Competitive Intelligence International Conference, 2026, 3rd edition: The role of Competitive Intelligence in Protecting Your Business from Industrial Espionage

The third edition of the “Competitive Intelligence International Conference” took place at the Romanian-American University in Bucharest on May 13, 2026. The event brought together specialists, academics, and professionals from various fields to discuss the role of competitive intelligence in protecting companies against industrial espionage.

The keynote speakers were:

The event included presentations by all three speakers, as well as an applied competitive intelligence workshop. Participants had the opportunity to deepen their knowledge and understanding on competitive intelligence.

The conference addressed two main discussion topics: “The Role of Competitive Intelligence in Protecting Your Business from Industrial Espionage” and “Competitive Intelligence & Strategic Decision-Making”.

The keynote speakers’ presentations explored these topics in depth, and the audience was encouraged to engage in a open dialogue with the experts, who welcomed any questions or points of view.

As the presentations revealed, industrial espionage poses a significant threat to private companies, including Romanian ones. Competitive intelligence can play a crucial role in the early identification and prevention of this threat, and companies were encouraged to take a proactive rather than a reactive approach.

Additionally, an emphasis was placed on analysing the dynamics of the current business environment, which is highly influenced by significant scientific advances, particularly in the areas of artificial intelligence and quantum computers.

Concerning the company’s interactions with its external environment, a focus was placed on the importance of safeguarding confidential company information against accidental loss or leakage, theft, and unauthorised disclosure to third parties.

Furthermore, particular attention was given to understanding how confidential information can unfortunately become public knowledge, without intention or consent.

Moreover, it was explored the concept of “elicitation” to facilitate an understanding of possible counter-elicitation methods and techniques, providing relevant real-life examples.

Referring to the role that competitive intelligence plays in strategic decision-making, it was highlighted that its main role is to “impact decisions via competitive insights”,“always about the future”.

The event ended on an optimistic note, with those present showing interest in participating in future editions of the “Competitive Intelligence International Conference” and expressing a willingness to deepen their knowledge of competitive intelligence.

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