After cars, laptops and phones, they move to the operational leasing model: companies are gradually abandoning purchases and opting for subscriptions due to the need for flexibility, predictability and cashflow protection.
In recent years, Romanians have become accustomed to paying for access, not for ownership. From music and movies to software, the subscription model has become part of everyday life. The same model is starting to make its way into the business environment and the way companies use technology. Instead of large investments in equipment, more and more companies are looking for flexible, subscription-based solutions.
Founded in Romania in 2021, INKI.tech brings to the IT equipment area the model that has already transformed entire industries: subscription access. Through its Device-as-a-Service (DaaS) solution, businesses can use laptops, phones and other devices along with management, support and protection services included in a predictable monthly cost. Against the background of the growing demand for flexibility and cashflow optimization, such models are gaining ground in Europe, and INKI.tech currently serves more than 700 client companies in all 27 member states of the European Union.
Today, almost every activity in a company depends on technology, and the laptop and the phone are the main work tools. In this context, the challenge is no longer just choosing the right equipment, but also how it is acquired, managed, secured and updated without unnecessarily tying up the company’s capital.
Perhaps the simplest comparison is with company cars. A few years ago, acquisition was the rule. Today, leasing and usage-based models are common practice because they allow companies to maintain liquidity and avoid locking up capital in assets that lose value. The same reasoning is beginning to be applied to the technology used by employees.
And just like with a car, the purchase price is just the beginning. Over time there are costs to repair, maintain, manage and replace equipment, plus the time invested in managing it. When a laptop breaks down or can no longer cope with current demands, the impact is not only seen in the budget, but also in the productivity of the person using it.
“Many entrepreneurs start from the idea that it is better to own. It is a natural reaction and related to the need for control. But we see that more and more companies are starting to look at not only the cost of acquisition, but also everything that happens after that: administration, repairs, replacement and the time invested in managing the equipment”says Liviu Huluță, CEO and co-founder of INKI.tech.
The change is fueled by two trends that are accelerating simultaneously: the growing pressure for efficiency and the rapid pace at which technology is evolving. Organizations that maintain flexibility and avoid locking up capital in rapidly depreciating assets have more room to invest in business development, teams and growth.
As AI-based applications increase processing, memory and security requirements, equipment replacement cycles are becoming shorter. For companies, this means that the purchase decision can no longer be viewed in 4-5 years, but must be adapted to a much faster technological pace.
According to INKI.tech’s data and observations from collaboration with growth companies, the Device-as-a-Service model is gaining ground as companies reevaluate the true cost of IT equipment ownership. For example, an organization with 50 employees that purchases laptops worth €1,500 invests €75,000 from day one, not including administration, maintenance or replacement costs. Managing a portfolio of over 700 partners, INKI.tech confirms a paradigm shift: the preference for accessibility over asset ownership. The economic logic is obvious: financial resources generate real value when they are directed to human capital, sales strategies and innovation, not by immobilizing them in IT equipment.
The shift is part of a broader trend whereby companies are phasing out large investments in rapidly depreciating assets and moving towards usage-based models. After software, cloud and other digital services, the technology used by employees every day is starting to follow the same path.
INKI.tech predicts that this transition will accelerate in the coming years, amid the growing adoption of artificial intelligence, the pressure for operational efficiency and the need for companies to protect their cash-flow in a volatile economic environment.
If the last decade was about digitization, the next one could be about efficiency. In an economy where speed of adaptation becomes a competitive advantage, success will depend not only on the technology you use, but also on how you choose to manage it.
