In a world where artificial intelligence is reshaping industries, NetSuite has made headlines with its newest evolution, NetSuite Next. At the helm of this transformation is Evan Goldberg, the Founder and Executive Vice President of Oracle NetSuite. During SuiteWorld 2025, Goldberg unveiled the company’s ambitious plans for embedding conversational and agent-based AI into the heart of business operations.
Goldberg’s vision aligns with what many founders like myself, navigating the complexities of running and pivoting startups in Europe, have been calling for: tools that simplify, accelerate, and enhance decision-making. I view NetSuite Next not just as another enterprise service but as a sign that AI is steadily becoming integral to business systems. Here's everything you need to know about this evolution and how it could impact you as a business owner or founder.
What NetSuite Next Brings to the Table
NetSuite Next aims to make workflows not only automated but intuitive. Goldberg introduced a suite of features during the keynote, the most notable being conversational AI integrated directly into the platform. Imagine this: rather than manually scanning reports, you could just ask, “How did sales perform in the last quarter?” and instantly receive clear, actionable feedback.
Interfaces like "Ask Oracle" allow businesses to interact with data through natural language. This reduces the need for technical expertise and brings a much-needed layer of accessibility for small to medium-sized enterprises. Goldberg shared a striking example, automated agents can issue proactive insights, something useful for scaling startups where real-time knowledge can often mean the difference between finding growth or hitting a plateau.
For the startup ecosystem in Europe, this means opportunities to save time and manage systems more efficiently. As funding cycles become tighter, reducing operational fatigue using AI tools can be a significant advantage.
Three Standout Features Explained
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Conversational Insights
NetSuite Next didn’t simply add AI tools on top of their systems, it embedded intelligence directly into daily workflows. Business owners will find this especially applicable for finance tracking, performance metrics, and supply chain management. -
Agentic Workflows
By enabling users to create custom agents that automate repetitive tasks, such as approving vendor invoices or tracking inventory, NetSuite moves from merely supporting business workflows to driving them autonomously. -
Enhanced Decision-Making
These AI insights aren’t just data dumps; they’re concise suggestions tailored to each business's unique structure. For European startups, where markets vary greatly across borders, this kind of adaptability is golden.
A Quick How-To: Adopting NetSuite Next
If your business is considering a shift toward AI-powered solutions, here’s how to begin with NetSuite Next:
- Evaluate Your Needs: Pinpoint repetitive processes and bottlenecks that AI can minimize.
- Implement in Stages: Start with pilot departments, like finance or operations, to test the insights’ accuracy and usefulness.
- Train Teams Proactively: While NetSuite Next simplifies workflows, familiarizing teams with conversational AI tools early leads to smoother transitions.
- Set Clear Metrics: Decide upfront what success looks like, be it time saved, reduced errors, or better insights.
Most Common Mistakes to Avoid
Having spent years fundraising for startups like my CADChain project and working with early-stage founders, I’ve learned a few traps to dodge:
- Not adapting processes before introducing new tools. AI systems like NetSuite Next excel when layered over environments with defined workflows. Don’t expect results to materialize without structure.
- Failing to interpret AI output critically. Human oversight remains crucial. The AI can highlight opportunities or issues but treating its insights as absolute truths will limit flexibility.
- Scaling too quickly. It’s tempting to unlock all the features, but systems like NetSuite Next thrive on incremental adoption.
Lessons for European Entrepreneurs
As a bootstrapped founder, I maintain that understanding the long-term impact of investments is key for startups. European entrepreneurs, who often operate in regulated and fragmented markets, need technologies that respect scale and compliance while accommodating diverse customer bases across countries.
NetSuite Next’s adaptability to unique business needs isn’t just practical; it’s essential for founders juggling tight budgets. The AI tools allow businesses to reduce wasteful spending, avoid data silos, and allocate resources toward growth, both of which are lifelines for small and medium enterprises.
Additionally, the ability to customize AI "agents" ensures that even niche workflows are accounted for. Considering how variated European economies can be in customer behavior or purchasing cycles, this could bridge gaps many AI tools fail to address.
Beyond the Tools: Lessons to Learn
On a more philosophical note, Evan Goldberg’s success with Oracle NetSuite reminds me of a lesson I internalized years ago: innovation that lasts isn’t about radical disruption but evolving thoughtfully over time. For European women founders like myself, where hurdles exist in funding, networking, and scaling, the example set by NetSuite’s incremental but impactful upgrades serves as inspiration to play a long, calculated game.
In Conclusion
NetSuite Next represents a bold but necessary shift toward AI-powered business systems that integrate seamlessly into everyday operations. Whether you’re a founder managing a lean team or a mid-sized venture seeking smarter decision-making, this leap by Oracle NetSuite signals a new era of operational support.
For me, initiatives like NetSuite Next parallel what I aim for with the F/MS Startup Game: to offer tools that facilitate accessible, intelligent planning for women founders ready to make an impact.
As AI matures, it’s not about replacing human intuition but enhancing it. For entrepreneurs in Europe, keeping one eye on tools like NetSuite Next, and adopting when ready, will let us play smarter, faster, and even more effectively in this competitive world of entrepreneurship.
FAQ
1. What is NetSuite Next, and why is it significant?
NetSuite Next is the latest evolution of Oracle NetSuite, integrating conversational and agent-based artificial intelligence (AI) into business operations. It simplifies workflows and enhances decision-making by embedding AI tools directly into the platform. Explore how NetSuite Next is transforming business
2. What are the notable features of NetSuite Next?
Key features include conversational AI for natural-language data interaction, agentic workflows for automating tasks, and AI-driven insights tailored to specific business needs. Discover the standout features of NetSuite Next
3. How does NetSuite Next's conversational AI work?
Using tools like "Ask Oracle," users can interact with business data through natural questions, such as "What were last quarter's sales?" This capability offers instant, actionable feedback without the need for technical expertise. Learn more about Ask Oracle
4. What are agentic workflows, and how can they help businesses?
Agentic workflows let users create custom AI agents tailored to tasks like invoice approvals or inventory tracking, helping automate repetitive processes and reduce operational overhead. Learn how agentic workflows support businesses
5. How does NetSuite Next support startups and small businesses?
NetSuite Next is designed to simplify operations for startups with conversational AI, cost-saving automation, and proactive insights, essential for scaling efficiently in fast-paced markets. See how NetSuite empowers startups
6. What steps should businesses follow to adopt NetSuite Next?
Businesses should:
- Identify pain points or repetitive tasks that AI can address.
- Implement features in stages starting with pilot teams.
- Train staff to use conversational AI tools effectively.
- Define success metrics like error reduction or time saved. Explore NetSuite Next adoption tips
7. What pitfalls should businesses avoid when adopting AI like NetSuite Next?
Common issues include failing to adapt processes before implementation, overly relying on AI output without human oversight, and scaling too quickly without thorough testing.
8. How does NetSuite Next handle industry-specific workflows?
The platform is highly customizable with AI "agents" that adapt to unique and niche business requirements, making it versatile for varied markets like SaaS, retail, and more. Learn how NetSuite supports industry-specific solutions
9. Why are European startups particularly aligned with NetSuite Next's capabilities?
NetSuite Next is tailored for dynamic and regulated markets like Europe, offering tools to reduce operational fatigue, ensure cross-border compliance, and save costs in diverse environments. Learn how European startups can benefit
10. What advice does Evan Goldberg offer for successfully leveraging AI in business?
Evan Goldberg advises implementing AI gradually, focusing on user-friendly tools, and keeping AI as a support system for human decision-making rather than replacing it. Hear from Evan Goldberg on AI adoption
About the Author
Violetta Bonenkamp, also known as MeanCEO, is an experienced startup founder with an impressive educational background including an MBA and four other higher education degrees. She has over 20 years of work experience across multiple countries, including 5 years as a solopreneur and serial entrepreneur. Throughout her startup experience she has applied for multiple startup grants at the EU level, in the Netherlands and Malta, and her startups received quite a few of those. She’s been living, studying and working in many countries around the globe and her extensive multicultural experience has influenced her immensely.
Violetta Bonenkamp's expertise in CAD sector, IP protection and blockchain
Violetta Bonenkamp is recognized as a multidisciplinary expert with significant achievements in the CAD sector, intellectual property (IP) protection, and blockchain technology.
CAD Sector:
- Violetta is the CEO and co-founder of CADChain, a deep tech startup focused on developing IP management software specifically for CAD (Computer-Aided Design) data. CADChain addresses the lack of industry standards for CAD data protection and sharing, using innovative technology to secure and manage design data.
- She has led the company since its inception in 2018, overseeing R&D, PR, and business development, and driving the creation of products for platforms such as Autodesk Inventor, Blender, and SolidWorks.
- Her leadership has been instrumental in scaling CADChain from a small team to a significant player in the deeptech space, with a diverse, international team.
IP Protection:
- Violetta has built deep expertise in intellectual property, combining academic training with practical startup experience. She has taken specialized courses in IP from institutions like WIPO and the EU IPO.
- She is known for sharing actionable strategies for startup IP protection, leveraging both legal and technological approaches, and has published guides and content on this topic for the entrepreneurial community.
- Her work at CADChain directly addresses the need for robust IP protection in the engineering and design industries, integrating cybersecurity and compliance measures to safeguard digital assets.
Blockchain:
- Violetta’s entry into the blockchain sector began with the founding of CADChain, which uses blockchain as a core technology for securing and managing CAD data.
- She holds several certifications in blockchain and has participated in major hackathons and policy forums, such as the OECD Global Blockchain Policy Forum.
- Her expertise extends to applying blockchain for IP management, ensuring data integrity, traceability, and secure sharing in the CAD industry.
Violetta is a true multiple specialist who has built expertise in Linguistics, Education, Business Management, Blockchain, Entrepreneurship, Intellectual Property, Game Design, AI, SEO, Digital Marketing, cyber security and zero code automations. Her extensive educational journey includes a Master of Arts in Linguistics and Education, an Advanced Master in Linguistics from Belgium (2006-2007), an MBA from Blekinge Institute of Technology in Sweden (2006-2008), and an Erasmus Mundus joint program European Master of Higher Education from universities in Norway, Finland, and Portugal (2009).
She is the founder of Fe/male Switch, a startup game that encourages women to enter STEM fields, and also leads CADChain, and multiple other projects like the Directory of 1,000 Startup Cities with a proprietary MeanCEO Index that ranks cities for female entrepreneurs. Violetta created the "gamepreneurship" methodology, which forms the scientific basis of her startup game. She also builds a lot of SEO tools for startups. Her achievements include being named one of the top 100 women in Europe by EU Startups in 2022 and being nominated for Impact Person of the year at the Dutch Blockchain Week. She is an author with Sifted and a speaker at different Universities. Recently she published a book on Startup Idea Validation the right way: from zero to first customers and beyond, launched a Directory of 1,500+ websites for startups to list themselves in order to gain traction and build backlinks and is building MELA AI to help local restaurants in Malta get more visibility online.
For the past several years Violetta has been living between the Netherlands and Malta, while also regularly traveling to different destinations around the globe, usually due to her entrepreneurial activities. This has led her to start writing about different locations and amenities from the POV of an entrepreneur. Here’s her recent article about the best hotels in Italy to work from.
About the Publication
Fe/male Switch is an innovative startup platform designed to empower women entrepreneurs through an immersive, game-like experience. Founded in 2020 during the pandemic "without any funding and without any code," this non-profit initiative has evolved into a comprehensive educational tool for aspiring female entrepreneurs.The platform was co-founded by Violetta Shishkina-Bonenkamp, who serves as CEO and one of the lead authors of the Startup News branch.
Mission and Purpose
Fe/male Switch Foundation was created to address the gender gap in the tech and entrepreneurship space. The platform aims to skill-up future female tech leaders and empower them to create resilient and innovative tech startups through what they call "gamepreneurship". By putting players in a virtual startup village where they must survive and thrive, the startup game allows women to test their entrepreneurial abilities without financial risk.
Key Features
The platform offers a unique blend of news, resources,learning, networking, and practical application within a supportive, female-focused environment:
- Skill Lab: Micro-modules covering essential startup skills
- Virtual Startup Building: Create or join startups and tackle real-world challenges
- AI Co-founder (PlayPal): Guides users through the startup process
- SANDBOX: A testing environment for idea validation before launch
- Wellness Integration: Virtual activities to balance work and self-care
- Marketplace: Buy or sell expert sessions and tutorials
Impact and Growth
Since its inception, Fe/male Switch has shown impressive growth:
- 5,000+ female entrepreneurs in the community
- 100+ startup tools built
- 5,000+ pieces of articles and news written
- 1,000 unique business ideas for women created
Partnerships
Fe/male Switch has formed strategic partnerships to enhance its offerings. In January 2022, it teamed up with global website builder Tilda to provide free access to website building tools and mentorship services for Fe/male Switch participants.
Recognition
Fe/male Switch has received media attention for its innovative approach to closing the gender gap in tech entrepreneurship. The platform has been featured in various publications highlighting its unique "play to learn and earn" model.
