site.btaDigital Maturity of Bulgarian Companies Still in Mid-Stage, Study Finds

Most Bulgarian companies have already passed the initial phase of digital transformation but remain in an intermediate stage when it comes to their digital maturity, according to the third national survey on the level of digitization in Bulgaria, conducted jointly by Siemens Bulgaria and the German-Bulgarian Chamber of Industry and Commerce (GBCIC).

The results of the study were presented on Tuesday by Boryana Manolova, CEO of Siemens for Bulgaria, North Macedonia, and Ukraine, and by Sonya Miklai, General Manager of the GBCIC.

The online survey was conducted between March 2 and April 7, 2025, among 92 companies from 27 sectors, ranging from manufacturing and energy to IT, logistics, and services. More than 60% of respondents were senior management representatives, indicating the business sector’s strategic attitudes toward digital transformation.

The results show that Bulgarian companies are in a transitional phase – they actively use digital technologies but relatively rarely integrate them on a full scale.

"Digital transformation is not a technological luxury but a prerequisite for growth, sustainability, and competitiveness. Companies that strategically embrace and integrate new technologies will be tomorrow's market leaders," said Boryana Manolova, as quoted in the press release.

According to the survey results, companies in Bulgaria primarily focus on solutions with direct and quick returns. While this is understandable from an economic standpoint, the approach often overlooks long-term opportunities related to transforming business models, integrating sustainability, and creating new sources of value.

The most commonly used technologies among businesses in Bulgaria are data analytics platforms (21%), artificial intelligence/machine learning (15%), and advanced automation/robotics solutions (14%). At the same time, cutting-edge solutions such as digital twins and blockchain remain largely overlooked, with only 2–7% adoption.

Investments in digital technologies remain relatively modest, with nearly 60% of respondents allocating less than 10% of their budget to digitization. Nevertheless, nearly two-thirds of the surveyed companies have already integrated or plan to integrate digital technologies within the next 12 months.

Budgetary constraints, lack of qualified specialists, and difficulties integrating existing (legacy) systems were cited as the main barriers to fully unlocking the potential of digitization.