Leaders in asset-intensive industries like manufacturing have had another difficult year, and many challenges await them in 2023. The huge jump in energy prices is breathing new life into existing IoT investments as leaders race to understand and control their energy use. Often overhyped concepts like the metaverse or the microfactory are delivering real value for early adopters, and investment is growing in both. As challenges proliferate and budgets get squeezed, innovation ecosystems are beginning their transformation from interesting idea to essential foundation of future manufacturing strategy. In this report, we explore Forrester’s predictions for smart manufacturing in 2023.