystem Program is designed to turn this shift into scalable, real-world impact. The numbers alone signal a structural change. Autonomous vehicles are expected to represent around 12% of all car registrations by 2030, with global sales reaching an estimated 101 million units. Behind that growth sits a complex value chain — perception, mapping, localisation, cybersecurity, testing, and fleet management — which has already attracted over $51 billion in funding across 500+ companies. This momentum, however, is only one visible expression of a much broader transformation. Embedded intelligence is already everywhere. From point-of-sale terminals and smart meters to traffic systems, aviation controls, digital signage, and surveillance infrastructure, intelligence is now built directly into devices and operating environments. These systems don’t just execute tasks — they monitor, learn, adapt, and optimise in real time, often with minimal human intervention. This capability is enabling entirely new business models for both incumbents and challengers. IBM has been preparing for this moment for years. Through IBM Research and its global Centres of Excellence, advanced AI capabilities have been systematically embedded across IBM’s software portfolio. What’s new — and strategically significant — is how IBM has unified its Partner Ecosystem. Sales, distribution, enablement, and partner engagement now operate under one organisation, one leadership, and one direction, removing friction and accelerating innovation across the ecosystem. Crucially, IBM is extending the same capabilities used by IBMers to its partners — offering a simpler, faster path to building AI-powered solutions. Partners gain access not only to technology, but to go-to-market assets and engagement frameworks that ensure every proposition is robust, ethical, and enterprise-ready. The opportunity is vast. The global embedded intelligence market is projected to grow from $25.5 billion in 2022 to $86 billion by 2032, at a 13% CAGR. Yet one challenge persists: skills. A lack of AI expertise — alongside concerns around bias and governance — remains the single biggest barrier to adoption across industries. IBM’s ecosystem-first approach directly addresses this gap by democratising access to cutting-edge AI tools and learning pathways, empowering data scientists, developers, sellers, and domain experts alike to innovate responsibly, regardless of experience level. This episode is essential listening for: Enterprise and innovation leaders planning AI adoption at scale Technology partners building embedded, AI-driven solutions Insurance, mobility, and infrastructure executives tracking next-wave growth Ecosystem builders seeking faster routes from concept to value The message is clear: the future belongs to those who embed intelligence where it matters most — inside the systems that power everyday decisions. And IBM is positioning its partners to lead exactly that future.
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Newsflash: IBM Partner Ecosystem Strategy 2023
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