Insights
Cloud Transformation: our research in Ticino
In collaboration with SUPSI, AITI Servizi and the Digital Coach service of Fondazione AGIRE, Tinext Cloud has carried out a research on the digital and Cloud Transformation of Ticino companies.
This study, conducted with the scientific contribution of SUPSI, involved more than 120 companies, representing a wide variety of sectors ranging from services to industry, from retail to healthcare. Thanks to the contribution of company executives and IT managers, we were able to take an accurate and up-to-date snapshot of the state of digitisation and Cloud technology adoption in the region.
In this article, we highlight some of the key findings. For those who wish to delve into the details of the data collected, a downloadable PDF version of the research is available.
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Cloud migration as a lever to improve business performance
Ticino companies' commitment to digital transformation translates into a clear objective: improving operational efficiency and generating economic value. Technology is no longer just a support, but is increasingly perceived as a real driver of strategic growth.
It is not surprising, therefore, that by 2025, 73% of companies expect to increase their business through digitisation.
With this in mind, investment in the Cloud is growing steadily. By 2025, spending on the Cloud is expected to increase from 56.6% to 58.6%, while spending on on-premises solutions will decrease further. The most digitally mature companies estimate that they will spend 68% of their IT expenditure on Cloud migration.
2024 represented a turning point: 40 per cent of enterprises have completed digital projects related to Cloud Transformation, with a strong interest in SaaS, PaaS and IaaS solutions. Cloud migration is gaining momentum: in 2023, only 1% of companies were fully in the Cloud; today this percentage has grown to 23.7% and is expected to reach 30% by 2025. Furthermore, about 70 per cent of transitioning companies plan to adopt a model that integrates on-premises and Cloud solutions or a full Cloud with multiple providers.
No less important is the degree of satisfaction among companies that have already made the transition: more than 55% say they are satisfied or very satisfied with the implemented solutions.
Companies' perceived difficulties in migrating to the Cloud
Although these figures indicate considerable progress, the road to full digitisation is certainly not without its criticalities. Among the main difficulties reported by Ticino companies, three critical macro-areas stand out: costs, data security and skills.
The budget represents a significant barrier: 49% of companies see the necessary expenditure as a brake on transformation. Moreover, cybersecurity is a central issue, in a context where cyber attacks have increased by 61% in the last two years, especially against SMEs. But that is not all: the link between migration to the cloud and critical data protection issues also lies simply in the risks associated with the transfer of sensitive information, regulatory compliance and access management. Migration exposes data to potential vulnerabilities during the transition and requires secure configurations to avoid attacks, human error and business continuity losses. This is why as many as 40 per cent of companies worry that they cannot properly manage the protection of their data during this process.
Last but not least, the issue of skills. The lack of qualified personnel is a limitation for many organisations, slowing down the implementation of digital transformation projects.
Significantly, 25% of companies still do not have a Cloud migration plan in place, underlining the urgent need for more support in terms of information and training.
On this theme, however, there is positive evidence: with digitisation at the heart of economic development, the role of IT in companies is also evolving. No longer relegated to technical functions, IT departments are turning into real strategic players. According to our research, 68% of respondents consider IT crucial to business success.
To cope with this transition, significant investment is needed both in the training of internal skills and in the selection of external partners capable of guiding and supporting business teams along the digital transformation path.
