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Big bang or bricks?

Legacy systems, siloed data and complex interdependencies hold back supply chain innovation. Big bang, rip-and-replace change is slow, risky and costly. Discover how low-risk, iterative steps today can build tomorrow’s advantage through modular and composable supply chains you can start shaping right now.

SEE NEXT EVENT

THE CHALLENGE

An Innovation Model That Can’t Keep Up

Supply chains face disruption from deglobalisation, decarbonisation, digitalisation and shifting demographics. Yet much innovation still depends on large, slow programmes and rigid, monolithic change — often without a clear ‘north star’ to align with corporate strategy. The result is isolated wins, limited long-term advantage and leaders caught up in firefighting instead of driving continuous improvement.

"By the time we've got everyone's buy-in, the world has already moved on"

Supply Chain Director
Global Retailier

"Unless there's a burning platform, getting alignment is like pulling teeth"

VP Operations
Industrial Manufacturer

"Success depends on so many things outside my control but it's on me if it fails"

Senior Director, Supply Chain
Mid-Market Pharma

"We spend months of assessment on potential solutions but the size of the commitment means we kick the can down the road"

Transformation Lead
European Chemicals Manufacturer

"I've still got the scars from the last big project so I'm doubly cautious now. But I still need to show I'm bringing ideas to the table, especially with AI everything"

Supply Chain Director
FMCG

"The ERP upgrade is seen as a silver bullet but, in practice, we'll either bend our processes to fit or end up with layers of endless customisations"

Supply Chain Transformation Director
Consumer Goods

Unless you can prove payback in year one, forget about getting the budget approved"

Supply Chain Director
Food & Beverage

“The competitive advantage is already in our data. The problem is getting it out."

VP Supply Chain
UK Manufacturer

"Every time we want to change one process, IT tells us it will break ten others!"

VP Supply Chain
Global Manufacturer

"We've spent millions on visibility but we still don't have the data we actually need when disruption hits"

Logistics Director
Global Apparel Brand

THE VISION

From de-risking today's priorities to building tomorrow's advantage

Imagine if your teams could:

Spin up a new planning tool in weeks, not years
Test ESG dashboards without waiting for ERP approval
Deploy AI in pockets where it proves value, then scale fast
Combine best-of-breed partners with your own IP and data

You can’t implement modular, composable approaches overnight. But you can adopt iterative innovation principles and smart change management to de-risk current initiatives while laying the bricks to fully harness AI, modular architectures and proprietary IP...turning today’s safe bets into tomorrow’s competitive advantage.

"We didn’t need a global replatforming. We needed one capability to flex where the business needed it most. That’s where we started."

Supply Chain Director
Global Food & Beverage Group

“Instead of waiting 12 months to roll out a new planning tool, we plugged in a module that worked alongside our existing setup. It’s not perfect, but we’re learning and improving every month.”

Head of Planning Transformation
Consumer Goods Brand

“For the first time, we could say yes to a pilot without triggering a full IT project.”

Regional Logistics Manager
Retail

“It’s doesn't have to be about cutting-edge. It’s about moving faster with less risk and not breaking what already works.”

VP, Supply Chain Operations
Manufacturing

“Our advantage isn’t the tools, it’s how we’re assembling them to fit how we work. That’s not something you can buy off the shelf.”

Supply Chain Innovation Lead
Industrial Products

“We’ve stopped trying to convince everyone upfront. We run small tests, share the results and momentum builds from there.”

Transformation Lead
Distribution & Fulfilment

“We ran a pilot on inventory optimisation with a startup that had never worked in supply chain before. It cost us a few thousand pounds, delivered results almost immediately and it’s now embedded in day-to-day operations.”

Director of Supply Chain Excellence
Global Beverage Company

“The real unlock for us was standing up a lightweight orchestration layer that gave us a clean, real-time view of inventory. That became our own system of record and now both external tools and in-house microservices can read from and write to it.”

Head of Digital Supply Chain
Consumer Goods Manufacturer

“We standardised how we connect tools, not which tools we use. That gives us control without slowing innovation.”

Supply Chain IT Business Partner
Multinational Logistics Provider

“The biggest shift was moving from dashboards to agents. Instead of more reports, we now have microservices triggering actions - like replenishment or risk alerts - in real time.”

VP, Logistics
Global FMCG Brand

"Before, onboarding a new vendor took 6-12 months and three layers of approval. Now we can trial a module in a few days and only scale if it works.”

Head of Supply Chain Partnerships
Global Retailer

OUR MISSION

Accelerate investment & innovation

We need to overcome the barriers to supply chain innovation to accelerate the shift to a resilient, efficient and sustainable future.

Deglobalisation, digitalisation, decarbonisation and shifting demographics are reshaping the future of supply chain and logistics.

In this landscape of accelerating change, operators risk misallocating up to 80% of their capital by sticking with outdated technologies and legacy thinking. What works today won’t work tomorrow.

So the questions become urgent:

As a supply chain operator: How should your business evolve and which technologies deserve your investment?
As a tech innovator: How can you anticipate shifting priorities and scale solutions that truly meet the moment? Who should you partner with?
As an investor: Which businesses will thrive a decade from now and how can you guide your portfolio companies toward lasting success?

True resilience isn’t just about visibility or supplier diversification, it’s about the ability to adapt quickly without destabilising what already works.

Life sciences, finance and media are already using modular and iterative approaches to test, scale and improve without full re-platforming. Supply chain leaders like Amazon, Ocado, Maersk and Zalando have been able to:

Reduce time-to-value from months to weeks
Scale proven pilots across regions without disruption
Cut cost and risk from full-system overhauls

And it’s not just global giants. A UK-based food manufacturer cut pilot approval time by 40% using a modular approach. A European retailer used composable planning tools to improve forecast accuracy without waiting for an ERP upgrade.

Who for?

SCL-X is first and foremost for supply chain leaders, the grassroots of this ecosystem.

It's also for established tech innovators adapting their stacks to modularity; emerging tech innovators partnering with operators and incumbents; investors removing barriers to value creation; and ecosystem partners who enable and connect.

Supply chains lead the conversation; the ecosystem turns needs into action.

WHO's INTERESTED?

INNOVATION LEADERS

SCLI SPEAKER - JON BRADFORD, DYNAMO VENTURES (6) — JOHN BRADFORD

Managing Partner

**DYNAMO VENTURES**

SCLI SPEAKER - ETHAN KHATRI, AIV CAPITAL

SCLI SPEAKER - SOPHIA KARANICHOLAS, DELOITTE-2

SCLI SPEAKER - LUCY HARDING, ODGERS BERNDTSON

SCLI SPEAKER - ARNAUD HOULES, NINE REALMS-2

SCLI SPEAKER - ALAN BRISTOW, ICON CORPORATE FINANCE

James T. Kirk

VP of Statistical

**DYNAMO**

INNOVATION LEADERS

Who's interested?

Supply Chain Leaders

Adam Grimwood

Business Technology Partner

ASSOCIATED BRITISH FOODS

Nicole Kurz

Group Supply Chain Director

LACTALIS UK&I

Brian McConville

Lead Global Process Expert - SC

BAT

Sam Howell

Supply Chain Director

ITSU

Danny Stubbs

Supply Chain Director

BACARDI

Neil Brown

Supply Chain Director

MARTIN BROWER

Is it right for me?

It may be worth exploring iterative approaches such as composability and modular thinking if two or more of these apply to your supply chain:

Pilots stall or never scale
Core systems block new ideas
Your model is evolving faster than your tech
You can’t deploy AI effectively within today’s constraints
Progress feels slow despite heavy investment

SCL-X explores how to balance today's risks with tomorrow's opportunities:

> Opportunities: faster cycles, capital-efficient pilots, less technical debt, strategic fit, momentum from early wins and access to diverse innovation partners.

> Risks: governance, cyber exposure, internal skills, scalability, orchestration and vendor maturity.

At our next event, you’ll hear directly from supply chain leaders who are tackling these risks and building practical playbooks for success.

Apr 29 London

SCL-X LIVE

Join a curated group of supply chain leaders to explore what’s working — and what isn’t — in modular innovation.

What makes it different:

Operator-first. The agenda is shaped and led by practitioners. Vendors and investors are in the room, but always in support of operator perspectives.
No sponsor presentations. Sponsors help make the event possible, but they don’t control the stage. Every session is focused on candid, peer-led discussion.
Working format. Expect labs, workshops and debates that dig into real challenges — not just slide decks.

What you’ll take away:

Practical playbooks shared by peers
Benchmarks you can take back to your board
Connections with other operators facing the same challenges

SEE AGENDA & REGISTER YOUR INTEREST

Faster innovation cycles

Modular capabilities can be trialled, improved and scaled without waiting for full replatforming.

Capital-efficient experimentation

Prove value with small, focused pilots reducing risk and upfront investment.

Less technical debt

Modular tools align to your needs without the heavy customisation of monolithic systems.

Fit to competitive strategy

Build for your unique operating model and competitive advantage.

Compound innovation momentum

Early wins create internal confidence and unlock faster follow-on improvements.

Plug into diverse innovation partners

Integrate startups, data providers, or in-house tools for more flexible problem solving.

System sprawl

Without strong governance, modular systems can become fragmented and hard to manage.

Cybersecurity exposure

More APIs and moving parts mean a larger attack surface...security must be built in.

Internal capability gaps

Success depends on product thinking, iterative delivery, digital fluency and decentralised ownership.

Not always suitable

Without competitive differentiators, modularity may not have enough upside.

Scalability needs orchestration

Without a shared data and process orchestration layer, modular initiatives risk becoming siloed or duplicative.

Plug inot diverse innovation partners

Early-stage vendors or internal teams often need help to scale securely and reliably.

Start Small

Most organisations start by identifying where innovation is slow or blocked and where modular thinking could reduce friction.

Start at the edges: Focus on capabilities like planning, visibility or ESG that can be tested without disrupting the core.
Fix the data flow: A shared data layer makes it easier to plug in new tools without rebuilding from scratch.
Run safe pilots: Test what works - whether it’s AI, simulation, or simple automation - with clear goals and limited risk.
Build governance as you go: Define how tools are evaluated, reused and scaled to avoid innovation sprawl.

Strategic Resilience

Resilience is often described in terms of visibility or supplier diversification. But true strategic resilience means being able to improve and adapt quickly, enhancing individual processes without destabilising the whole. This requires an innovation approach that supports safe, incremental changes which lower risk and deliver results faster. It also lets organisations blend their own IP, data and know-how with best-of-breed innovators to create solutions that are unique, scalable and hard to replicate.

Technology is More Than AI

AI is a game changer but not the only path to improvement. Many supply chain challenges can be solved as effectively – and often more efficiently – using simulation, optimisation algorithms or statistical models. The value comes from embedding the right capability in the right process, with guardrails that maintain control and measure results before scaling.

THE OPPORTUNITY

Unlocking Scalable Innovation and Investment

Europe hosts over half of the world’s major supply chains but receives under 5% of global supply chain venture capital, despite a €7 trillion market and rising demand for AI and technology-driven solutions.

Closing the Adoption Gap

Startups often face long sales cycles, integration risks and legacy complexity, while operators need proven solutions they can adopt and scale quickly.

Everybody Wins

By creating direct pathways for corporate clienting and venturing, we can bridge this gap and unlock value for every part of the ecosystem:

Operators get targeted improvements without costly overhauls
Established providers extend or partner their platforms with modular, best-fit capabilities
Investors support solutions proven in live environments with clearer paths to scale and exit

"Over 50% of large supply chain companies are actually headquartered in Europe but Europe's underfunded on a VC perspective in supply chain by a factor of over 2x"

Christy McCaig, General Partner, Nine Realms
EU.VC Podcast

"Europe currently accounts for only 5% of logistics venture funding worldwide, while representing 13% of overall venture funding [of a €7 trillion market]"

European Investment Fund

"Nearly two-thirds (64%) of [supply chains] perceive AI as the key to supply chain improvements, in the form of lower costs and increased resilience. However, only 1% indicate that they have been able to fully automate processes, whether through partial robotic automation or full AI implementation"

From Disruption to Opportunity: Strategies for Rewiring Global Value Chains
WORLD ECONOMIC FORUM

Why SCL Investor?

Our deep experience supporting supply chain operators through digital transformation and operational improvement gives us a front-row seat to the barriers holding back faster technology adoption.

In a rapidly evolving world, it’s difficult to pinpoint which supply chain and logistics investments will truly drive profitability and long-term value.

CAPEX decision-makers often view supply chain as a cost centre and remain unconvinced that investing in new technologies will yield a strong return on limited capital, undermining its potential as a source of competitive advantage.

Time and attention are scarce. Navigating the full SC&L tech landscape is a major challenge, especially when it comes to startups and emerging challengers.

Yet, if we can overcome these obstacles and accelerate adoption, innovators will scale faster, make supply chains more agile, resilient & sustainable so that everyone who depends on them — which is all of us — will benefit.

Within their areas of focus, investors are already making informed bets on what the future holds: how customer needs will shift, how supply chains must evolve, and which technologies will underpin that transformation. The investor perspective is not just useful — it’s essential.

THE SOLUTION

Building the Ecosystem for Next-Gen Supply Chain Innovation

SCL-X is designed to close the innovation gap by focusing on practical, real-world applications that deliver measurable results. Our emphasis is on what works in live operations, not on fuelling the latest technology hype. By breaking supply chains into modular processes, improvements can be tested and scaled with confidence – whether they involve AI, simulation, optimisation or other proven techniques.

What Composability Means in Supply Chain

In technology, “composability” often means Microservices, API-first, Cloud-native, Headless (MACH principles). In operations, it is broader:

Designing processes so improvements can be made one component at a time
Integrating new capabilities into those processes without destabilising the whole system
Using modular, interoperable technology to support flexibility and reduce technical debt

Building Digital Fluency

Technology alone is not enough – it is how you use it that matters. SCL-X helps leaders to:

Become better buyers of solutions, knowing what to integrate and when
Recognise when AI adds value and when simpler models deliver faster, cheaper results
Leverage consultants and partners to compose processes and set guardrails for innovation
Unlock the value of internal IP and data, turning them into strategic assets

Opening the Door to Collaborative Innovation

We bring together the full spectrum of innovation partners to work on live supply chain challenges. This includes established technology providers and consultancies with proven platforms, as well as non-traditional innovators such as startups, university research teams and deep-tech specialists.

A Practitioner-First Experience

Unlike traditional conferences, SCL-X is built around discussions and interactive workshops, not passive presentations. It’s a working environment for transformation leaders to think, collaborate, and act.

Decision Labs help leaders map out real innovation paths from today’s state to tomorrow’s outcomes
Roundtables bring operators, architects, and solution partners into candid peer exchange
Panels and case studies distill lessons from real transformation journeys
Startup sessions let operators give feedback, not just get pitched

Every format is designed to help participants solve problems, shape decisions and contribute to the next wave of supply chain innovation.

KEY THEMES

Why Invest in Supply Chain & Logistics?

Supply chain & logistics is the backbone of the economy, remaining vital even during downturns. Paradigm shifts like deglobalisation, resilience, e-commerce and sustainability present risks and opportunities with increasing funding in:

AI-driven demand forecasting & supply optimisation
End-to-end supply chain visibility & blockchain
Automation & robotics
Sustainable logistics
Logistics infrastructure

Find out more in CHAIN MAKERS magazine

KEY THEMES

Innovation Frontiers

From Monolithic to Modular & Composable: Redesigning the Innovation Engine
Digital Fluency as a Strategic Capability
Agentic AI and In-House Innovation
Collaborating with Startups and Scaleups
Capital-Efficient Innovation Strategies
Resilience Reimagined: Innovation as a Continuously Adaptive System

"I really enjoyed the day and thought it was well organised and informative. I did go into this thinking it was going to have some hard sell but that was not the case and the vendors were really part of the discussion"

Stuart Pritchard
RTS Textiles

"Very clear, loved the online personal agenda, time to set up my preferences etc. Had three people from very different industries yet common problems, great to connect and share insights."

Mike Shaverin
Mars

"A good day; glad I made the effort and several follow-ups already in progress"

Iain Harris
KP Snacks

"Numbers of people just right and allowed individuals to properly catch up. Atmosphere was relaxed and liked that the sales pitches from those companies sponsoring was relatively informal"

Neil Brown
Martin Brower

"Another super valuable session with an amazing mix of people who are all solution driven"

Matt Spencer-Skeen
Mundipharma

"A great mix of scale of business, industries and experience. I love the format of structured 121s with peers. I came to this with a real lack of understanding of the potential for AI, so this was an eye opener for me"

Dan Bird
Abcam

"Realised that others are also operating with a high degree of uncertainty following not just external macro economics dynamics but structural changes taking place internally. Clarity on the 3 problems we a trying to solve"

Angelo Bernardinello
LSA International

"[Discussions were the] best bit… Great to share and get each other's input and insight"

Adam Grimwood
AB Agri

"Was a great session and got some good information out of the day"

Lee Crowhurst
Cranfield Aerospace

"Sessions were insightful and good to see a range of speakers from different industries and consultancy as well as practitioners. Personal agenda is very helpful and also seeing who else will be joining the sessions is beneficial"

Matt Normington
LEGO

"Very informative and good to hear real life experiences not just theory. I felt my time was being treated as important and not being wasted. Made some good contacts and shared some valuable tips. Great fun at the end"

Alan Clarke
Landmann

"A very worthwhile day. A really great bunch of attendees and good roundtable discussions. I am going to try and push forward some AI initiatives…start small and grow"

Damian Bates
Atlas Copco

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Chain makers magazine

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M&A in Supply Chain & Logistics

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Value creation opportunities in 2025

acquisitions exits Feb 24, 2025 12:09:47 PM 2 min read

FEB 2025 NEWS DIGEST

SCL INVESTOR

The full eco-system event for value creation in logistics including investors, supply chain & logistics organisations, tech innovators and partners.

See next edition

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Each month you’ll receive:

Case studies: How peers are testing and scaling modular approaches
Playbooks: Frameworks and checklists you can apply immediately
Signals: The latest startups, tools and practices shaping supply chain innovation

SUBSCRIBE Read Insights Now

SCL INVESTOR

The full eco-system event for value creation in logistics including investors, supply chain & logistics organisations, tech innovators and partners.

See next edition

OPERATORS

For all operators of supply chain & logistics businesses looking to support investment in operational transformation and tech-driven value creation.

See next edition

ENT TECH

Focused on innovations in enterprise technologies including:

Data & digitalisation
Advanced analytics & process optimisation
Planning & inventory optimisation
Procurement & contract management
Visibility, tracking & orchestration
ESG & risk management

See next edition

LOG TECH

Focused on innovations in logistics technologies including:

Freight tech: multi-modal optimisation, fleet management, electric & autonomous vehicles
Warehouse tech: automation & robotics, AR, packaging, fulfilment & e-commerce / D2C
Last mile: autonomous vehicles & drones, delivery & returns
Asset monitoring, IoT & blockchain

See next edition

INFRA

Focused on investments into logistics infrastructure including:

Emerging multimodal global hubs
Freight infrastructure for sea, rail, road and air
Real estate for distribution centres and warehouses
Energy transition for facilities & fleets

See next edition

PRODUCED BY

BESTPRACTICE.CLUB

BestPractice.Club is a peer-to-peer forum for supply chain and logistics leaders. After years of candid roundtable discussions across planning, sourcing, logistics and transformation, a clear pattern emerged: monolithic structures remain the single biggest blocker to innovation. SCL-X is the next step — helping supply chains de-risk today’s innovation while laying the bricks for tomorrow’s competitive advantage.

Go to website

SCL INVESTOR

The full eco-system event for value creation in logistics including investors, supply chain & logistics organisations, tech innovators and partners.

See next edition

OPERATORS

For all operators of supply chain & logistics businesses looking to support investment in operational transformation and tech-driven value creation.

See next edition

ENT TECH

Focused on innovations in enterprise technologies including:

Data & digitalisation
Advanced analytics & process optimisation
Planning & inventory optimisation
Procurement & contract management
Visibility, tracking & orchestration
ESG & risk management

See next edition

LOG TECH

Focused on innovations in logistics technologies including:

Freight tech: multi-modal optimisation, fleet management, electric & autonomous vehicles
Warehouse tech: automation & robotics, AR, packaging, fulfilment & e-commerce / D2C
Last mile: autonomous vehicles & drones, delivery & returns
Asset monitoring, IoT & blockchain

See next edition

INFRA

Focused on investments into logistics infrastructure including:

Emerging multimodal global hubs
Freight infrastructure for sea, rail, road and air
Real estate for distribution centres and warehouses
Energy transition for facilities & fleets

See next edition

FOUNDING PARTNER

SUPPLY CHAIN WISE

Leading provider of advice on AI-powered solutions that help customers optimize their supply chain operations.

Go to website

Big bang or bricks?

An Innovation Model That Can’t Keep Up

From de-risking today's priorities to building tomorrow's advantage

Accelerate investment & innovation

It's happening now...

Who for?

INNOVATION LEADERS

JOHN BRADFORD

James T. Kirk

INNOVATION LEADERS

JOHN BRADFORD

James T. Kirk

Supply Chain Leaders

Is it right for me?

SCL-X LIVE

Opportunities

Faster innovation cycles

Capital-efficient experimentation

Less technical debt

Fit to competitive strategy

Compound innovation momentum

Plug into diverse innovation partners

RISKS

System sprawl

Cybersecurity exposure

Internal capability gaps

Not always suitable

Scalability needs orchestration

Plug inot diverse innovation partners

HOW TO GET THERE FROM HERE?

Start Small

It's already happening...

Strategic Resilience

Technology is More Than AI

Unlocking Scalable Innovation and Investment

Closing the Adoption Gap

Everybody Wins

Why SCL Investor?

Building the Ecosystem for Next-Gen Supply Chain Innovation

What Composability Means in Supply Chain

Building Digital Fluency

Opening the Door to Collaborative Innovation

A Practitioner-First Experience

Why Invest in Supply Chain & Logistics?

Innovation Frontiers

Testimonials

Agenda

Chain makers magazine

M&A in Supply Chain & Logistics

Value creation opportunities in 2025

FEB 2025 NEWS DIGEST

EVENTS

Agenda

SCL INVESTOR

Subscribe to INSIGHTS

SCL INVESTOR

OPERATORS

ENT TECH

LOG TECH

INFRA

BESTPRACTICE.CLUB

SCL INVESTOR

OPERATORS

ENT TECH

LOG TECH

INFRA

SUPPLY CHAIN WISE