Data monetisation in 2026. How to transform information sources into real capital
It’s 2026 and treating data as static records of the past has itself become a thing of the past. Data are now seen as dynamic assets that are expected to contribute to a company’s financial results. In a modern business, data management is not merely a matter of storing data securely in the cloud, but is primarily the ability to structure them and make them accessible so that they generate measurable value.
At MakoLab, we support organisations in managing data throughout their entire life cycle, from governance and architecture to real-time processing and providing precision insights. Regardless of whether your goal is optimising internal processes or creating a completely new revenue stream, solid data foundations are an absolute must. What are data foundations? Data environments that are structured, clean and comply with the relevant regulations, constituting a basis for any successful income strategy.
1. Indirect strategy. Earning from data without selling them directly
Indirect monetisation is an approach where data are a catalyser for the success of your core product rather than a separate item on your price list. The crucial thing here is enriching the customer experience by way of value extraction and intelligence, which facilitates profit generation by increasing conversions and loyalty and not simply by selling access to the database.
One excellent example of this is the Spotify Wrapped initiative. The user isn’t billed for it, but it generates a massive indirect profit for the platform via a dramatic growth in engagement, free marketing on social media and higher subscriber retention rates.
In 2026, indirect monetisation will be enabling faster decision-making throughout companies, powering automation and customer-centric services. This will have a real impact on EBITDA without the need to price every analysis directly.
2. Direct data monetisation. Data as a product in real-time architecture
The transition to direct monetisation requires a paradigm shift in thinking. Your data becomes a product or service that a client pays for as per your price list. With this model, defining the architecture of the packages is critical. Will you be selling raw data sets? Or ready-made conclusions derived from predictive analytics?
At MakoLab, we are specialists in data-driven solutions and, as such, we know that success depends on scalability and real-time operations. Our skill sets in the fields of big data, data streaming and data integration mean that we can build event-driven architecture that guarantees the seamless flow of data to your contractors.
Offering data via secure API interfaces will be standard in 2026. To do this, the provision of resilience and continuity is essential. Our 24/7 support guarantees the uninterrupted access and system accuracy that is fundamental to trust in B2B relationships where data becomes your core commodity.
3. Advanced pricing strategies. Cost versus market value
Pricing data is one of the most complex processes in business. The first option, cost pricing, requires companies to conduct forensic monitoring of their expenditure on infrastructure. At MakoLab, we help organise those processes by providing professional data assessment, data governance and data cleaning to tell you precisely what profit margin you can assume above the operating costs.
However, in 2026, value-based pricing is going to be far more effective. It focuses on the benefits the recipient obtains from your information. If your data are unique, eliminate access barriers or offer expert insights that reduce the client’s decision-making processes, then the price should reflect the savings this provides and not only the technological costs.
We help our partners transform their raw data into strategic assets that are secure and ready to be monetised at the highest margins.
4. Packaging. From free samples to enterprise solutions
The final stage is packaging your knowledge into defined packages. At MakoLab, we do this via precise data architecture and anonymisation. An effective tiered pricing strategy begins with defining the level of access, from basic, historical data to advanced, real-time analytics. Good-better-best pricing attracts new users by way of a low entry cost, like the freemium model, for instance, and builds their appetite for full-value, enterprise-type products.
What is going to be crucial in 2026? Flexibility. Offering data via subscription or pay-per-use models will enable you to reach a wide spectrum of recipients. With MakoLab’s services, organisations can be certain that their data are high quality and, above all, ready to generate a real ROI as they fuel cutting-edge AI systems and business automation
Conclusions and the next step
Transforming data into a revenue stream is an ongoing process that demands very high technological proficiency and a profound understanding of market dynamics. At MakoLab, we believe that every modern organisation has resources which, when properly processed and managed, can become an engine for revenue growth. The vital issue here is choosing the strategy that works best for your business model.
Are you keen to find out how to design and deploy data-monetisation-ready architecture in practice?
Contact us at MakoLab and we’ll help you delve deeper.
For more information, check out How to Create Effective Data-Driven Strategies: A Guide
Anna Kaczkowska
Content Marketing Specialist
Responsible for planning, creating and managing content
Jacek Popko
Head of Digital Solutions
