Recruitment of foreign talent, multinational corporations, cross-border mergers and acquisitions, digital initial public offerings, remote business operations, virtual data management, and then work-from-home, the 21st century has been the era of globalization. Although globalization can be credited to different factors, it was technology that made it possible for businesses and professionals to explore international markets.
Corporations now find it super easy to ensure digital collaboration between partners, investors, management, and cross-border franchises. They can share or manage unprecedented amounts of data with ease and conduct webinars and online meetings — all thanks to modern-day collaboration tools like virtual data rooms.
Globalization and virtual data rooms
It won’t be wrong to say that it is the technology that has made globalization possible. Otherwise, how would it be possible to connect different business entities operating in different states or countries?
When it comes to globalization in business spheres, virtual dataroom software has played an undeniable role. It has connected businesses and professionals from all parts of the world and made complex business transactions more effortless than ever.
Today, businesses can perform large-scale, international M&A transactions digitally through virtual data rooms. Auditors can access and verify corporate information remotely, and companies can launch their IPOs, while private equities can manage most of their operations through a digital data room.
Here is an introduction to virtual data rooms, VDR market analysis and future prospects, and what type of businesses can benefit from data room technology.
What is a virtual data room?
Virtual or digital data room software is an online document repository with advanced features for data management, digital communication, meeting management, data analysis, and project management.
As data rooms are cloud technology, they are remotely accessible. Businesses use them as virtual workspaces where employees can share or access corporate data and communicate over a single platform. Dealmakers use them as a central platform to connect different parties involved in dealmaking.
“10-15 years ago, nobody would have thought that they would be participating in a merger, acquisition, fundraising, or a real estate transaction from mountains, beaches, and other remote areas. But, thanks to modern-day data room vendors, we have 24/7 access to EVERYTHING happening to our businesses or professions,” says Angleo Dean, CEO of https://datarooms.org/ — an expert community of professionals conducting independent comparisons and reviews of M&A data room providers.
Current trends in virtual data room market and future trends
The global virtual data room market has been valued at $1.48 billion in 2021 and is expected to be a $3.66 billion industry by 2027.
North America (specifically the United States) stands as the biggest, while Asia Pacific is the fastest-growing market for virtual data rooms. The market is divided into four regions — North America, Asia Pacific, Europe, and the rest of the world.
Key players in the data room market include Caplinked, EthosData, Brainloop AG, Intralinks Inc., Ansarada Group Limited, BMC Group Inc., Datasite, iDeals Solutions Group, and Thomson Reuters.
Here are the top trends and prospects in the data room market:
- More and more businesses are switching to cloud storage technologies as it is one of the best ways to minimize administrative costs. Thus, virtual data rooms are emerging as a top solution for cloud-based data management.
- Corporations and enterprises are adopting data room technology for intellectual property management, risk management, and asset management. What’s more, data rooms play an important role in regulatory and compliance requirements for businesses operating in different regions.
- Dealmakers and businesses regularly render data room services for mergers, acquisitions, fundraising, IPOs, joint ventures, strategic partnerships, and private equity acquisitions.
- The introduction of blockchain-based technologies in virtual data rooms has strengthened security across the IT ecosystem. IT and the telecom sector has started employing data room technology for better communication flow and safer data sharing.
- Worldwide acceptance of remote working culture has also fueled the need for secure virtual workspaces like data room software. VDRs make sure employees can share, access, and manage data and communicate in a controlled environment.
- The North American market is mainly pushed by the banking sector, M&A market, and the financial industry for a safe and fast flow of information. These industries are expected to increase the demand for virtual data centers in the years to come.
Businesses that can benefit from virtual data rooms
The above-mentioned factors have played a huge part in data room market growth. What makes VDR technology better than its counterparts is its diversity. That said, a business of any type and size can use data room technology for data management and protection.
For example, the healthcare sector uses data rooms for safeguarding confidential patient data, while pharmaceutical companies use them for clinical trials, biotech licensing, and IPOs/fundraising.
Furthermore, data rooms are regularly used in the legal industry, oil and energy sector, retail businesses, and real estate industry.
Final words
Technologies like virtual data rooms have played a massive role in the globalization of the corporate world. VDR tech simplifies complex dealmaking, streamlines two-way, real-time communication, and makes data sharing safer, faster, and cost-efficient.
Current trends in the virtual data room industry show that the market is dynamic and estimated to grow. This growth is fueled by remote working culture, the introduction of technologies like blockchain and AI, increased reliance on cloud computing, as well as ever-growing popularity of virtual data rooms in industries like healthcare, legal, oil and gas, and real estate.