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Akzo Nobel partners with Albert Invent to drive AI-powered R&D innovation
Akzo Nobel has launched its Digital Workbench initiative in collaboration with Albert Invent, integrating AI tools to transform R&D workflows and accelerate innovation. The partnership aims to enhance productivity, foster collaboration, and deliver sustainable solutions faster.
Akzo Nobel, a global coatings manufacturer, has announced a strategic partnership with Albert Invent to integrate advanced AI tools into its R&D processes. The collaboration centres on the coatings producer’s Digital Workbench initiative, which aims to connect laboratory workflows, structure experimental data, and enable chemists to access AI-powered insights. With over 2,000 R&D professionals operating in 70 labs across more than 20 countries, this initiative is set to reshape how innovation is driven across the Dutch company’s extensive research network.
Frank Vergeer, R&D Group Director at Akzo Nobel, highlighted the transformative potential of the partnership: “Albert OS enables true connectivity between all our R&D teams around the world, driving increased productivity and speed to market through the effective combination of our collective know-how and modern AI/ML functionality.” This enhanced connectivity is expected to accelerate the development of innovative and sustainable coatings solutions.
The role of AI in modernising R&D workflows
The coatings and speciality chemicals industry is increasingly recognising the value of AI in transforming R&D. However, realising its full potential requires foundational changes, such as structuring scientific data and ensuring accessibility across teams. According to Albert Invent, the current challenge lies in overcoming isolated experimental insights and fragmented knowledge within organisations.
Albert OS, the AI-native operating system powering the Digital Workbench, aims to address these challenges by standardising workflows, connecting expertise, and making decades of experimental data accessible. As Nick Talken, Co-Founder and CEO of Albert Invent, explained: “We built Albert to support this ambition, helping world-class R&D teams work at their best and deliver outcomes that genuinely matter to their customers.”
Cultural transformation alongside technological innovation
In addition to adopting cutting-edge AI technology, Akzo Nobel emphasises the importance of cultural change to maximise the benefits of the transformation. Milena Rosso-Vasic, Program Manager Lab 4.0 at Akzo Nobel, noted: “The impact of this transformation goes far beyond technology. It is about building the capabilities, mindset, and ways of working that enable our teams to innovate more openly, learn faster, and scale ideas more effectively across the organisation.”
The rollout of the Digital Workbench is already underway, with a focus on broad adoption across Akzo Nobel’s global R&D teams. Both Akzo Nobel and Albert Invent view this partnership as a durable foundation for sustained innovation, enabling the coatings producer to remain competitive in the fast-evolving industry.
