IT and Technology sector companies in Spain continue to invest decisively in innovation: nine out of ten expect to raise their budgets this year, three percentage points higher than in 2025. In line with last year, 26% of tech firms expect to earmark at least 10% of their revenue to this area. Yet this share remains well below the global average, which sits at 34%.
Despite this commitment to investment, the R&D funding model will undergo a significant shift in 2026. Industry players foresee greater reliance on public mechanisms compared to self-generated resources. Tax deductions for R&D activities become the most commonly used path (55%), up seven percentage points from 2025. In second place, public subsidies, which rise notably from the previous year: from 30% to 47%. By contrast, self-financing ceases to be the majority source and drops from 64% to 42%. This change reflects a greater dependence on the public environment and a potential need to reinforce public-private collaboration mechanisms.
These are among the most relevant conclusions of the VII International Innovation Barometer by Ayming, which analyzes the evolution of innovation across 10 sectors and 17 countries.
The lack of talent is the main structural barrier to innovating
The Spanish technology industry maintains a clear orientation toward innovation, with priorities closely aligned to global trends: accelerate product development (42%), adopt new technological tools (39%), and continue integrating artificial intelligence (AI) (39%) as a driver of transformation and competitiveness.
However, the sector’s aspirations collide with structural barriers that persist over time and hinder progress. The most cited, for a second year running, is the lack of specialized talent, mentioned by 39% of companies. It is followed by the absence of a clear innovation strategy (37%) and the pressure to deliver immediate results, which reinforces a short-term mindset (37%).
On the other hand, strategic planning is becoming increasingly important in the industry. Half of sector companies acknowledge having a defined and detailed innovation roadmap for the next ten years, representing a five-point increase from 2025 (45%). Conversely, 11% admit not having a plan, though 8% say they are working on one. These figures place Spanish companies in line with the global average.
Additionally, cybersecurity has consolidated as the greatest concern for technology companies in Spain. Two out of three sector firms (66%) consider cyberattacks the primary threat to national security and their business strategy, above other risks such as espionage and intellectual property theft (45%) or potential civil unrest (42%).
This perception translates into a direct impact on business strategy: nearly seven in ten technology firms say that threats to national security clearly influence their planning and decisions, the highest share among all sectors analyzed.
In response to this backdrop of growing geopolitical instability and trade tensions, 68% of sector companies have increased their investment in cybersecurity, above the global average (56%) and establishing itself as one of the most active sectors in this domain. The sector also stands out for its high level of strategic adaptation: the share of companies that have diversified their supply chains (50%) is the highest across all sectors studied, as is the share that have developed dual-use technologies (45%) intended for civilian and military purposes.
