As businesses look for greater flexibility, predictable costs and stronger cash flow, many are beginning to rethink one of their most fundamental technology investments: laptops and smartphones.
The shift mirrors what happened in the company car market. Once purchased outright as standard practice, company vehicles have increasingly moved to operational leasing. Now, workplace technology is following a similar path, with businesses gradually replacing large upfront hardware purchases with subscription-based models that offer greater financial flexibility.
Over the past decade, companies have become accustomed to paying for access rather than ownership. Software, cloud infrastructure and digital services have all embraced subscription models. The same transformation is now beginning to reshape enterprise hardware.
Founded in Romania in 2021, INKI.tech is bringing this approach to workplace technology through its Device-as-a-Service (DaaS) platform. Instead of purchasing laptops, smartphones and other business devices outright, companies can access them through a predictable monthly subscription that can also include device management, technical support, maintenance and protection.
As demand for operational flexibility and better cash flow management continues to grow, Device-as-a-Service is gaining momentum across Europe. Today, INKI.tech serves more than 700 companies across all 27 European Union member states.
The Purchase Price Is Only the Beginning
Technology sits at the heart of almost every business today, making laptops and smartphones essential workplace tools. Yet for many organisations, choosing the right device is only part of the equation.
Companies must also manage configuration, security, maintenance, repairs, upgrades and eventual replacement, all of which require time, expertise and ongoing investment. As a result, the true cost of a device extends well beyond its purchase price.
The comparison with company cars is particularly relevant. Buying a vehicle is only the first expense; servicing, maintenance, insurance and administration follow throughout its lifecycle. The same principle applies to IT equipment. When a laptop breaks down or can no longer keep up with modern workloads, the impact is felt not only in the IT budget but also in employee productivity.
“Many entrepreneurs instinctively believe it’s better to own their equipment. That’s a natural mindset because ownership feels like control. But we’re seeing more companies look beyond the upfront purchase price and evaluate the total cost of ownership, from administration and maintenance to repairs, replacements, and the time spent managing devices,” says Liviu Huluță, CEO and Co-Founder of INKI.tech.
The shift is being driven by two trends unfolding at the same time: growing pressure to improve operational efficiency and the accelerating pace of technological change. Businesses that preserve liquidity and avoid locking capital into rapidly depreciating assets have greater flexibility to invest in growth, talent and innovation.
AI Is Shortening Hardware Lifecycles
Artificial intelligence is expected to reinforce this trend even further.
As AI-powered applications demand greater processing power, memory and enhanced security, hardware replacement cycles are becoming shorter. For businesses, this means technology investments can no longer be planned around a traditional four- or five-year lifecycle but must adapt to a much faster pace of innovation.
Based on its experience working with fast-growing companies, INKI.tech is seeing Device-as-a-Service gain traction as organisations reassess the true cost of owning workplace technology.
Consider a business with 50 employees purchasing laptops worth €1,500 each. That represents an upfront investment of €75,000 before accounting for deployment, IT administration, maintenance or future replacements.
Managing a portfolio of more than 700 customers across Europe, INKI.tech is witnessing a broader shift in mindset: companies are increasingly prioritising access over ownership. The financial logic is straightforward. Capital creates greater value when invested in people, sales, innovation and business growth rather than tied up in IT assets that depreciate over time.
From Ownership to Access
The transition reflects a much broader trend across the economy. Companies are steadily moving away from large upfront investments in rapidly depreciating assets in favour of usage-based models.
Software made the shift years ago. Cloud computing followed. Now, the technology employees rely on every day appears to be heading in the same direction.
INKI.tech expects this transition to accelerate over the coming years, driven by wider AI adoption, increasing pressure to improve operational efficiency and a growing need for businesses to protect cash flow in an uncertain economic environment.
If the last decade was defined by digital transformation, the next may well be defined by operational efficiency. In an economy where adaptability is becoming a competitive advantage, success will depend not only on the technology companies use, but also on how they choose to finance, manage and continuously refresh it.
