From adoption to advantage: A roadmap for technology and data maturity

Across industries, organisations have made notable progress in adopting digital technologies, yet many still struggle to translate investment into measurable impact. In Malta, national strategies and business surveys indicate a growing confidence in digital transformation, but they also reveal a persistent gap between adoption and advantage.

Technology and data maturity go beyond implementing tools – they represent an organisation’s ability to embed technology, data, and insight into every aspect of decision-making, operations, and innovation. Achieving this level of maturity is increasingly critical for resilience, competitiveness, and long-term growth.

Technology maturity refers to an organisation’s capability to align technology investments with its strategic objectives – integrating platforms, processes, and people to deliver business value. Data maturity, in turn, reflects the extent to which data is trusted, governed, and used to inform decisions at a scale.

In practice, maturity requires more than operational efficiency: it depends on leadership alignment, cultural readiness, and the ability to transform data into a strategic asset. Mature organisations use technology and data to improve outcomes consistently, not occasionally.

Malta’s policy landscape provides a strong platform for progress. National digital and AI strategies, together with initiatives led by entities such as the Malta Digital Innovation Authority (MDIA) and MITA, continue to strengthen infrastructure, regulatory clarity, and workforce capability.

The European Commission’s State of the Digital Decade report (2025) shows that  over 80% of Maltese enterprises now demonstrate at least a basic level of digital technology adoption, and AI awareness is increasing across sectors.¹ However, as in many economies, the next challenge is not access but absorption: ensuring that technology and data translate into sustained performance, innovation, and informed decision-making.

Many organisations still face familiar barriers:

• Disconnected data systems that prevent a single version of the truth.
• Limited data-driven decision-making, with insights remaining underused.
• Uncertainty about technology investment priorities, leading to fragmented initiatives.
• A shortage of technology-proficient leadership, slowing transformation momentum.
• Innovation taking a back seat amid operational pressures.
• AI dominating discussions but rarely leading to clear action.

These are not unique challenges – but they underscore why structured, evidence-based benchmarking is now essential.

To help organisations better understand their current position and chart a clear path forward, Deloitte has developed the Malta Technology & Data Maturity Index 2025 – a national benchmarking initiative that evaluates how effectively organisations across Malta are leveraging technology and data to create business value.

The Index measures maturity across six interconnected dimensions that collectively define digital strength and readiness:

• Digital strategy and leadership: alignment between digital vision and business priorities, and strength of executive sponsorship;
• Data governance and management: quality, accessibility, and stewardship of data assets to ensure trust and utility;
• Cloud and infrastructure: modernity, scalability, and resilience of technology infrastructure, and cloud-enabled agility;
• Cybersecurity and compliance: robustness of security practices, data protection, and regulatory frameworks;
• Technology enablement and integration: integration of systems, tools, and platforms to enhance efficiency and innovation;
• Culture and capability: organisational mindset, skills, and processes supporting data-driven, digitally enabled decisions.