The market for RPA technology will continue on a significant growth trajectory in 2021, despite economic disruption experienced this year, according to a new report. Stamford, Conn.-based consultancy Gartner expects revenue from RPA software sales to grow nearly 20 percent in 2021 to $1.89 billion.
After surging 63 percent from 2018 to 2019, sales were poised to soar again in 2020. With much economic activity shuttered this year, the sector still posted a double-digit gain, surging nearly 12 percent from $1.4 billion to $1.6 billion. While businesses were in survival mode in 2020, the need for increased productivity and efficiency increased, making the RPA sector a relative winner in 2020. As organizations regain their footing in 2021 and try to prepare for future disruptions, Gartner predicts RPA will reap the benefits.
“The key driver for RPA projects is their ability to improve process quality, speed and productivity, each of which is increasingly important as organizations try to meet the demands of cost reduction during Covid-19,” said Fabrizio Biscotti, research vice president at Gartner. “Enterprises can quickly make headway on their digital optimization initiatives by investing in RPA software, and the trend isn’t going away anytime soon.”
Gartner also predicts that business units outside of IT will drive future growth of RPA adoption.
“Leading RPA software vendors have successfully targeted CFOs and COOs, instead of IT alone,” Biscotti said. “They like the quick deployment of low-code/no-code automation. The challenge they have is integrating RPA successfully across heterogeneous, changing environments, which is where IT coordination can make the difference.”