Although innovation is a strategic priority for most companies, measuring Return on Investment (ROI) in innovation is still a challenge for many organizations. According to the study “ROI in Innovation – Benchmark Report 2025”, carried out by Match IT, with support from ABES, Hotmilk, NR7 and Octua, more than half of the companies that monitor ROI achieve a return of over 30% in less than two years. However, 30% of companies still do not have structured mechanisms to measure these results.
The survey interviewed executives from various sectors between February and March 2025, and indicated that the average maturity of innovation initiatives in the Brazilian market is just 2.7 on a scale of 1 to 5. Although 88% of respondents claim to have teams dedicated to innovation or R&D (research and development), only 27% have a centralized area for governance and monitoring of results.
“ROI management is essential to provide visibility to the impact of initiatives and justify investments. It helps to make gains tangible in numbers and demonstrate that innovation pays off, whether through direct savings, increased revenue or operational improvements,” highlights Rose Ramos, Founder & CEO of MatchIT.
The data also revealed that the main motivation for innovation in companies is efficiency gains (70%), followed by the development of new products and channels (48%). Open innovation, with collaboration between startups and research institutes, is present in 43% of companies. However, only 36% seek transformative or disruptive innovations, and social innovation, focused on ESG practices and environmental impact, appears in only 25% of cases.
The survey also showed that 66% of executives expect a return on investments in innovation within two years. Among the main challenges reported are the difficulty in aligning cost-benefit in long-term projects (41%), the lack of adequate financial models for innovative initiatives (26%) and internal cultural resistance, which pressures for immediate results (25%).
Although 71% of companies apply financial metrics to assess innovation, ROI management is still in its infancy: 52% of companies began measuring this indicator less than two years ago, and only 5% have been doing so for more than five years. Among the most adopted metrics are cost savings and hours worked (48%), payback on investment (30%) and traditional indicators such as Net Present Value (NPV) and Internal Rate of Return (IRR) (25%). Another critical point identified is the lack of advanced technological tools for monitoring: more than half of companies (57%) still use traditional methods, such as Excel spreadsheets and PowerPoint presentations, to consolidate ROI data.
Even in a challenging scenario, 61% of companies indicate that investments in innovation are expected to grow in 2025, driven by technological advances such as AI, 5G and blockchain, in addition to growing consumer demands and the macroeconomic scenario. “Innovation is essential for the competitiveness and growth of companies. Technological advances and the need to adapt to the market make investment in innovation a priority”, concludes Rose Ramos.
The full report is available for consultation at thislink.
