How open source is driving technical transformation of vertical industries

Sponsored by LF Energy, the report analyses how vertical industries have become increasingly software-defined thanks to open-source technologies. The report serves as a guide for how industries that are still in the early stages of digital transformation can accelerate their progress and increase innovation by adopting and contributing to open source.

Industries examined in the report include agriculture, automotive, energy, entertainment, financial services, media, and telecommunications. Specific examples are provided of successful digital transformations driven by open-source technologies and standards.

The report provides detailed insight into how specific industries, several of which are centuries old, are moving forward with open source as an accelerator to their digital transformation plans, how they are building collaboration into the fabric of their R&D and development models, and relying heavily on open source technologies to stay competitive. It also describes the benefits of a collaborative development model, including improved interoperability, faster development, more innovative solutions, reduced costs, and longer lifespans.

The impacts of major technological trends and innovations such as AI, Cloud-native computing, IoT, and software-defined networking on the industry are also discussed.

“By examining how other industries have succeeded in their digitalisation and open-source journey, we hope to inspire others who are just getting started,” said Alex Thornton, executive director of LF Energy, the sponsor of this report. “This includes the energy sector, which has made progress on digitalisation, but much work is left to adopt the best practices in collaboration, innovation and cybersecurity implemented by other industries. The energy transition demands that we digitally optimise our physical infrastructure, and open source is the best way to build that digital layer rapidly, securely, and affordably.”