Lithuania’s technological readiness has been evaluated at 62.5 out of 100 points. However, according to the creators of this pilot index, this number is not a grade given to the state. It is a baseline that will allow tracking whether Lithuania will be better able to nurture tech talent, strengthen resilience, and turn scientific knowledge into market-ready products in the future.
Behind the overall score lies an uneven picture. The cybersecurity and information resilience dimension scored 71 points, talent and future competencies scored 64.6, while the potential for innovation and science commercialization reached just 52 points. The 19-point gap between the highest- and lowest-rated dimensions revealed Lithuania’s uneven technological readiness.
The pilot “Lithuanian Tech Readiness 2026” index was presented at the “Security Code” (Saugumo kodas) conference, organized by the news portal Lrytas, by Prof. Dr. Indrė Lapinskaitė, Director of the Dynamic Management Institute at VILNIUS TECH.
The Index Consists of 45 Indicators
Lapinskaitė asked the audience whether Lithuania is prepared for a technological future. In her view, most people would choose the third answer: “I don’t know.” The speaker admitted she did not know either until she and her team began developing the index, analyzing data, and looking for answers.
It turned out that a country’s technological readiness cannot be measured by just one or two indicators. Standalone metrics—such as the scale of R&D investments, the number of startups, or cybersecurity indices—do not provide a complete answer. Therefore, technological readiness was evaluated as a system of three interrelated dimensions.
The first dimension is talent: Lithuania needs people capable of developing, implementing, and applying technology. The second encompasses the state’s ability to operate securely and remain resilient in a technological environment. The third is commercialization—the ability to turn created knowledge and technologies into end products and economic value.
“Technological readiness depends on all three dimensions combined and their mutual interaction,” emphasized the Director of the Dynamic Management Institute at VILNIUS TECH.
Each of the three dimensions was allocated 15 indicators, making a total of 45 indicators for the index. Their selection was based on three evaluation principles: advancement, adaptability, and foresight. The goal was to assess where Lithuania stands today, how it responds to changes, and what future potential it is creating.
The selected indicators were evaluated by 40 experts across various sectors and fields of expertise. 35% of the evaluators represented higher education and research, 25% came from the public sector, another 25% from associations and the innovation ecosystem, and 15% represented business.
The experts were asked to individually assess the importance of each indicator within a specific dimension and establish the benchmark for high readiness. The results of the three sub-indices were then combined into an overall technological readiness index for Lithuania.
62.5 Points – Not a Grade for Lithuania
Following the calculations, the “Lithuanian Tech Readiness 2026” index reached 62.5 out of 100 points. I. Lapinskaitė admitted that this number surprised even the creators of the index, but stressed that this result should not be viewed as a final grade for Lithuania.
“This result is not a grade for Lithuania. It is the initial reference point from which we will now be able to observe and assess the changes in technological readiness in the future,” the professor said.
The index is not intended to compare Lithuania with other countries or to create an international ranking. Its purpose is to monitor the domestic state of affairs and its progress over time. Therefore, the first result is significant not only for the overall score, but also for the disparities between its three constituent areas.
The talent sub-index scored 64.6 points. In this area, experts highlighted the problem of continuity along the tech talent pipeline, which is particularly acute in its early stages. “Early STEM education is becoming a kind of bottleneck for the entire technology pipeline,” I. Lapinskaitė quoted one of the experts.
The speaker’s message regarding this dimension was clear: the development of talent and competencies required for a technological future must be strengthened as early as school.
The highest-rated dimension was cybersecurity and information resilience, scoring 71 points. Nevertheless, even here, experts noted an important difference between formal compliance and actual resilience. According to I. Lapinskaitė, it is not enough to have plans, measures, and procedures. The essential question is whether and how all of this will work when facing a real threat. “True resilience is demonstrated in practice, not on paper,” she summarized.
The commercialization sub-index scored 52 points. This is the lowest of the three results, and its low score also surprised the index creators, according to I. Lapinskaitė.
Experts in this field pointed out a striking gap between what Lithuania can create in terms of knowledge and technology, and what it actually manages to convert into products, exports, or investments.
“It is not enough to create knowledge—we must be able to convert it into economic value,” said the Director of the Dynamic Management Institute at VILNIUS TECH.
This is where it becomes most evident why technological readiness cannot be judged in isolation. Even with ample knowledge and technological solutions, overall readiness depends on whether they make it all the way to the market.
Combining the results of all three sub-indices and expert insights revealed three strategic directions: First, educate and develop, ensuring the country has a cohesive talent pipeline. Second, protect, ensuring that readiness is real, not just formal. Third, commercialize, shortening the path from scientific results to the market.
“Technological readiness is not just a collection of separate measures lumped together. It is the ability of the entire chain to function together as one,” I. Lapinskaitė said.
The professor reiterated that the presented index is a pilot project. Nevertheless, it already reveals the system’s strongest and weakest links, enabling future tracking of where and how fast Lithuania is moving forward.
The First Step – A Cybersecurity Model
Technological resilience comes down to our decisions, the people we educate, and the competencies we invest in. What can we do in Lithuania today so that Lithuania’s technological readiness scores higher next time?
VILNIUS TECH has established the “Tech Fund” (Tech Fondas), aligning its role with three directions: The first is technological talent, as professionals are required to build and apply technologies. The second is technological resilience, ensuring that knowledge created in universities solves real-world challenges in Lithuania. The third is technological breakthrough, helping laboratory innovations turn into market-ready products.
The Tech Fund is taking its first concrete step in cybersecurity. A model is being developed where students, together with academic supervisors and business mentors, will solve real-world organizational challenges.
The goal over the next five to ten years is to improve this index score. The Tech Fund will contribute through talent, cyber resilience, and technological breakthroughs.
“The most important question is no longer what our result is today, but whether we will be better prepared next time,” concluded Prof. Dr. I. Lapinskaitė.
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