MuleSoft 2025 Connectivity Benchmark: organizations use 897 applications on average; only 29% are integrated

Claim: MuleSoft 2025 Connectivity Benchmark Report: organizations use an average of 897 applications; only 29% are integrated.

Source: https://www.salesforce.com/news/press-releases/2025/02/04/mulesoft-2025-connectivity-benchmark-report/ (Salesforce official press release; survey of 1,050 IT leaders across nine countries, Oct-Nov 2024)

Confidence: Verified.

Companion data on the cost of silos:

  • IDC: data silos cost organizations 20-30% in annual operational efficiency (https://www.anchorpointdata.com/blog/data-silos-hidden-cost)
  • Gartner: poor data quality costs organizations an average of $12.9M per year
  • McKinsey (2012 "Social Economy"): knowledge workers spend "nearly 20%" of the workweek searching for information — still load-bearing in 2026 silo literature

The fragmentation cost is real and measurable. The 897-apps-29%-integrated ratio is the structural condition that justifies investment in a deliberate data layer.