The RPA market in Spain has entered a phase of rapid consolidation in 2026. According to the latest report from Baker Tilly Tech M&A Advisors, updated in March 2026, the sector combines traditional RPA, Intelligent Automation, autonomous AI agents (Agentic AI), BOAT platforms and Process Mining, and is already experiencing a cycle of mergers and acquisitions driven by buy-and-build strategies backed by private equity.
Three figures sum up the scale of the change: 89% of Spanish executives plan to implement autonomous AI agents in their business processes; Cloud-native deployment already accounts for 64% of the Spanish RPA market; and the most significant transaction of the period—the sale of Ayesa’s technology division—was worth €480 million.
The RPA automation market in Spain combines RPA, AI and Agentic AI
The RPA automation market in Spain covers the full spectrum of technologies deployed across the business sector: from traditional RPA, which focuses on structured and repetitive tasks, to Intelligent Automation with cognitive capabilities, autonomous AI agents (Agentic AI) capable of probabilistic reasoning, BOAT (Business Orchestration and Automation Technologies) platforms, and process mining tools.
Physical industrial automation systems and manufacturing robotics are excluded from this analysis, as they constitute an adjacent market with its own M&A dynamics. This broad scope is relevant for any technology company in the sector: buyers are no longer looking solely for ‘RPA tools’, but for hyperautomation platforms capable of covering complete end-to-end processes.
Six trends that are transforming the RPA sector in Spain
The shift from deterministic bots to systems capable of autonomous decision-making is redefining which assets are attractive to strategic or financial buyers. These are the six trends shaping the market in 2025–2026.
The rise of Agentic AI marks the transition towards autonomous automation
The most disruptive transformation in the sector is the shift from deterministic bots, which follow rigid instructions, towards AI agents capable of probabilistic reasoning and autonomous decision-making. In Spain, 89% of executives plan to implement AI agents in their business processes by 2025.
‘Computer Use’ technologies enable these agents to interact with graphical interfaces in a manner similar to that of a human, significantly reducing the maintenance burden associated with UI updates – one of the biggest hidden costs of traditional RPA.
The cloud and SaaS model is becoming the standard for RPA in Spain
El despliegue Cloud-native deployment already accounts for 64% of the Spanish RPA market, and the RPA-as-a-Service (RPAaaS) model is preferred by 62% of SMEs. The opening of local regions by the major hyperscalers, such as Microsoft’s first Spanish region in 2024, has removed the data sovereignty barriers that were holding back adoption in regulated sectors such as banking and healthcare.
For buyers, this shifts the focus of valuation towards recurring revenue models (ARR) and SaaS contracts, as opposed to traditional on-premises licensing.
BOAT platforms drive end-to-end hyper-automation
The convergence of RPA with Intelligent Document Processing (IDP) tools, low-code development and Business Process Management (BPM) has given rise to BOAT platforms that offer end-to-end orchestration of entire processes. In the Spanish insurance sector, this integration already enables up to 70% of customer enquiries to be resolved without human intervention.
Companies that have evolved from ‘bot providers’ to ‘orchestration platforms’ present much more attractive acquisition profiles for buy-and-build funds.
The Crea y Crece Act requires the digitisation of the order-to-cash cycle
The Crea y Crece Act requires companies with a turnover exceeding €8 million to issue electronic invoices in a structured format (Facturae XML or EDIFACT). This legislation has made the automation of the ‘order-to-cash’ cycle an operational requirement, driving a wave of forced adoption across sectors such as retail, professional services and manufacturing.
The Digital Kit makes RPA more accessible to Spanish SMEs
The Kit Digitalprogramme, funded by NextGenerationEU, has distributed over €1.9 billion to more than 460,000 businesses, establishing a foundation for digital maturity that has enabled SMEs to access automation tools previously reserved for large corporations. Beneficiary small businesses report productivity increases of between 25% and 40%.
The shortage of ICT talent is accelerating the citizen developer model
In Spain, 66,2% of citizens possess basic digital skills, which is above the European average of 55.6%, but only 4,4% are ICT specialists, compared with 4.8% across Europe. This gap is forcing companies to adopt ‘citizen developer’ models and low-code tools that enable non-technical staff to automate routine processes without the need for dedicated programmers.
M&A consolidation is reshaping the Spanish RPA sector
The Spanish M&A market for RPA and Automated Intelligence has moved from a volume-driven discovery phase to a disciplined, value-driven consolidation cycle. In 2024–2025, M&A activity will be characterised buy-and-build strategies led by private equity-backed platforms, where RPA is no longer a standalone objective but a central component of broader hyperautomation platforms and AI services.
The most significant transactions during the period include:
- The sale of Indra/Minsait’s BPO business to Teknei for €96.6 million (December 2025).
- The Carlyle Group’s acquisition of a 60% stake in Seidor (August 2024), which provides the company with the capital needed for its pan-European expansion.
- The most significant transaction of the financial year: the acquisition of Ayesa’s technology division by a consortium comprising Teknei and the Basque Government, for €480 million, creating a leading regional player with advanced capabilities in digital transformation and RPA.
At regional level, investment trends in Spain are in line with the European trend towards the consolidation of national market leaders, with operators such as Indra/Minsait, VASS and Seidor acquiring specialist firms to defend their local market share against large global consultancies.
The Madrid-Barcelona corridor accounts for the highest concentration of mid-market transactions, although significant deals are emerging in Andalusia and the Basque Country linked to NextGenerationEU funds. The predominant type of transaction involves the acquisition of a majority or controlling stake in integration services companies with an established presence amongst IBEX 35 listed companies or public sector bodies, valued primarily for their recurring revenue streams and the specialist human capital they bring to the table.
For technology companies considering growth through acquisitions, having a structured M&A process is key to identifying the right target and negotiating the best terms. And for funds or platforms seeking capital to execute their buy-and-build, our investor sourcing and capital raising service identifies the right financial or strategic partner.
Growth forecasts for the automation market in Spain up to 2031
Forecasts point to sustained growth over the next five years, driven by the convergence of regulatory frameworks, the democratisation of the SaaS model and the acceleration of adoption in highly complex sectors such as healthcare and public administration.
| Market | Period | Projected CAGR | Estimated development |
|---|---|---|---|
| Digital Transformation (Spain) | 2026-2031 | 17,63% | From $41.62 billion to approximately $100 billion |
| RPA software (Global) | 2024-2035 | 30,04% | From $35,270 million (2026) to $247,340 million (2035) |
| Intelligent Document Processing (IDP) | 2025-2033 | 35,4% | The fastest-growing sub-segment of the ecosystem |
| Industrial Automation (Spain) | 2025-2032 | 9,23% | Consolidation around OT/IT convergence |
The Spanish digital market as a whole is on track to almost triple in size from its 2025 baseline, with RPA and intelligent automation growing at rates significantly higher than the tech sector average. IDP, in particular, is emerging as the most dynamic sub-segment within the hyperautomation ecosystem, driven by demand for cognitive data extraction in banking, insurance and healthcare.
What does this consolidation mean for RPA founders and investors?
For founders and management teams of RPA companies, intelligent automation and IDP companies, the current climate presents two key trends: strong investor interest in platforms backed by private equity, and increasingly stringent valuation criteria focused on recurring revenue, customer diversification and the retention of specialist talent. Understanding how to value a company in this context and prepare the exit readiness in advance makes the difference between a successful transaction and a missed opportunity.
For investors and strategic buyers, the Spanish mid-market continues to offer a steady flow of deals, particularly along the Madrid-Barcelona corridor and in transactions linked to NextGenerationEU funds in Andalusia and the Basque Country. Our proprietary Intelfin platform and Market Intel service enable us to identify and evaluate targets using up-to-date industry data.
At Baker Tilly Tech M&A Advisors, we support both companies looking to sell their tech business and investors seeking to grow through acquisitions, backed by a track record of over 260 completed transactions in the tech sector.
Next steps for your RPA business
The RPA market in Spain has evolved from an emerging niche sector into a strategic asset within the portfolios of private equity firms and major technology consultancies. Consolidation is set to accelerate further in the coming years, driven by regulation, cloud adoption and advances in Agentic AI.
If you work for an RPA, intelligent automation or IDP company and want to understand where your company stands on this map—whether you’re preparing for a sale, looking for an investor or exploring acquisitions—let’s talk.
Market Research
Market Research on the RPA Sector in Spain to 2026
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Preguntas frecuentes sobre el sector RPA en España
Traditional RPA automates structured, repetitive tasks by following fixed rules. Intelligent Automation adds cognitive capabilities (such as document reading and pattern recognition) for slightly more complex processes. Agentic AI goes one step further: AI agents with probabilistic reasoning that make decisions autonomously, including ‘Computer Use’ interaction with graphical interfaces in the same way a person would.
Investor appetite is high, particularly for integration services companies with recurring revenue, clients listed on the IBEX 35 or in the public sector, and specialised technical teams. However, the market increasingly values revenue quality and operational strength, so proper preparation before going public tends to result in better terms of sale.
The market has moved from a volume-driven discovery phase to a value-driven consolidation cycle. Private equity-backed platforms are implementing buy-and-build strategies, integrating RPA, IDP and BPM into hyperautomation platforms. Transactions such as the acquisition of Ayesa’s technology division (€480 million) and The Carlyle Group’s investment in Seidor confirm this cycle.
Key factors include the percentage of recurring revenue (ARR), the extent to which cloud-native solutions are adopted compared to on-premise ones, the diversification of the customer base, intellectual property rights over proprietary agents or connectors, and the business’s reliance on specific technical roles. Platforms with BOAT capabilities or end-to-end orchestration typically command higher valuations than providers of standalone bots.
Preparation involves organising financial information, documenting recurring revenue streams and key contracts, formalising intellectual property rights for in-house developments, and reducing reliance on individual key personnel. A preliminary assessment with an advisor specialising in technology M&A helps to identify and address these issues before the process begins.