The Growth Reality of Operational And Industrial Tech

The Innovation Curve Continues to Steepen

The growth reality for operational and industrial technology companies begins with the speed of change. New capabilities - with AI being at the forefront - are rapidly reshaping customer expectations, pushing organizations to deliver smarter, more connected, and more adaptive solutions. Yet modernizing legacy infrastructure and integrating emerging technologies is complex and resource-intensive. With innovation cycles accelerating, companies move faster than they ever thought possible or move head down a path of decline and ultimately irrelevance.

Engineering Excellence Is Essential But Not Sufficient

Engineering-driven cultures give industrial technology companies a powerful foundation. Deep technical expertise leads to robust products, reliable performance, and meaningful innovation. But in today’s crowded and fast-moving market, strong technology alone no longer guarantees growth. Companies must pair engineering strength with an equally strong commercial engine—clear positioning, disciplined go-to-market execution, and a sharp understanding of customer value. Without this balance, even the best technology struggles to stand out, compete, and scale.

New Business Models, New Expectations

In every deal, customers ask for unique features or custom capabilities. Say yes too often, and the roadmap ends up abandoned. Say no too often, and growth stalls. The growth reality is that companies must balance today’s revenue opportunities with tomorrow’s product vision. The winners are those who turn customer requests into repeatable offerings—building platforms, not one-off projects.

Focus Is The Scarce Resource

In every deal, customers ask for unique features or custom capabilities. Say yes too often, and the roadmap scatters. Say no too often, and growth stalls. The growth reality is that companies must balance today’s revenue opportunities with tomorrow’s product vision. The winners are those who turn customer requests into repeatable offerings—building platforms, not one-off projects.

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About Mitch

Mitch Solomon

President

Mitch has spent years supporting senior leaders of operational and industrial technology companies as well as private equity investors that participate in the space.  He is an active member of the Technology and Innovation Council at Graham Partners, a leading industrial technology focused private equity firm, and serves on the advisory boards of OptConnect (a top IoT connectivity provider) and DecisionPoint (a rapidly growing operational technology systems integrator).  Mitch has worked closely with a wide range of industrial technology clients on a diverse array of growth opportunities and challenges including applications of AI, c-suite recruiting, strategic planning, new market identification and entry, product strategy, competitive positioning, revenue retention, value proposition identification and messaging, sales strategy and execution, and board presentations. Mitch holds a BA from Northwestern University and an MBA from The Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth College.