---
id: "concept-digital-momentum"
type: "concept"
source_timestamps: ["§ See more HBR charts in Data & Visuals"]
tags: ["metrics", "growth-rate"]
related: ["concept-digital-evolution-index", "claim-post-covid-downshift", "framework-digital-evolution-matrix"]
definition: "The compound annual growth rate of a country's digital evolution scores from 2008 to 2025, indicating the speed of its digital advancement."
sources: ["futures"]
sourceVaultSlug: "hbr-seg-futures"
originDay: 2
articleStem: "hbr-foci-75-fragmenting-digital-economy"
sourceUrl: "https://hbr.org/2026/06/what-a-fragmenting-digital-economy-means-for-global-competition"
sourceTitle: "What a Fragmenting Digital Economy Means for Global Competition"
---
# Digital Momentum

**Digital Momentum** is the second axis of the [[framework-digital-evolution-matrix]] (the first being the *level* of digital evolution measured by the [[concept-digital-evolution-index]]).

It captures the **rate** of a country's digital evolution, calculated as the **compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of digital evolution scores over the 2008–2025 period**.

Momentum is what distinguishes otherwise similar economies:
- A mature-but-stagnating country ([[concept-stall-outs]]) has high evolution but *slowing* momentum.
- A less-developed-but-accelerating country ([[concept-break-outs]]) has lower evolution but *fast* momentum.

See [[claim-post-covid-downshift]] for the finding that global momentum has decelerated since Covid.

> **Enrichment caveat:** The concept of a multi-year momentum metric is well supported by Digital Planet materials (which reference ~15 years of data), but the *exact* 2008–2025 CAGR window appears extrapolated from internal study details rather than explicit public documentation.