BPA market to surge to USD $52.2 billion by 2035 as SMEs lead
According to Lancom Technology, business process automation (BPA) is seeing mounting interest from businesses seeking to improve operational efficiency. This market is expected to increase significantly in value, with projections pointing to strong demand in the coming decade across small and medium enterprises (SMEs) and with a preference for on-premises solutions.
Market growth
According to market analysis, BPA is forecast to grow from USD $17.1 billion in 2025 to USD $52.2 billion by 2035, reflecting a compound annual growth rate of 11.8%. Research suggests on-premises BPA software will account for 54.2% of market share, while SMEs will drive adoption at 47.6%. These insights align with trends in New Zealand, Australia, and similar international markets, where office inefficiencies and reliance on manual data handling remain prominent issues for many organisations.
Everyday inefficiencies
BPA provides a means for companies to address ongoing difficulties related to repetitive administrative work and reliance on spreadsheets. Such tasks are commonly encountered across businesses, often requiring staff to act as intermediaries in inefficient processes. Many businesses, while exploring artificial intelligence strategies, still contend with this manual workload. Automation offers a pathway to improve workflows and increase productivity, especially for SMEs looking to better use their human resources.
Workflow integration
BPA initiatives are predominantly fueled by goals around efficiency, cost reduction, and compliance. Integrating digital workflows, automation tools, and artificial intelligence components allows companies to streamline operations. While artificial intelligence is often viewed as an advanced solution, its role is as an enhancer of automation rather than a standalone fix. Addressing employee frustrations with repetitive work is key to unlocking the full value of automation.
Microsoft developments
Recent updates to the Microsoft Power Platform are anticipated to extend the accessibility and effectiveness of BPA. Advances across Power Automate, Power Apps, Power Pages, and Copilot Studio are set to include AI-driven automation tools and features designed for low-code and no-code development environments. These updates enable users to describe their needs in plain language, with AI systems generating the corresponding automation workflows.
Measuring value
Enhanced process mapping and return on investment dashboards are among the new tools being introduced for BPA projects, making it easier for organisations to quantify the impact of automation. These tools allow companies to measure hours saved, costs avoided, and payback periods, supporting more data-driven decisions around technology investments.
Sector demand
Demand for BPA solutions remains high among consultancies and service providers working with clients seeking efficiency and cost savings. Recent projects in the region include analytics data pipelines, bot-enabled automation for labour-intensive processes, and executive workflow tools. While these examples are complex, simpler automation opportunities are present in many businesses following basic analysis of existing processes.
"Whilst most businesses are concerned about leveraging AI as a strategy, they are also still dealing with the stress and inconvenience of repetitive administration, multiple spreadsheets, and people being the glue connecting manual processes," said Priscila Bernardes, Chief Executive Officer, Lancom Technology.
