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The Center for Digital Business Growth (CDBG) at the Department of Information and Service Management at Aalto University School of Business is a hub for understanding how digital innovation drives business growth and transformation. The center translates rigorous academic research into practical insights, helping organisations navigate digital transformation and compete in rapidly changing markets. 

‘At CDBG, partnering companies benefit from research reports, seminars and company-specific workshops, all focused on practical, digital growth challenges. We aim to equip companies with how digital solutions can be leveraged to drive business growth,’ explains Jukka Salonen, Professor of Practice at Aalto University. 

‘We have a skilled workforce and real opportunities to create new growth through digital innovations and data products, both in relation to existing products and new ones,’ adds Matti Rossi, Chair of CDBG and Professor at Aalto University. ‘We can offer new kinds of collaboration opportunities for those within companies who are wrestling with the challenges in digital growth. This means access to a community in which they can test ideas, hear the perspectives of others, and listen to world-class researchers present the latest insights in the field.’ 

The CDBG team at Aalto University is strengthened by a global network of leading researchers and senior industry leaders. They support the center by deepening academic knowledge and helping to link academic thinking more closely to real business challenges. 

‘Too often, research remains abstract and practice remains reactive,’ states Heikki Lempinen, the CEO of Reima Group. “CDBG creates a much-needed bridge between the two, helping companies make better strategic decisions rather than chasing the latest trends.’  

Leading enterprise-wide data and AI capabilities, Sonia Boije, the Chief Data Officer at nbn Australia, shares similar experiences in needing collaboration across sectors to drive growth. ‘Many organizations today struggle with strategic alignment and value realization, often lacking clarity on how their digital initiatives link to core business goals. The center can foster an environment where we can share these real-world experiences and co-create solutions with peers from business and academia.’ 

‘Existing in the intersection of these two worlds, CDBG serves as a much-needed hub for innovation, research and collaboration, helping organisations leverage digital approaches, business models and strategies to unlock new growth opportunities,’ says Mikael Skov Mikkelsen, Partner and Head of Technology Transformation at PwC Consulting. ‘In a world where digital is part of almost everything, there is a need for businesses to explore deeper and further to find and proofcase the approaches and solutions that enable the next generation developments and sustainable solutions.’