A journey of innovation and inspiration at AVEVA World Paris 2024

Posted: February 07, 2025

The AVEVA World conference is always a highlight of my year. From a professional perspective, it’s the best place to learn about the latest technologies in industrial software and to be inspired by customers’ success stories. On a personal level, it’s a unique time to reconnect with colleagues and customers whom I usually only see on my computer screen. And, of course, I can’t forget the beautiful cities that AVEVA World takes us to each year. Last year, it was Paris—where innovation and technology met art, history, and culture. I couldn’t imagine a better combination.

When I entered the keynote hall for the first general session of the conference, I held my breath for a moment—and I’m sure I wasn’t alone. Sitting among an audience of 3,500 customers, partners, colleagues, and innovators, with many more watching online, you could sense that something big and extraordinary was about to happen. It felt historic just to be there.

I was especially happy to see so much of last year’s conference focused on creating a more sustainable, greener, and better world. AVEVA CEO Caspar Herzberg emphasized that sustainable success is built on radical collaboration—across teams, between partners, and with technology providers. He encouraged everyone to connect with someone from a different industry or background, someone they wouldn’t usually interact with, to brainstorm and develop innovative ideas that drive sustainability forward. I’m excited to see how our new platform, the world’s largest digital ecosystem, CONNECT, will grow and expand across industries. I look forward to the incredible things we’ll achieve together through collaboration. It gives me hope for the future.

One of the most notable speakers last year was Amal Clooney, who joined Caspar Herzberg to discuss how technology and AI can support justice, legal transparency, and fairness for those in need. It was powerful to see AVEVA fostering awareness that, while our professional focus may be on software and industry, the innovations we create can impact the entire world. As professionals, we should never forget the potential for collaboration across different teams and industries. We all share a responsibility to help create a better, more just world for the next generation. As a soon-to-be mom, Amal’s words truly resonated when she said that we should all strive to act in ways that make us proud to answer our children’s questions in the future. I am proud to be part of a company that cares about these broader impacts and inspires us to do the same.

With that sense of excitement in the air, I was eager to explore the conference’s expo, the Innovation Zone, next. Have you ever dreamed of traveling to the future? I have—and visiting the expo brought me closer than ever to that feeling. A big shoutout to all the exhibitors for sharing their latest innovations in such a fun and engaging way. I especially enjoyed the organized tours around the expo that were offered. They were incredibly helpful in providing an overview and mental map of the space before diving in and having one-on-one conversations with exhibitors.

Transitioning to one of my greatest passions: learning and helping others learn. AVEVA World’s Learning Labs inspire me as an instructor and training content creator, motivating me to work even harder to surprise our learners with new ideas for future sessions. Even though I attended the sessions as a trainer, I learned a lot from the inspiring conversations and questions asked by our audience. I’m already looking forward to teaching and learning from everyone again this year.

Last year, we had an incredible 200+ sessions featuring customers, partners, and AVEVA employees, where we heard many inspiring success stories and learned how various industries leverage different products from the AVEVA portfolio to enhance their market success and create impact. I particularly enjoyed listening to how the ABS CBN Foundation Inc. (AFI) and Calibr8 are using technology to protect marine life and the surrounding community. They were also awarded the AVEVA Sustainability Impact Award.

Additionally, it was fantastic to attend sessions led by my colleagues and engage in conversations with customers afterward to hear their excitement about all the new AVEVA product updates and their plans for using them in their work. It’s impossible to summarize all the amazing sessions we had, so I encourage you to visit the AVEVA World website to watch the session recordings. I will definitely be reviewing many of them.

From the exhilarating atmosphere in the keynote hall to the impactful discussions led by industry leaders, every moment of AVEVA World 2024 emphasized our shared responsibility to create a more sustainable and better future through collaboration.

This year’s conference promises to be another remarkable event filled with inspiring stories, innovative technologies, and valuable connections. Mark your calendars for the next AVEVA World conference in April 2025 in San Francisco and join us to explore what the future of industrial intelligence looks like. I hope to see many of you there!