As the Executive Director of manufacturing innovation center mHUB’s IIoT accelerator, I’m witness to both ends of the innovation spectrum: early-stage technologies and legacy manufacturers looking to innovate. mHUB brings these two entities together in a variety of formats for a mutual exchange of ideas and applications to solve real problems. The accelerator has challenge areas around data collection and utilization and scaling IoT across an enterprise. I would like to discuss the trends in IoT devices (such as sensors, robots, AVs, and wearables) and the challenges adopters face in terms of operationalization. Much of my reflection centers around how a traditional industry can reduce the risk and fear of implementing new technology. This involves ways to pilot and scale, finding the right projects that will create value and impact. This sometimes comes in the form of collaboration between manufacturer or corporation and early-stage. I can provide a case study the explores how a global provider of industrial electrical and network infrastructure is working with startups to find novel solutions that advance its own internal innovation / R&D and implementation.