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SAP.iO Foundries

2022 Year in Review

Dear SAP.iO Community,

This year SAP celebrates five decades of innovation, partnership, and purpose. I am proud that SAP.iO Foundries has played an important role in bringing the latest startup innovation to SAP customers and creating the next generation of partners for SAP. As we wrap up the year, I look back proudly at what we have accomplished together and think of 2022 being the year of five.

SAP.iO Turns 5!
This year SAP.iO celebrated its 5th birthday. We have grown both our portfolio, our team and number of engagements with customers. We launched our 11th location, SAP.iO Foundry Latin America, its first program focused on sustainable farming and optimizing agricultural logistics processes. In addition, we recently announced the opening of the SAP.iO Foundry Egypt in 2023. The total number of customer-startup connections increased by 94% to a total of 7,000+ in 2022.

5x Revenue through SAP Store
Despite the challenging economic and political environment our startups were able to scale with SAP, achieving record results. SAP.iO startups closed 2X the number of deals compared to 2021 and generated 5X last year’s revenue on the SAP Store. Customers like NovartisDole Sunshine CompanyCubicScotiabank, and Vodafone are rapidly adopting startup innovation and quickly realizing results. If you want to see an example of the state-of-the-art solutions which our startups deliver to our customers check out this latest video of startup collaboration with The Home Depot.

500th curated startup in SAP’s startup ecosystem
This year, we were thrilled to welcome our 500th startup to the SAP.iO portfolio and launch our SAP.iO Rising Stars and dedicated alumni programs to help our alumni scale their relationships with SAP. Among our startups are four unicorns Hasura, BigID, and Paradox and Airwallex. We’re proud that our startups raised a cumulative $8.93B in VC funding, and 19 startups had successful exits in 2022. You can check out our portfolio of amazing startups here!

Cracked the 50% underrepresented founders mark this year
Diversity yields better innovation. We therefore launched SAP.iO No Boundaries in 2019, the first initiative for underrepresented entrepreneurs in the industry. We set ourselves the goal to support 200 startups founded or led by female or underrepresented entrepreneurs within the following 5 years. In 2022, we reached our goal a year ahead of schedule! In addition, our No Boundaries startups now make up 51% of the exits and 50% of the unicorns in our portfolio!

Over 25 startups now on the data marketplace for SAP Data Warehouse Cloud
Driving superior decision making based on fast and easy access to trusted data is the goal of the data marketplace for SAP Data Warehouse Cloud. This year SAP.iO’s SAP BTP Startup Program team launched an initiative to identify innovative data providing startups for the data marketplace for SAP Data Warehouse Cloud. We achieved an 86% increase in startups listed on the marketplace compared to last year and are proud that our startups continue to bring innovative technologies to SAP customers.

Other Year 5 Achievements
Our startups continue to make headlines and win awards as they use their technology to change the way the world runs.  Some of them were featured winners at the 2022 Cloud Wars Expo. We were very excited when SAP announced that it had acquired SAP.iO startup Askdata, a company focused on search-driven analytics. With this acquisition, SAP strengthened its ability to help organizations make better-informed decisions by leveraging AI-driven natural language searches. For the third consecutive time, SAP.iO was recognized with the Corporate Startup Stars Award 2022 as one of the Top 50 companies encouraging startup innovation and we are honored to receive this award again in 2022.

After such a successful 2022, I am really looking forward to what is to come in 2023. I want to thank you all – partners, startups, investors, mentors, and employees – for your continued support in helping us build the most innovative and inclusive ecosystem that continues to deliver value for customers worldwide.

A special thank you goes to the wonderful SAP.iO Foundries teams who bring dedication, passion, commitment and heart to work each day to make such an amazing impact!

Alexa Gorman
Senior Vice President, SAP.iO

Top Highlights from 2022

SAP Achieves Goal of Supporting 200 Startups Founded or Led by Underrepresented Entrepreneurs Six Months Ahead of Schedule

SAP announced that it has supported 200 startups founded or led by a female or member of an underrepresented group as of July 2022. This is six months ahead of the initial goal of 2023.

SAP.iO Foundries Expands to Latin America

SAP announced the launch of the first SAP.iO Foundry in the region to accelerate start-ups across all lines of business and industries. The accelerator will also be based in São Leopoldo, with a virtual presence throughout the region.

Startups Are Key to SAP’s Sustainable Enterprise Vision

SAP has a corporate goal to drive toward Zero Emissions, Zero Waste, and Zero Inequality. It’s nurturing 75 sustainability-oriented startups through its SAP.iO Foundries accelerator, focusing on everything from food to fashion.

2022 Global Startup Ecosystem Index Report Recognizes SAP as a Leading Corporate Innovator

SAP was recognized as a leading corporate innovator in Germany in the StartupBlink 2022 Global Startup Ecosystem Index – the world’s most comprehensive startup ecosystem ranking.

Building the most comprehensive, innovative, and diverse startup ecosystem in the enterprise software industry.

534
startups in our portfolio
44
startups founded or led by underrepresented entrepreneurs
8.93
in VC funding raised by startups in ecosystem

The program is professionally structured with a clear focus on building technical products together. The team is ambitious, supportive and very committed; they connect the startups with experts as well as senior managers and opens up great stages, both internally and at external tech events.

Sophia RödigerCEO, bloXmove

The SAP.iO Foundry program is by far the best industry accelerator EVERYANGLE has ever participated in. The guidance, insight and support offered by the SAP.iO team is unique and meaningful.

David OwensCEO, EVERYANGLE

Being part of the SAP.iO Foundry program has been a true privilege. We learned a lot, exposed ourselves to the best, and marked a roadmap to move forward in our development as a company and as professionals. I’d like to thank the SAP.iO team for everything they shared.

Fernando MoncayoManaging Director, Inspectorio

SAP.iO is a great program for startups to accelerate their journey of partnering with SAP. SAP.iO will provide you a wealth of information and open doors for driving more sales, accelerating product development, and strengthening your SAP partnership.

Magnus BjorendahlCEO, Twenty5

Meet Our Inspiring Innovators

At SAP.iO, we work with innovative people and new technologies that positively impact our world every day, and we think it’s time to share their stories with you! In our series, “Inspiring Innovators,” we get to hear how founders, CEOs, presidents of cutting-edge startup technologies overcame, thrived, and pursued their goals.

Read All Stories

Ensuring that SAP customers discover and adopt startup innovation.

396
startups that are active SAP partners
201
startups with integrated solutions available on SAP Store or other SAP Marketplace
7000
connections facilitated between startups & customers since 2017

Innovation doesn’t happen in a bubble. It takes partners and enablers like SAP.iO to enable true innovation to occur. We are grateful for this ecosystem which has allowed us to co-create.

Tara BadriHead of Digital Innovation Sustainability at BASF

SAP.iO enables me to easily identify valuable add-on services for and shape the strategic roadmap of our SAP SuccessFactors landscape. At the same time, providing early-on feedback to the startups ensures their solutions are really tailored to complex global corporate needs.

Dominik A. HahnGlobal Head of Group Talent Acquisition at Allianz

Being an HR Tech Advisor for SAP.iO is an incredible opportunity to learn about great startups and foster innovation in HR technologies to improve employee experiences.

José Juan CarranzaDirector of Technology Portfolio and Process at Tec de Monterrey

SAP.iO put on a dynamic session with three of their startups during the recent SAP Fashion Council. It was a super engaging session and we experienced firsthand some of the exciting innovations SAP is adding to its ecosystem.

Ralph VibhustienExecutive Director – Global GIS Retail at The Estée Lauder Companies

SAP bringing together HR leaders with creative innovators focused on improving the technology experience for HR solutions creates a unique opportunity for all of us to grow and learn together. Time spent with this group provides me with energy and inspiration.

Julie PettitVP of Human Resources at Cintas Corporation

Gerdau’s collaboration with SAP.iO and its startup ecosystem has had a relevant impact on our business. The SAP.iO team does a fantastic job at vetting and accelerating startups with valuable solutions that sit adjacent to our SAP systems and address relevant pain points. They have also provided me with in depth knowledge on how to leverage innovation to tackle real world problems.

Rafael La Porta de CastroDirector of Business Development at Gerdau

Innovation Engagements, Events & Councils

We facilitate relationship building between SAP customers and the most relevant SAP.iO Foundries’ portfolio companies through curated innovation engagements, customer innovation days, and workshops. These engagements provide customers and startups in our portfolio the opportunity to share knowledge, discuss industry challenges and opportunities, and showcase the latest innovations. This helps SAP customers access external innovation, elevates SAP’s brand as an innovation partner, and opens new doors for startups to drive demand for their solutions.

2022 Highlights

Solution Adoption

We help the world’s biggest brands unlock innovation through SAP’s startup ecosystem. In 2022, we engaged over 1,000 customers and worked with organizations globally to maximize their SAP investment, enable simple transactions via SAP’s online marketplaces, and accelerate their ROI. Hundreds of SAP customers closed deals with our portfolio companies, whose technologies are transforming how businesses operate.

2022 Highlights

Strategic Collaborations

We work closely with strategic customers to scout startups, assess solutions, and provide input before accepting them into new programs. This gives our customers a head-start at finding the best startups that meet their needs. In 2022, we partnered with 87 SAP customers to collaborate on industry- and line-of-business-specific programs to explore new market insights and solutions, participate in the application screening phase, and potentially become beta-sites for pilot programs.

2022 Highlights

Setting the global standard for startup engagement.

175
events in 2022
20
cohorts run in 11 locations in 2022
50
awards won by SAP.iO and our portfolio companies in 2022

Events & Experiences

In 2022, SAP.iO and our startups participated in and hosted more than 175 events and conferences worldwide – reaching an audience of over 100k business leaders. Our global presence at top industry and technology events allows us to introduce cutting-edge startup technology to our customers and the global innovation ecosystem. This helps us connect with innovation leaders and support the growth of the ecosystem.

2022 Highlights

Startup Programs

In 2022, we ran 20 SAP.iO Foundries programs in 11 locations worldwide, continuing to build the most comprehensive, innovative, and diverse startup ecosystem in the enterprise software industry. Our network of global innovation hubs empowers innovators of all backgrounds to start-up with SAP and help the world run better and improve peoples’ lives.

2022 Highlights

Thought Leadership & Content

As an intermediary between corporates and startups, we leverage and share best practices and market insights for our customers and startup partners to drive innovation and solve challenges across 25+ industries. This helps us support the growth of our customers and startup partners and foster a thriving ecosystem of innovation.

2022 Highlights

Recognition

SAP.iO and our portfolio companies won 50+ awards this year and were featured in over 350 articles. We are proud to be one of the most effective organizations transforming open innovation into tangible results, setting the global standard for startup engagement.

2022 Highlights

Helping innovators start-up and scale with SAP.

SAP.iO Foundry Berlin

Fast Facts

  • Founded: 2017
  • Startups Accelerated: 82
  • Programs Run: 10

The Team

Cherishing Every Moment

“The Data and Analytics Demo Day and the official launch of our office was by far the fondest memory of 2022. We got to meet with several of our alumni and startups who we have been working with over two years alongside tens of customers from all over Germany. Plus, every deal signed between a portfolio company and a customer is the moment to cherish. One of the biggest lessons learned in 2022 was that businesses cannot run the way they used to before. Sustainability and people empowerment – be it employee, customer or partner is on top of every leader’s mind. It is not a nice to have, but a business imperative.”

– Azadeh Ghahghaie

SAP.iO Foundry Munich

Fast Facts

  • Founded: 2019
  • Startups Accelerated: 67
  • Programs Run: 6

The Team

Back in Person

“This year was all about meeting our startups, customers and partners in person, again. With a fun kickoff of our program at the Oktoberfest in Munich and many other events like Viva Technology, Bits & Pretzels or the Web Summit, we started to have in person meetings with startups again. We learned that nothing beats the value we receive from in presence meetings. Due to that, we were also able to engage with more SAP customers than ever. Our customers loved the innovation days we organized for them to meet our startups. Meeting the startups in their offices changes completely the perception of the collaboration. We are proud of the great ecosystem we are part of in Munich which keeps us working in person or virtually.”

– Sina Fraenkle

SAP.iO Foundry Paris

Fast Facts

  • Founded: 2018
  • Startups Accelerated: 66
  • Programs Run: 8

The Team

Creating More Opportunities

“In 2022 – for the first time – we extended the program to 9 months. We realized that the past years having 3-month programs were great, but there are so many incredible opportunities that we would like to take more advantage of. This also gives us the chance to work with a higher number of startups and widen our portfolio. As the Head of SAP.iO Foundry Paris, I’m so grateful for working closely with all these interesting, driven, inspiring and always fun teams. It makes me realize every day how collaboration and team work really creates win-win-win situations.”

– Odilia von Zitzewitz

SAP.iO Foundry Tel Aviv

Fast Facts

  • Founded: 2018
  • Startups Accelerated: 50
  • Programs Run: 9

The Team

Driving Sustainable Outcomes

“It was so great to connect in person with the startups after 2 years of virtual programs. This year, we had the honor of participating in the COP27 conference in Egypt and got to accompany and support startups from our most recent carbon accounting cohort, one from Singapore and one from Israel. It felt amazing to be able to connect in person and the experience really brought depth and energy to the partnership and made a big impact on the quality of our communication and work together. On a personal level, our team in Tel Aviv is very passionate about sustainability, and it was extremely meaningful to lead a cohort of six companies who all have goals to actively reduce the carbon footprint of global enterprises.”

– Inbar Yacoby

SAP.iO Foundry San Francisco

Fast Facts

  • Founded: 2017
  • Startups Accelerated: 57
  • Programs Run: 9

The Team

Reconnecting with Our Ecosystem

“Being able to finally meet with our startups and customers in person was one of the highlights of the year. What I loved the most was the connection between the founders and the audience, and the opportunities for collaboration, discussion, and learning. Another great memory is the excitement when Askdata – a startup accelerated by SAP.iO Foundry San Francisco in 2019 – was acquired by SAP this year. This is an incredible achievement and we are so proud to be part of their journey! I am particularly proud – as Askdata was the first Italian startup that joined our ecosystem.”

– Domitilla Caputo

SAP.iO Foundry New York

Fast Facts

  • Founded: 2018
  • Startups Accelerated: 62
  • Programs Run: 8

The Team

Expanding to New Horizons

“SAP.iO is at the forefront of exploring new startup innovations. I am very excited to showcase our work in Web3 and continue exploration into the topics of blockchain, metaverse and digital assets. Under the hood, we are passionate about propelling the success and go to market of this industry’s startups into the enterprise. Stay tuned on even more progress!

– Sallie Jian

SAP.iO Foundry Latin America

Fast Facts

  • Founded: 2022
  • Startups Accelerated: 7
  • Programs Run: 1

The Team

Launching in Latin America

“This year, we launched SAP.iO Foundry Latin America. It felt fantastic to stand next to the SAP Latin America leadership team and SAP Executive Board to launch our 11th Foundry location at SAP Labs Latin America in Brazil. There is so much impeccable innovation in Latin America and our first cohort is comprised of diverse startups from all over the region. We are excited to continue scaling our presence in the region and unlocking more innovation for our customers.”

– Domitilla Caputo

SAP.iO Foundry Bangalore

Fast Facts

  • Founded: 2020
  • Startups Accelerated: 24
  • Programs Run: 2

The Team

Delivering the Future of Shopping

“SAP.iO Foundry Bangalore is critical to driving innovation for customers in India and globally. With over 18,000 enterprise SaaS startups in India, India is probably the only ecosystem in the world where startups build and sell for India and the global market. After screening over 800 global startups across multiple innovation vectors in ‘Future of Shopping,’ we selected 15 of the most promising startups and helped them integrate with SAP products and deliver PoCs to customers.”

– Aravind Govindan

SAP.iO Foundry Singapore

Fast Facts

  • Founded: 2019
  • Startups Accelerated: 48
  • Programs Run: 8

The Team

Striving for Excellence

“The startup ecosystem in Singapore continues to improve every year in terms of startup quality and VC funding. We are seeing more deep tech startups in Singapore that are solving global problems. This is very important for SAP.iO in Singapore, as customers and the SAP field teams prefer to work with startups with a presence in Southeast Asia. Having a large pool of quality startups to work with augurs well for SAP.iO’s partner ecosystem in Southeast Asia.”

– Steven Tong

SAP.iO Foundry Tokyo

Fast Facts

  • Founded: 2019
  • Startups Accelerated: 33
  • Programs Run: 6

The Team

Helping Startups Scale

“SAP.iO Foundry Tokyo has been recognized as one of the most practical “scalerator” program in Japan. For a B2B tech or SaaS startup who wants to expand its business globally as well as in domestic market, it has become essential for them to join an SAP.iO Foundries program. This year, we worked to increase exposure for the 33 startups that have collaborated with SAP.iO Foundry Tokyo. This effort has enabled SAP and our startups to launch several pilots/POCs and close annual contracts by providing a variety of SAP customers with joint solutions which are focused on solving industry specific challenges.”

– Kenji Ohyama

SAP.iO Foundry Shanghai

Fast Facts

  • Founded: 2022
  • Startups Accelerated: 20
  • Programs Run: 3

The Team

Deepening Customer Relationships

“My fondest memory is Sapphire Beijing in September this year. SAP.iO had a booth with two screens, which attracted more than 500 customer representatives to visit. I am very proudThis past year, we have put an emphasis on focusing on our customers’ needs. SAP.iO Foundry Shanghai has conducted 3 cohorts, and each session of our use case discussion is getting deeper and deeper, and real customer users are invited to join the discussion. Customer needs and pain points are the cornerstone of our use cases and the key to the success of the program.

– Qiao Li

SAP.iO Rising Stars

Fast Facts

  • Founded: 2022
  • Startups Supported in 2022: 28

The Team

Achieving Business Momentum

“At the beginning of 2022 we officially launched SAP.iO Rising Stars, a global follow-up program for selected SAP.iO Foundry graduates, with a goal to secure the massive SAP.iO Foundry efforts to partner with early-stage startups. During the advanced Rising Stars program we are working with the partners to achieve initial business momentum with SAP. We do that by executing various portfolio development and business development activities to generate joint pipeline, facilitate client discussions and support deals closing. During 2022, we worked with 28 SAP partners, and immediately gained a huge success. The Rising Stars partners booked dozens of new SAP Store deals, adding new business value and technical functionality on-top of existing SAP solutions being used by our clients. In addition, the partners took an active role in many large industry and SAP events, created thought leadership content, and produced rich media content jointly with SAP.”

– Lior Weizman

Global BTP Startup Program

Fast Facts

  • Founded: 2021
  • Startups Supported in 2022: 28

The Team

Enhancing Analytics with Third Party Data

Together with the SAP.iO Foundries team, the SAP BTP Startup team screened more than 400 startups to identify innovative data providers for the data marketplace for SAP Data Warehouse Cloud. Over the course of the year, 28 new data providers joined the Data-to-Value track of our program to list their data on the data marketplace for SAP Data Warehouse Cloud. Examples of external data sets augmenting corporate data analytics include NWO.ai’s consumer trend data, Ambee’s environmental data sets to enhance ESG reporting, and Portcast’s port congestion data to complement supply chain and logistics analytics.

SAP.iO No Boundaries

Fast Facts

  • Launched: 2018
  • Startups Founded or Led by Underrepresented Entrepreneurs: 44%

Doubling-Down on Inclusive Entrepreneurship

Now that we have achieved our initial goal, we plan to build on our momentum. By 2028, we want 45% of our portfolio to be comprised of startups founded or led by people whose share of venture capital funding in the technology industry is proportionally less than their share of the population. This is up from 40% in 2018.

It take’s a village.

Our team continues to prove that a small input can have a big output. We’d like to acknowledge and thank our incredible community of friends, fans, fellows, interns, working students, mentors, advisors, and sponsors who collaborated with us in 2022 to drive such incredible results. We couldn’t have done it without you.

Ready to start-up with SAP in 2023?