The supply chain industry is entering a new era of transformation, with 2026 poised to be a pivotal year for tech-driven innovation, according to new insights from Maersk Growth. Startups are moving past chasing hype to focus on AI-powered solutions that deliver real-world business value, driving a shift towards integrated, intelligent, and highly resilient logistics ecosystems.
Malene Hartung, Ecosystem Insights Manager at Maersk Growth, highlights that after a funding “reset” following the pandemic boom and subsequent slowdown, investors and companies are now prioritizing solutions that solve core challenges: smarter forecasting, disruption management, and meeting stringent sustainability requirements.
“The common direction is clear: AI is becoming the connective tissue of logistics,” said Hartung. “It’s transforming fragmented processes into integrated, intelligent ecosystems where decisions are faster, risks are mitigated proactively, and compliance is built in by design.”
The AI in supply chain market is set for explosive growth, projected to jump from $14 billion in 2025 to $50 billion by 2031, representing a remarkable 23% annual growth rate. This rapid adoption is driven by the race to create smarter, more efficient supply chains.
Top 3 Supply Chain Tech Trends for 2026
Maersk Growth identifies three standout trends where the convergence of AI and logistics will have the most significant impact on startups and the industry in 2026:
-
1. Agentic AI Moves Toward Orchestration:
-
AI-driven automation is scaling beyond pilots. “Agentic AI”—intelligent systems that act as virtual team members—is taking over repetitive tasks like quoting, booking, and compliance checks.
-
This technology is maturing from simple task execution to orchestrating entire workflows, paving the way for fully automated logistics operations that predict demand and manage compliance in real-time.
-
-
2. Control Towers Evolve into Decision Engines:
-
Traditional control towers, which provided visibility, are transforming into true decision-making hubs.
-
Powered by AI and digital twin technology, next-generation platforms will move beyond monitoring to actively orchestrate operations. They will simulate ‘what-if’ scenarios and automatically trigger mitigation actions (e.g., rerouting freight, adjusting inventory) in minutes, not days, to counter geopolitical shocks, tariff changes, and capacity swings.
-
-
3. ESG Compliance and Risk Intelligence Become Strategic:
-
Compliance is shifting from reactive paperwork to a proactive, strategic capability.
-
Stricter ESG disclosure requirements and global volatility mean businesses must demonstrate ethical, sustainable, and resilient supply chains.
-
Startups are meeting this demand with AI-driven platforms that automate proactive risk management, monitoring suppliers, flagging human rights risks, and adapting to trade sanctions and tariffs to reduce uncertainty and penalties.
-
While supply chain technologies saw their share of global VC funding drop from 6-9% to 2-4% after 2023, the focus has fundamentally shifted. Supply chain innovation is now blending into broader AI investment flows, where AI solutions account for over 50% of global venture funding. This new landscape prioritizes tangible, high-impact applications over unproven scale.
“Companies and investors are no longer chasing scale at any cost. The focus is squarely on resilient, cost-optimizing solutions that solve the real pain points of global logistics,” added Hartung.
For companies, investors, and innovators, the message is clear: 2026 will be defined by the strategic and operational adoption of AI to create smarter, more resilient, and efficient supply chains.
