Reporting from Santa Clara, the IoT Tech Expo North America returned on June 4–5, 2025, at the Convention Center, bringing together a rich mix of IoT, AI, Big Data, Cybersecurity, Edge Computing, and Digital Transformation under one big roof. While organizers projected over 8,000 attendees, I’d estimate it was closer to 5,000–6,000.
A Showcase of IoT Ecosystem
Walking the expansive expo floor, you could clearly see the four key pillars of IoT represented across hundreds of booths:
- Hardware: sensors, gateways, and edge devices
- Firmware: embedded systems and device software
- Communications: connectivity standards like 5G, LoRaWAN, and others
- Software: platforms that process, analyze, and secure the data
Industrial IoT & Industry 4.0 Took Center Stage
We focused heavily on the Industrial IoT & Industry 4.0 track. Sustainability, automation, and smart factories dominated the discussion.
Highlight: PepsiCo’s Real-World IIoT Case
In a standout session titled “AI, IIoT and Delivering Business Impact,” Prashanth Srinivasan, Head of Architecture at PepsiCo, gave a deep-dive into how they applied IoT and AI to increase chip packaging throughput by 7% at their Vallejo, Mexico plant.
It was a highly technical talk, but the business takeaway was crystal clear: when done right, AI + IoT = real operational impact.
Highlight Talk: IoT at PepsiCo
In this session led by Prashanth Srinivasan, Head of Architect at PepsiCo, called “AI, IIoT and Delivering Business Impact.” He walked us through a highly technical, yet incredibly relatable, case study. He detailed how PepsiCo leveraged AI + IoT to increase chip packaging throughput by a remarkable 7% at their Vallejo, Mexico facility. It was a concrete example of how these technologies translate directly into tangible business impact.
The Power of Modular “Building Blocks”
Another standout presentation came from Tom Clements, VP of Sales, in “Powering the Connected World in IoT.” He emphasized the critical need for IoT Best Practice Building Blocks, stressing that successful IoT solutions must be:
- Modular and componentized: Think Lego bricks, not monolithic structures. Componentized systems allow for easier scaling and updating.
- Built for timely data ingestion: Getting the right data, at the right time, is non-negotiable. You can’t act on what you don’t know in time.
- Backed by strong identity and device management: Security and control start at the device level.
- Capable of detecting failures down to a single device, anywhere in the world, in real-time: Because when things break, you need to know immediately where and why.
AI + IoT = The Real Synergy
Another session that stuck with me featured Martin Whitlock, CTO of Telenor IoT, hosted by Sudha Jamthe, tech futurist and Principal at the Business School of AI. They made a compelling case for AIoT, the intersection of AI and IoT, as the future of connected systems.
Their core insight:
IoT produces the data; AI gives it meaning. Together, they’re reshaping everything from predictive maintenance to supply chain optimization.
Personal Takeaways & Observations
- Scale is real: Hundreds of booths, thousands of attendees (photographs just can’t capture it all.)
- Booths mirror the full IoT lifecycle: Saw everything from sensor design to cloud analytics.
- Industrial IoT is the leader: especially in manufacturing, logistics, and utilities.
- AI isn’t optional: Every platform now integrates AI. Without it, it’s hard to compete.
- Security and trust aren’t afterthoughts: Certifications and device identity popped up in nearly every session.
