As part of an online miniseries, Maria Stranne, VP of Business Development and Innovation discusses her industry predictions for 2026.
My name is Maria Stranne and I am the VP of Business Development and Innovation at Gunnebo Safe Storage.
I have a long background in driving digital transformation and SW/HW development in several industries, most recently at SKF and Volvo Cars.
I joined the Safe Storage team in January 2025, at a time when innovation and connectivity are becoming increasingly important and I’m here to help strengthen our management capacity as we move through this phase.
I enjoy working with people across different parts of the value chain and in a global context, understanding how teams work and where I can contribute effectively.
Connected locks, sensors and other devices are increasingly being integrated into larger security ecosystems, creating new opportunities to generate actionable data.
These systems, often built on open platforms, support compliance monitoring, operational decision-making and analytics-driven insights.
While organisations are still exploring their full potential, early implementations are already showing efficiency gains across commercial and public environments.
Data distribution and processing are becoming central considerations.
Artificial intelligence is playing a growing role in detecting anomalies, predicting trends and automating routine security processes.
Yet intelligence may not reside solely in centralised cloud systems. Edge computing is gaining traction, allowing devices to interpret events and respond locally or remotely.
Hybrid architectures combining on-premises software and cloud components are likely to become the norm.
Real-time responsiveness is typically handled by local systems, while cloud resources enable remote monitoring, predictive maintenance and large-scale data analysis.
The effectiveness of these depends on the quality of integration between system layers and the governance practices applied by organisations.
Security teams need to manage the increasing complexity of connected systems while ensuring regulatory compliance and operational resilience.
Those that succeed can leverage real-time insights, improve operational efficiency and respond proactively to emerging risks.
Connectivity, data reliance and distributed processing are defining trends but practical constraints remain.
Device interoperability, network reliability and data governance continue to challenge organisations seeking to extract maximum value.
The shift toward integrated, intelligent security systems will ultimately accelerate.
By embracing these developments thoughtfully, organisations can enhance situational awareness, streamline operations and create secure, resilient environments.
A practical approach is to work in partnership to assess which systems and features genuinely need to remain on-premises and which could be deployed in the cloud.
This distinction is important because cloud solutions can offer scalability, flexibility and operational efficiencies but not every process or dataset is suitable for off-site implementation.
Understanding where cloud capabilities can add value without compromising control or compliance is a critical first step in shaping security technology strategy.
Setting clear targets should be linked to compliance, operational efficiency and reliability, providing measurable objectives that guide technology adoption and process improvement.
By defining these targets, organisations can ensure security technology investments support tangible outcomes.
Technology then becomes a tool to deliver defined results from maintaining regulatory standards to improving system availability and operational throughput.
Remaining vigilant in areas such as artificial intelligence and cybersecurity is equally important.
AI introduces opportunities to enhance decision-making and efficiency but it also brings potential risks, including data integrity issues, ethical considerations and new operational vulnerabilities.
Cybersecurity threats are continually evolving, requiring ongoing attention to both technical defences and human factors.
A culture that understands these benefits and risks helps teams make informed decisions, respond effectively to incidents and apply security technology responsibly.
