Innovation Lifts Revenue and Profit: +15% Growth Over the Next Decade Thanks to IoT and AI

Investing in innovation—particularly IoT and Artificial Intelligence—can increase business wealth by up to 15% by 2030.

A projected 15% increase in enterprise wealth within the next ten years. That’s the estimated average growth businesses could achieve by 2030 through sustained investment in innovation, especially in digitalisation, the Internet of Things (IoT), and Artificial Intelligence (AI).

In short, technology sets both automated systems and data flows in motion—and it sets businesses in motion too. This forecast comes from the Uniquon Observatory, based on a study conducted with a representative sample of mid-sized and large enterprises.

“Technological innovation presents a unique opportunity for competitiveness,” affirms Riz Zigliani, CEO of Uniquon.

Uniquon is urging companies to intensify their investments in cutting-edge technology, both in emerging industries and within traditional sectors—some of which risk obsolescence if they fail to meet the challenges of digital transformation. Global tech giants such as Apple, Google, and Amazon are already making bold moves into industries like home automation and automotive—forcing legacy players to adapt or fall behind.

Innovation as an Economic Engine for Revenue and Profit

If we want to revitalise the economy, we must innovate.Yet despite clear principles and widespread media coverage, the numbers tell a different story: technology investment across the European Union remains insufficient.

The EU faces a significant structural challenge. Innovation requires capital, and Europe’s small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs)—the backbone of its economy—often lack the financial resilience to take on this challenge. In many cases, there is also a deficit of digital literacy at the managerial level, hindering adoption of future-ready technologies.

This gap directly impacts Revenue and Profit, preventing companies from fully capitalising on the opportunities offered by IoT, AI, and digital transformation.

According to the latest Uniquon Observatory analysis:

• 58% of Italian businesses report no interest in adopting cloud computing—a technology that enables the processing, storage, and sharing of data via distributed internet-based resources.

• 52% either do not understand or do not believe they could benefit from big data analytics—the collection and advanced analysis of massive datasets to improve business efficiency and competitiveness.

These figures highlight just how far we still have to go.

Incentives Falling Short

Unfortunately, recent changes to government incentives—including the restructuring of Industry 4.0 tax credits and the phasing out of super amortisation schemes—have effectively reduced rather than increased support for innovation-related investments.

“In our experience,” continues Zigliani,“companies that resist innovation usually do so for two key reasons. First, they lack a true understanding of the tangible benefits and vast opportunities available, due to an absence of digital culture. Second, they tend to significantly overestimate the investment required.”

When Uniquon encounters such cases—even among large corporations—our approach is gradual and strategic. We typically introduce innovation on a limited scale, for example:

• Within the marketing department, to enhance customer experience

• Or within logistics, to improve delivery processes

“What we’ve learned,” Zigliani adds, “is that after this initial step, clients often begin to understand the technology—and then they want more. This is perhaps the success story we’re proudest of.”