Industry · Technology · 2026 market brief

Tech budgets are growing. Getting picked is harder than ever.

Q: What are the biggest technology industry trends in 2026?

Record AI infrastructure investment, scrutiny of agentic AI, software budgets shifting toward AI and usage-based pricing, fast-growing security spend, self-serve buyers, and larger B2B buying groups.

Q: How does Coral Blue Data support tech demand and lead generation?

Coral Blue Data supplies B2B contacts and companies, technology install-base data, enrichment, cleansing and verification that marketing and sales teams use to target campaigns and outreach.

AI is pulling record investment into the technology market, but buyers research on their own, buying groups keep getting bigger, and every category is crowded. Coral Blue Data gives technology companies the data to find the right accounts, earn the whole buying group's attention, and turn it into pipeline.

Talk With a Tech GTM Expert → Explore Technology Install-Base Data

$6.37T

Worldwide IT spending in 2026, up 14.2%

Gartner, Jul 2026

67%

of B2B buyers prefer a rep-free buying experience

Gartner buyer survey

13 + 9

Internal stakeholders + external influencers in a typical B2B purchase

Forrester, 2026

$246B

Information security spending in 2026, up 12.2%

Gartner forecast

Technology market overview

Where tech money is moving in 2026

Gartner expects worldwide IT spending to reach $6.37 trillion in 2026. The growth isn't spread evenly: AI infrastructure and software are pulling ahead, while devices, services and communications grow more slowly.

Budget follows AI. AI-optimised servers, cloud services and AI-ready software are the fastest-growing lines.

Other categories must fight for share. Vendors outside the AI wave compete for flatter budgets and need sharper targeting.

2026 IT spending growth by segment

Year-over-year growth, worldwide · 2026 spend in brackets

Data center systems

$822B

+62.5%

Software

$1.47T

+15.5%

Devices

+9.8%

Services

+5.3%

Communications

+4.4%

Source: Gartner IT spending forecast, July 2026. Devices $868B, services $1.57T, communications $1.35T.

Technology industry trends 2026

Six shifts the tech industry is talking about

From analyst forecasts to buyer surveys, these are the themes shaping how technology gets bought and sold this year — and what each one means for your go-to-market.

01 / AI INFRA

The AI infrastructure build-out is the biggest story in tech

Gartner calls building AI compute capacity "the largest infrastructure project ever attempted." Data center spending is surging as enterprises and cloud providers race to add AI-optimised servers and capacity.

data-centergpucloud

+62.5%

Data center systems spending growth in 2026, to $822B

GTM impact: infrastructure, energy, networking and data vendors are chasing new buyers inside AI programmes.

Gartner, Jul 2026

02 / AGENTIC AI

Agentic AI: big promise, tough proof

Every vendor now claims "agents," but Gartner estimates only about 130 of thousands are the real thing, and expects many projects to be scrapped over cost and unclear value. Buyers are getting sceptical.

agentsroiagent-washing

40%+

of agentic AI projects expected to be cancelled by the end of 2027

GTM impact: lead with outcomes and proof, not AI buzzwords — and target teams with a real use case.

Gartner prediction

03 / SOFTWARE

Software budgets grow — but move toward AI and usage pricing

Software spending keeps climbing, yet money is shifting from seat-based SaaS toward AI-native tools and usage- or outcome-based pricing. CFOs are consolidating overlapping apps.

saasconsolidationpricing

+15.5%

Worldwide software spending growth in 2026, to $1.47T

GTM impact: find accounts reviewing their stack before renewal — that's when displacement happens.

Gartner, Jul 2026

04 / SECURITY

Security spending keeps outpacing the threat headlines

Cloud and AI adoption widen the attack surface. Cloud security posture management, threat intelligence and zero-trust access are among the fastest-growing categories.

cspmzero-trustciso

$246.2B

Information security spend in 2026, +12.2%; CSPM growing 33.4%

GTM impact: crowded vendor space — reach CISOs with context on their stack and maturity.

Gartner forecast, via Software Strategies

05 / BUYER

Buyers go self-serve and AI-assisted

Most B2B buyers would rather research without a sales rep, and many now use AI tools during a purchase. Shortlists are often set before a vendor is ever contacted.

self-servedark-funnelgenai

67%

of B2B buyers prefer a rep-free experience; 45% used AI in a recent purchase

GTM impact: you need to be visible to the right accounts long before they raise a hand.

Gartner survey of 646 buyers

06 / COMMITTEE

Buying groups keep getting bigger

Forrester finds that a typical B2B purchase now involves 13 internal stakeholders and 9 external influencers — and purchases with generative AI features roughly double the size of the group.

buying-groupabmconsensus

People influencing an average B2B purchase (13 internal + 9 external)

GTM impact: single-threaded deals stall — multi-thread from the first touch.

Forrester State of Business Buying 2026

Last updated: November 2026

What changed for tech sellers

The old tech GTM playbook vs. the 2026 reality

Spray-and-pray outbound and single-threaded deals made sense when buyers needed vendors to learn about products. Today buyers arrive informed, in larger groups, with sharper questions about value.

Old playbook	2026 reality
Buy a big list and blast it	Define your TAM by fit, tech stack and growth signals
Win over one champion	Multi-thread across a buying group of 13+ people
Wait for inbound demo requests	Reach accounts before they raise a hand
Lead with features and "AI-powered"	Lead with outcomes, proof and ROI
Generic messaging for every role	Separate stories for CIO, CISO, engineering and finance
CRM data refreshed once a year	Continuous enrichment as people and stacks change

Technology segments

The tech markets we help you sell into

Whether you sell to enterprises running large IT estates or to fast-growing tech companies, each segment has its own buyers, budgets and buying signals.

AI, data & analytics

Organisations funding AI programmes, data platforms and analytics — from early pilots to enterprise rollout.

CDOs · CTOs · heads of data & ML · AI leads

Cybersecurity

Security teams buying cloud security, identity, zero-trust, threat intelligence and managed detection.

CISOs · security architects · SOC leads

Cloud & infrastructure

Cloud migration, data center, networking and storage buyers.

CIOs · cloud architects · infra heads

SaaS & enterprise apps

ERP, CRM, HCM and productivity buyers reviewing and consolidating their stack.

CIOs · app owners · RevOps · HR tech

DevOps & developer tools

Engineering teams adopting platforms, observability and AI coding tools.

VPs engineering · platform · DevOps

IT services, MSPs & channel

Managed service providers, systems integrators, VARs and distributors — as customers and as partners.

Owners · practice leads · alliance managers

Hardware, devices & telecom

End-user computing, IoT, networking equipment and communications services buyers.

IT directors · procurement · network managers

How we help

A growth flywheel: data → demand → leads

In tech, data, demand generation and lead generation aren't separate projects. Each turn of the wheel makes the next one more precise, because what you learn from engagement sharpens your targeting.

Data — know exactly who to target

// which accounts, which people, what stack?

Build your TAM by firmographics, technology install base and growth signals. Map the buying group at each account and keep CRM records accurate as people and tools change.

Demand generation — be on the shortlist

// how do we reach buyers before they reach us?

Run account-based campaigns, content syndication and events aimed at the full buying group, with messages tailored to the CIO, CISO, engineering lead and finance.

Lead generation — start real conversations

// who should sales call this week?

Turn engaged accounts into verified, prioritised prospects for SDRs and partners — then feed what converts back into your targeting.

Coral Blue Data provides the data layer — contacts, companies, install-base data, enrichment and hygiene — that powers your demand and lead generation, in-house or with your agency.

Buyer personas

Who we help in the technology market

Pick a persona to see the problems they face in 2026, and how data, demand generation and lead generation help solve them.

The SaaS Growth Marketer

Director of Demand Gen · B2B SaaS

"Our MQLs look fine on a dashboard, but sales says half of them will never buy."

Sells toMid-market & enterprise ops teams

Measured onPipeline, CAC, win rate

Linked trends03 · 05

What they're up against

Customers consolidating apps and cutting seats

Buyers self-educate, so form fills arrive late

Rising CAC on paid channels

How we help

DData

Build an ICP list using firmographics plus the tools accounts already run, so you target companies that fit — and competitor users ripe for a switch.

GDemand gen

Run ABM and content syndication to the ops, finance and IT roles that sign off, ahead of renewal season.

LLead gen

Hand SDRs verified contacts at high-fit accounts, so fewer MQLs are wasted on poor-fit companies.

What changes:

Higher MQL-to-SQL rateLower CACMore competitive displacements

Personas are illustrative composites of common technology go-to-market roles, not specific individuals.

The tech buying group

Who's involved at each stage of a tech purchase

Different people lead at different stages. Effective demand and lead generation reaches each of them when their voice matters most.

STAGE 1

Discover

"Do we have a problem worth solving?"

End users & team leadsEngineering / IT managers

Reach them with: educational content, communities, events

STAGE 2

Evaluate

"Which options fit our stack?"

Architects & tech evaluatorsCTO / VP engineering

Reach them with: comparisons, demos, technical proof

STAGE 3

Validate

"Is it secure, compliant and worth it?"

CISO & security reviewLegal & compliance

Reach them with: security documentation, ROI cases

STAGE 4

Approve

"Can we afford it — and who signs?"

CIO / economic buyerFinance & procurement

Reach them with: business case, references, pricing clarity

ExecutiveTechnicalUsersSecurityRisk & legalFinance

See technology install-base data → B2B contact & company data

FAQs

Technology industry FAQs

Q1What are the biggest technology industry trends in 2026?

Record AI infrastructure investment, the rise (and scrutiny) of agentic AI, software budgets shifting toward AI and usage-based pricing, fast-growing security spend, self-serve buyers who prefer to research without a rep, and larger B2B buying groups.

Q2How much will companies spend on IT in 2026?

Gartner forecasts worldwide IT spending of $6.37 trillion in 2026, up 14.2% from 2025, with data center systems (+62.5%) and software (+15.5%) growing fastest.

Q3Why is selling technology harder today?

Buyers research independently, often with AI tools, and involve more stakeholders — Forrester counts 13 internal and 9 external on average. Vendors that reach the full group early, with relevant messages, are the ones that make the shortlist.

Q4What is demand generation for technology companies?

It's the work of building awareness and preference among your target accounts before they're ready to buy — through account-based marketing, content, events and campaigns aimed at every member of the buying group.

Q5How is lead generation different from demand generation?

Demand generation creates interest across your market. Lead generation captures and qualifies specific people and accounts ready for a sales conversation. Both rely on accurate data about who belongs in your market.

Q6What is technology install-base data?

Data showing which software, hardware and cloud platforms a company uses. Tech vendors use it to find accounts that run complementary tools, competitor products ready for replacement, or the stack their product integrates with.

Q7How does Coral Blue Data support tech demand and lead generation?

We supply the data layer — B2B contacts and companies, technology install-base data, enrichment, cleansing and verification — that your marketing, sales or agency teams use to target campaigns and outreach precisely.

Q8Can you help us reach channel partners as well as end customers?

Yes. Data can cover MSPs, VARs, systems integrators and distributors by specialism and geography, so you can recruit partners and support joint campaigns as well as reach end customers.

Build a tech go-to-market that wins in 2026

Tell us what you sell and who you sell to. We'll show you the accounts, technologies and buying groups that fit — and how to put that data to work in your demand and lead generation.

Talk With an Expert → Request a Sample

A specialist reviews every request and replies by email, typically within two business days.

Sources

Tech budgets are growing. Getting picked is harder than ever.

Where tech money is moving in 2026

2026 IT spending growth by segment

Six shifts the tech industry is talking about

The AI infrastructure build-out is the biggest story in tech

Agentic AI: big promise, tough proof

Software budgets grow — but move toward AI and usage pricing

Security spending keeps outpacing the threat headlines

Buyers go self-serve and AI-assisted

Buying groups keep getting bigger

The old tech GTM playbook vs. the 2026 reality

The tech markets we help you sell into

AI, data & analytics

Cybersecurity

Cloud & infrastructure

SaaS & enterprise apps

DevOps & developer tools

IT services, MSPs & channel

Hardware, devices & telecom

A growth flywheel: data → demand → leads

Data — know exactly who to target

Demand generation — be on the shortlist

Lead generation — start real conversations

Who we help in the technology market

The SaaS Growth Marketer

The Cybersecurity Sales Director

The AI Startup Head of GTM

The Cloud & Infrastructure Marketer

The MSP & IT Services BD Lead

The Channel & Alliances Manager

Who's involved at each stage of a tech purchase

Discover

Evaluate

Validate

Approve

Technology industry FAQs

Q1What are the biggest technology industry trends in 2026?

Q2How much will companies spend on IT in 2026?

Q3Why is selling technology harder today?

Q4What is demand generation for technology companies?

Q5How is lead generation different from demand generation?

Q6What is technology install-base data?

Q7How does Coral Blue Data support tech demand and lead generation?

Q8Can you help us reach channel partners as well as end customers?

Build a tech go-to-market that wins in 2026