What really matters for data, AI and decision-making in 2026

Want to move faster with a strategic view on your data? Every quarter, Elias zooms in on the market developments that impact your data-driven organisation.

Only two per cent of Dutch organisations have a mature data strategy, according to HPE research. The other 98 per cent? They are building their AI ambitions on quicksand. Because without a data strategy, AI does not become a smart assistant, but one that leaks sensitive business information, increases the risk of GDPR fines, and makes your organisation dependent on tech giants who do not share your interests.

What problem are you actually trying to solve? It sounds simple, but it’s exactly the question many organisations skip – and why their data projects fail. Hotel chain citizenM experienced this first-hand: their app seemed to be failing, until the data told a very different story. We supported citizenM in arriving at these insights.

AI is moving into operations, data needs to be faster and more reliable, and the EU AI Act is turning governance into a boardroom topic. Five trends are putting data strategy under pressure in 2026. “Those who fail to make choices will lose ground to competitors who do focus.”

The scenario is all too familiar: the boardroom has approved a data strategy, dashboards have been designed, and concepts for AI projects have been drafted. Months later, the plans are still sitting on the shelf, and no one has touched the dashboard since the presentation. What went wrong? “Technology can only help you if you know what you want it to help you with,” says Elias Hassing (Data Strategist at Digital Power).

Want to move faster with a strategic view on your data? Every quarter, Elias zooms in on the market developments that impact your data-driven organisation.

Many organisations feel that they need to do ‘something with data’. But how do you ensure that it really works for your organisation?

Does your organisation collect lots of data, but the step from insight to action often stalls? You’re not alone. Most companies struggle at every organisational level, from the boardroom to the frontline, to actually turn data into effective decisions. Data-driven decision-making offers the solution: a framework that brings together data, people, and technology so you can decide faster and better.

In this webinar, you will learn what data maturity means and how to gain insight into the extent to which your organisation handles data. You will discover how to determine where you currently stand, which factors play a role in this, and which next steps you can take to get more value out of data.

Are you losing control of your data? It’s time to take the reins. Effective data governance is the key to better decision-making, sustainable growth and a supportive business strategy.

Due to recent geopolitical developments, such as heightened concerns about privacy and legislation, many organisations are reassessing their dependence on US-based software solutions. At the same time, the call for greater control over data and reduced reliance on external parties is growing louder.

Are your IT department and the business working at cross purposes? Your organisation isn’t the only one. Many organisations struggle with business–IT alignment: bringing business objectives and technological initiatives into line.

Do you have access to more and more data, but find that better decisions are failing to materialise? You are not the only one. We see in many organisations that the growing amount of data actually leads to confusion and indecision. This data paradox - more data, but not automatically more insight - is a major challenge for anyone who wants to work in a truly data-driven way.

At energy company Ennatuurlijk, the belief grew that intuition was no longer enough to set the course. The energy market was changing rapidly, the organization was growing, and the amount of information was increasing every day. IT Manager Eric Vanderfeesten went looking for a data partner who could not only provide strategic advice on data-driven work, but could also strengthen his data team operationally. In this interview, he shares his vision, experience and results from working with Digital Power.

This e-book is written for decision-makers who want to harness the power of data to take their organisation to the next level. Whether you are CEO, CDO, IT director or department head: if you are responsible for the digital future of your organisation, this book will provide the insights you are looking for.

If you’ve decided to migrate your data warehouse to a European environment, taking a structured approach is key. This blog focuses on the steps needed for a smooth and successful transition.

Due to geopolitical developments and growing concerns about data sovereignty, more and more businesses are looking to reduce their dependence on US cloud providers.

At Ennatuurlijk, we have been working with the Data & Analytics team to deliver on their data strategy. When their Product Owner unexpectedly became unavailable, we were able to step in quickly. What began as a temporary replacement grew into a partnership in which we shaped the organisation’s data-driven ways of working together.

In an era marked by international tensions, rising concerns about privacy, security, and technological sovereignty, you may find yourself re-evaluating your reliance on US technology solutions. The drive towards digital independence isn't just a political goal, but may also be a pragmatic business necessity.

Sneller vooruit dankzij een strategische blik op je data? In de eerste up to data: macro matters editie zoomt Elias in op de marktontwikkelingen die impact hebben op jouw datagedreven organisatie.

Wondering how data mature your organisation really is? Our free online data maturity scan gives you a clear view of your organisation’s current level of data maturity – in just 5 minutes. Below we answer the five most frequently asked questions about the scan.

“Our current focus with data is mostly operational. To truly unlock its value, we want to start using it more strategically – to make better-informed decisions with the right focus. But where do we begin? What’s the best approach, and how do we build internal support? What is our current level of data maturity, and what steps should we take to grow?” This was the question posed by an international medical device manufacturer who asked us to carry out a data maturity scan as the starting point for their journey.

Ennatuurlijk supplies sustainable heat and cold via heat networks to consumers and businesses. The internal Data & Analytics team is tasked with making the organisation data-driven. In doing so, they ran into a challenge: the many requests for data products within the organisation were difficult to manage and the impact remained limited. The management team therefore asked us to help them develop a data strategy, create a future-proof data landscape and drive a data-driven mindset within the organisation.

War Child will measure the quality of its programs using a standardised methodology: Quality of Care. War Child developed this methodology based on scientific research. Now the question is: how can this be implemented across a large number of locations with different types of programs, various partner organisations, and donors? What is War Child's data ambition concerning Quality of Care, and how can a data strategy help the organisation move forward?

In our webinar, we would like to inspire you about the possibilities of developing a data strategy in an accessible way. How can you approach this process? Using our data strategy model, Eiske will present concrete examples and let you take a first step towards a solid strategy for your organisation.

An insurance company approached us to assist in shaping their data strategy. Their aim was to achieve their goals and provide a seamless customer experience across all touchpoints.

In this webinar, we discuss the maturity model that we apply to quantify the maturity of different dimensions of data governance. Additionally, we provide concrete steps and implementation tips to start providing added value through data management.

Digital Power has launched a new data strategy proposition to help its clients define and realise their goals for datadriven working. “Few organisations know how to convert the insights from their data into results. What they lack is a good data strategy,” says Charlotte Vonkeman, who is responsible for the new proposition.

Download our e-book about data strategy and learn how to maintain control and truly extract value from your data.

Nowadays, almost every organisation is aware of the need to work data driven. They understand the importance, but few have managed to succesfully implement a data strategy. In this interview series we talk about the definition of data strategy, use cases, opportunities and tips from data strategy experts.

Nowadays, almost every organisation is aware of the need to work data driven. They understand the importance, but few have managed to succesfully implement a data strategy. In this interview series we talk about the definition of data strategy, use cases, opportunities and tips from data strategy experts.

Nowadays, almost every organisation is aware of the need to work data driven. They understand the importance, but few have managed to succesfully implement a data strategy. In this interview series we talk about the definition of data strategy, use cases, opportunities and tips from data strategy experts.

How does all the data you collect effectively contribute to achieving the organisational goals? Few organisations actually succeed in converting insights from their data into results. As a data consultancy firm, we regularly talk to organisations that are overwhelmed by the vast array of tools and the large amount of data, and can no longer see the wood for the trees. Does this sound familiar? The development and implementation of a well-thought-out data strategy will help you regain control.

Nowadays, almost every organisation is aware of the need to work data driven. They understand the importance, but few have managed to succesfully implement a data strategy. In this interview series we talk about the definition of data strategy, use cases, opportunities and tips from data strategy experts.