This is the first in a series of articles on how companies can capture the value of the data generated by the Internet of Things.

Former Cisco CEO John Chambers got it mostly right when he said that every company today is a technology company. In fact, every company is becoming a technology and data company, and the consequences of this distinction are substantial.

The real value of the Internet of Things (IoT) lies in the data it serves up and the insights that result. Much has been written about how IoT is unlocking significant value for companies by enabling smart factories and connected supply chains as well as the ability to monitor products and deliver new services. But IoT isn’t just changing how companies operate; it’s changing the very nature of their businesses. In asset-heavy industries, the proliferation of IoT data is fundamentally shifting the customer value proposition from goods to services, and this shift is leading companies to adopt new business models that require new capabilities.

The majority of IoT solutions today are built around internal applications such as predictive maintenance, factory optimization, supply chain automation, and improved product design. But to fully capture the value of their IoT data, B2B companies need to think beyond their own walls. By collaborating with new business partners, including industry incumbents and players in other sectors, companies can form new data ecosystems. These ecosystems give their participants access to valuable collective data assets as well as the capabilities and domain expertise necessary to develop the assets into new data-driven products and services.

Data ecosystems will play a critical role in defining the future of competition in many B2B industries. They enable companies to build data businesses, which are valuable not only because they generate high-margin recurring revenue streams but also because they create competitive advantage. New data-driven products and services deliver unique value propositions that extend beyond a company’s traditional hardware products, deepening customer relationships and raising barriers to entry. They also build highly defensible positions, thanks to natural monopolies rooted in economies of scale and scope (similar to monopolies based on proprietary IP or trade secrets). Companies that secure advantaged positions in data ecosystems will generate significant value and competitive advantage across their entire business, including their traditional hardware offerings.