Q1 2026 Constellation ShortList™: 43 Updated Categories Reflect the Next Wave of Enterprise Tech

The Q1 2026 Constellation ShortList™ portfolio updates are here with 43 new and refreshed categories reflecting where enterprise technology investment is accelerating right now.

As AI, automation, cybersecurity, and next-gen infrastructure reshape enterprise priorities, leaders need clarity on which vendors are truly driving market momentum. Constellation’s ShortLists™ provide that signal.

Each ShortList identifies leading vendors across our coverage areas, including AI and developer platforms, customer experience, cybersecurity, healthcare, data, and emerging technologies. Our analysts update every category every six to twelve months to ensure enterprise leaders have an up-to-date view of the competitive landscape.

Why It Matters Now

Enterprise technology investment is no longer about experimentation; it’s about operational impact.

In 2026, organizations are:

• Moving from AI pilots to enterprise-scale deployment
• Prioritizing autonomous systems and automation to offset labor and productivity pressures
• Re-architecting cloud, data, and developer stacks for AI-native workloads
• Increasing spend in cybersecurity, OT security, and resilience as risk surfaces expand
• Seeking measurable revenue impact from CX, revenue intelligence, and pricing technologies

The vendor landscape is shifting just as quickly. New categories are emerging. Established markets are consolidating. And the gap between “AI-enabled” and truly AI-native platforms is widening.

Constellation’s ShortLists™ help enterprise leaders cut through the noise and focus on the vendors demonstrating real market traction, customer adoption, and execution maturity.

What’s New in Q1 2026

This release includes several brand-new categories reflecting rapid innovation and enterprise demand shifts:

New ShortLists:

• Autonomous IT Platforms
• AI Application Development Platform 
• AI Clouds with Compute Roots 
• Communications Platform as a Service (CPaaS) 
• GenerativeAI Applications for Content Generation (Copywriting)
• GenerativeAI Applications for Content Generation (Image, Video) 
• Revenue Intelligence

Full List of 43 Updated and New Categories

• Autonomous IT Platforms – NEW
• AI Application Development Platform – NEW 
• AI-Powered Developer Platforms
• AI Clouds with Compute Roots – NEW
• Autonomous Cloud Data Warehouse Services
• CI/CD Vendors for Next Gen Apps 
• Citizen Developer Low Code Tools and Platforms
• Collaborative Product Development 
• Communications Platform as a Service (CPaaS) – NEW 
• Configure Price Quote (CPQ)
• Contact Center Workforce Engagement Management (WEM)
• Conversational AI
• Conversational Intelligence in Customer Service
• Custom Software Development Services
• Customer Growth Automation
• Customer Success Software
• Cyber Resilience and Data Protection Platforms
• Cybersecurity Services 
• Data Integration and Transformation for Cloud-Based Analytical Data Platforms
• DevOps 
• Digital Customer Service and Support
• Employee Digital Workspaces
• Enterprise Application Platforms
• GenerativeAI Applications for Content Generation (Copywriting) – NEW 
• GenerativeAI Applications for Content Generation (Image, Video) – NEW 
• Healthcare Medical Device Security
• Hybrid-Cloud and Multicloud NoSQL Databases
• Infinite Connectivity Vendors
• Innovation Services and Engineering
• Integration Platform as a Service (IPaaS) 
• Location Technology Platforms
• MLOps
• Next-Gen Databases: RDBMS for On-Premises
• Next-Generation Computing Platforms
• Operational Technology (OT) Security
• PaaS Tool Suites 
• Price Optimization Solutions
• Quantum Full Stack Vendors
• Revenue Intelligence – NEW 
• Services-Centric Cloud ERP
• Social Engagement Platforms
• Strategic Response Management
• Work Coordination Platforms

How We Determine the ShortList

Each vendor included meets rigorous threshold criteria based on:

• Client inquiries and advisory conversations
• Vendor selection projects
• Customer references
• Partner ecosystem feedback
• Market momentum and internal research

ShortLists are designed to be a starting point for enterprise software evaluation — not a final decision. They provide clarity, not bias.

All reports are part of Constellation’s open research library and are free to download.

Explore the full portfolio here: https://www.constellationr.com/research/shortlist-overview.

What’s Next

We will release the second wave of Q1 2026 ShortLists next Wednesday, February 25. Stay tuned as we continue expanding coverage across high-growth enterprise categories.

If you’re navigating vendor selection, contract negotiation, or partner evaluation, our advisory team can help. Contact [email protected] to learn more.

Have a category you believe we should cover next quarter? We welcome suggestions at [email protected].