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In Paris, Featured, Consumer Industries, Announcements

SAP.iO Foundry Paris Launches New Startup Program on Consumer Engagement

September 21, 2023 — SAP SE (NYSE: SAP) today launched its new startup program focused on the future of consumer engagement at SAP.iO Foundry Paris. 15 startups have been selected to join the program.

In today’s highly competitive market, retailers and consumer product companies face new challenges in the way goods are marketed, purchased, fulfilled and delivered. However, advancements in emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence present novel prospects to transform the consumer and shopper experiences.

The six-month program is primarily B2C (business-to-consumer)-oriented and aims to provide all necessary tools and solutions to significantly enhance the end customers’ experience, with a particular emphasis on shopping. The selected startups offer solutions that cover the entire supply chain, from selecting the right product to a timely delivery.

The SAP.iO program will support 15 startups, which were chosen based on several criteria, including their size and relative experience, the technical viability of their solutions, their uniqueness compared to existing technologies at SAP, and their commercial value.

The following startups are participating in the SAP.iO Foundry Paris cohort:

  1. Anaphora designs and creates platforms to help international brands elevate and control their brand experiences across all digital touchpoints.
  2. Booxi is an appointment booking software that enhances customer satisfaction, increases conversions and sales by facilitating seamless customer journeys from the website to the store.
  3. With ChatLabs, brands can create a unique experience for each customer by combining content, products, and calls to action in highly personalized journeys, which are fully automated and powered by AI.
  4. Digitoo is an AI-powered bookkeeping solution designed to tackle the industry-wide problems of understaffing, the high costs and complexity of handling paper documents and difficulty implementing automation systems.
  5. Find & Order has been working with logistics and distribution leaders for three years to challenge their operations and information systems.
  6. Frontnow is a GenAI-powered shopping assistant that helps online retailers offer a seamless in-store-like experience across channels with easy low-code implementation.
  7. Logicbroker connects all participants in an organization’s supply chain through an integrated suite, regardless of their business model.
  8. Measmerize offers a size recommendation solution for fashion that helps consumers know not only what size to buy, but also how it fits on their body, requiring minimal integration from retailers.
  9. Notify uses AI to power an innovative CRM that reduces marketing pressure, personalizes and legitimizes the relationship, and optimizes the CRM’s carbon footprint.
  10. Particular Audience’s solutions include bundled and automated offerings on price alignment policy, sponsored products, transformer-based vector search, visual search, recommendations, price information, and dynamic pricing.
  11. Potions develops and deploys the first cookieless path personalization platform, delivering unique experiences for customer website visitors.
  12. Q°emotion is a semantic and emotional solution that automatically analyzes customer reviews to detect and eliminate customer journey irritants.
  13. Uncrowd is an experience analytics platform that helps companies build a customer journey map by combining customer experience observation, quantitative measures, and comparative results.
  14. Unea enables retailers and brands to collaborate seamlessly by presenting products and reserving real-time placements.
  15. YDISTRI specializes in managing unsold retail inventory, increasing efficiency and profitability while enhancing customer loyalty, sustainability, and supply chain resilience.

About SAP.iO
SAP.iO curates a relevant and diverse startup ecosystem that extends the value of SAP solutions and meets the continuously evolving needs of our customers. Our programs provide dedicated support to the most promising startups as they launch and scale relationships with SAP and our global network of customers, partners, and employees. Since 2017, we have connected thousands of SAP customers with innovative enterprise software startups, helping them find solutions to their unique needs. For more information, visit http://sap.io/.

In Paris, Supply Chain Management

Shippeo Recognized in the 2023 Gartner® Magic Quadrant™ for Real-Time Transportation Visibility Platforms

Shippeo, a global leader in real-time multimodal transportation visibility, announced it has been recognized in the Gartner® Magic Quadrant™ for Real-time Transportation Visibility Platforms.

“I am pleased to see many of Shippeo’s recognitions over the past 12 months reflected, we believe, in our positioning in this year’s Magic Quadrant,” says Shippeo co-founder and COO, Lucien Besse.

Shippeo has a 95% willingness to recommend rating on Gartner Peer Insights™, receiving the overall rating of 4.8/5*. “These are highly important metrics for us, and reassure us that we are providing our customers with the best value, and delivering what we promise,” says Besse, adding “we believe this high customer satisfaction was helped by the fact we are the only provider to offer a triple SLA, which contractually guarantees rapid carrier onboarding, high tracking rates, and high ETA accuracy, as well as the tremendous progress we have made across all aspects of our business over the last 12 months.”

The company recently raised a record $50m in fundraising, with all existing investors taking part. “This fundraising round is the largest ever for a supply chain visibility software in Europe,” explains Besse. “It will help us bolster our sound financial position for many years to come, and accelerate our ongoing North American and APAC expansion, while giving customers and partners confidence in the longevity potential of our partnerships with the strong path to profitability we’ve laid out as a company.”

Existing investors taking part included Battery Ventures, Partech, NGP Capital, ETF Partners, Bpifrance Digital Venture and SAP.io. Notable new strategic investors include Hong Kong-based LFX Venture Partners and Japan-based Yamaha Motor Ventures, whose investment is helping to ramp up operations across Asia-Pacific, as well as Orlen VC, based in Poland, and Shift4good, a global VC fund dedicated to impact investing in smart mobility and circular economy businesses.

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In Paris, ERP & Finance

Leanpath Introduces AI-Powered Food Waste Prevention Coaching

Global food waste prevention leader Leanpath is integrating the AI engine behind ChatGPT into its suite of prevention tools as a beta test starting . Its new AI coach assistant will offer users tips on preventing their specific food waste.

Leanpath will be testing the effectiveness of the new technology to help speed food waste prevention efforts.

“While generative AI is still early in its journey, we’re excited about what it can already offer in the food waste prevention space,” says Leanpath Director of Product Brennan Hogan. “We’ll continue to adapt this innovation based on customer feedback and usage.”

“Leanpath’s food waste tracking solutions help thousands of kitchens around the world understand what they’re wasting and why, but it’s what culinary teams do with that data that actually stops food waste,” says Leanpath CEO Andrew Shakman. “That’s why we have Leanpath executive chefs to help train and coach culinary teams. And that’s why we’re testing AI coach assistant as a way to supplement that human intelligence with cutting-edge technology.”

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In Foundries, Paris

New SAP.iO Foundry Paris Promotion Shapes the Future of Retail

The eighth edition of the SAP.iO Foundry Paris program extends the company’s commitment to startups, with this round focused on the retail experience. The final selection of participating startups has just been announced, with the support program to begin in October and continue until the beginning of 2023. Odilia von Zitzewitz, Interim Lead SAP.iO Foundry Paris, said: “The start-up members of this new cohort respond in an innovative way to issues that fully concern the future of our consumption patterns. It is exciting to see them in action and to imagine building positive solutions for the future together.”

Read Original Article Here…

In Paris, Funding Announcement

French inventory-pooling platform Stockly raises €12 million

Stockly, the French digital platform that helps e-tailers pool and share inventory to avoid stock-outs, has announced it has raised €12 million in capital. Stockly will use the funding to expand across Europe. The funding round involved Eurazeo, the Daphni investment fund and a number of “world-class” business angels, as Stockly stated. Stockly was founded in 2018, and its solutions are already in use at Galeries Lafayette, Decathlon, Go Sport, Jonak and several hundred other partners.

Stockly is able to digitally share the inventory of the various e-tailers that use its tools, boosting stock depth for each of them. The solution is invisible to customers, as the various stakeholders request neutral packaging. If a product is available from a number of different inventories, Stockly’s algorithm will decide where to source it based on price, distance to customer and service quality.

Stockly was part of Foundry Paris Consumer Industry Program.

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In Paris, CRM & Customer Experience, Business Technology Platform

Global accelerators boost Swiss startups’ growth

From America to Europe: Five Swiss startups have been selected to join global acceleration programs to pursue their growth ambitions. Plug and Play has selected two startups for its food and its insurtech acceleration program. In Europe, ScanTrust, CollectID and Foodetective will get support from European Innovation Council and SAP program respectively.

The global plug and Play Accelerator provides selected startups worldwide with access to leading corporates to help catalyse their innovation, and give them access to financing and its network. The upcoming Plug and Play Silicon Valley Summit from November 15-17 will feature over 250 startups across 17 verticals. Batch 12 of the Food and Beverages vertical includes Cultivated Biosciences, the startup specialising in alternative dairy fat. The company is developing a fermented creamy ingredient from GMO-free yeast which offers the creaminess needed for plant-based dairies such as cheese, milk or ice cream.

Two Swiss startups made it into SAP’s new start-up equity-free accelerator program focused on the “Future of Retail and Consumer Products” at the SAP.iO Foundry Paris, which has already supported 65 companies in developing their solution. Over the next five months, the cohort of 12 international start-ups will get access to personalised mentoring from SAP France executives, exposure to SAP technology and application programming interfaces (APIs), as well as opportunities to collaborate with SAP customers around the world. St.Gallen-based CollectID is dedicated to fighting counterfeits through its encrypted NFC tags, which are embedded in products to guarantee authenticity, improve the phygital experience and establish a direct communication channel between brands. Foodetective is a management platform and infrastructure (API) for the F&B industry. Companies use Foodetective to automate operations, simplify administration, increase online revenues and accelerate new business opportunities.

Read More Here…

In Announcements, Foundries, Paris, Consumer Industries, CRM & Customer Experience

SAP.iO Foundry Paris launches new startup program on “Future of Retail and Consumer Products”

September 21, 2022 – SAP SE (NYSE: SAP) has launched a new startup accelerator program focused on the “Future of Retail and Consumer Products” at SAP.iO Foundry Paris. 12 international startups were selected by a jury of SAP experts, partners, customers and investment funds to join the program. These startups were recognized as pioneers in this year’s chosen field, a theme that is more topical than ever with the upheavals in customer habits and the customer journey due to effects of the pandemic and the accelerated digitalization of all businesses.  

SAP.iO Foundry Paris, SAP’s equity-free startup accelerator in France, has already helped more than 65 growth businesses develop their business or their solution. The Foundry’s efforts helped meet France’s overall startup investment goal set at the #ChooseFrance summit, France’s flagship forum for economic attractiveness. 

“SAP.iO is committed to accelerating startups to help customers run at their best. For this program, our focus is on retail, addressing the traceability and authenticity of products as well as offering consumers an improved and differentiating purchasing experience”, said Odilia von Zitzewitz, Interim Lead at SAP.iO Foundry Paris. “We are very proud to accompany this new class of startups and help them scale their innovations.” 

Over the next five months, the startups will have access to personalized mentoring from SAP France executives, exposure to SAP® technology and application programming interfaces (APIs), as well as opportunities to collaborate with SAP customers around the world. 

The following startups are participating in the latest SAP.iO Foundry Paris program: 

  1. Sorga Technology supports retail brands in their digital innovation by offering a low-energy solution ensuring the transparency and traceability of their products.
  2. Arianee provides businesses with simple solutions for building direct relationships with consumers, respectful of user data and independent of large technology platforms.
  3. CollectID can be used to guarantee product authenticity, improve the physical experience and establish a direct communication channel between brands. The solution guarantees the authenticity and uniqueness of products while bringing brands closer to their customers.
  4. DIAKSE develops and markets a solution for creating virtual showrooms in the metaverse with one objective: to enable brands to better communicate about their products and thus help them increase their sales.
  5. Foodetective is a management platform and infrastructure (API) for the F&B industry. Companies use Foodetective to automate operations, simplify administration, increase online revenues and accelerate new business opportunities.
  6. LIVEBUY GmbH is an online shopping solution for leading retailers that provides both the technology and the right creators to build a successful content platform within online shops.
  7. Priceloop has developed an AI to facilitate and automate the pricing process, offering the best prices taking into account all the essential parameters.
  8. Replika Software is a turnkey social selling solution. It enables brands to activate a network of social sellers with a turnkey business to inspire on social media, sell online and connect with customers.
  9. Shopreme GmbH is developing a technology called “Scan & Go” that brings the benefits of online shopping to real shops including speed, ease of payment, personalized recommendations, shared shopping lists, and more.
  10. SmartPixels provides a 3D product configuration and visualization tool to help fashion and luxury brands create personalized and interactive experiences online and in-store.
  11. SMARTZER LTD’s platform is used by brands to transform their videos and live streams into interactive and actionable experiences, allowing them to get direct ROI from content and measure detailed data from video interactions.
  12. YZR automates and accelerates all of its customers’ text data projects with a powerful solution based on automatic language processing.

If you want to learn more about this program, check out the SAP.iO Foundry Paris website or get in touch with the team. 

About SAP.iO  
SAP.iO delivers new partnerships and products for SAP by accelerating and scaling startup innovation as well as incubating employee ventures. SAP.iO brings together innovators from every region, industry, and line of business to transform how businesses run. Since 2017, SAP.iO has helped 450+ external startups and internal ventures accelerate their growth while enabling thousands of SAP customers to access innovation. For more information, visit http://sap.io/.

In Funding Announcement, Business Technology Platform, Paris

Oslo-based foodtech company TotalCtrl receives investment from Newday

TotalCtrl, an Oslo-based food waste prevention software company, announced recently that it has received a significant investment from Norwegian investment company Newday.. Besides Newday, existing investors, including Loyal. VC, also invested. The company says it will use the funds to accelerate its growth nationally and internationally.

TotalCtrl is a foodtech company that leverages its Inventory Management System to help the food industry optimise the planning, purchasing, and use of food inventory by providing data-driven insights and decision support to make fact-based and sustainable choices.

The company works with Halden municipality, Nordic Choice, and Bergstadens hotel – which can show good results in food waste reduction and improved profitability.

Further, TotalCtrl is a certified B corp company, which means it maintains the highest standards in social and environmental impact globally.

“Today is a big day for us at TotalCtrl. The fact that Newday, through a comprehensive process, has chosen to invest significant amounts and not least to contribute important experience, expertise, and passion – means that we can now take the company to a new level. Moreover, Newday’s investment means that TotalCtrl now has the muscle to grow”, says Charlotte Aschim, CEO of TotalCtrl.

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In Paris, Funding Announcement, Business Technology Platform

Milk Moovement Raises $20 Million USD To Transform the Dairy Industry’s Supply Chain

Milk Moovement, a leading cloud-based dairy supply chain software company, today announced the closing of a $20 million USD Series A round led by VMG Catalyst, the venture capital firm that invests in technology powering the next generation of retail and consumer businesses. The new funding will help accelerate product development and adoption of Milk Moovement among leading dairy businesses in North America.

The over $600 billion global dairy industry has yet to experience a major digital transformation, and the finite delivery windows of a perishable product and constantly shifting consumer preferences make the industry ripe for disruption. Milk Moovement’s technology platform brings the industry from pen-to-paper and legacy systems to the cloud – creating full supply chain visibility for dairy farmers and their distribution partners to track and route shipments in real-time, optimize delivery schedules, and ultimately create a significant decrease in food waste and loss of profits.

“We constantly seek out the best and brightest talent to join us as we build market-leading products and partner with dairy industry leaders,” said CEO and Co-Founder Robert Forsythe. “This latest round of funding is a major win for our employees and investors, but most importantly it allows us to support our incredible partners in getting the right milk to the right place at the right time.”

“VMG Catalyst immediately saw the value Milk Moovement brings to the dairy industry, in particular given a heightened focus on the fragility of global supply chains and the corresponding impact on consumer goods,” said Carle Stenmark, General Partner at VMG Catalyst. “Real-time data transparency is critical for managing perishables and provides tremendous benefit to all the constituents in the dairy value chain. We’re looking forward to seeing even broader adoption of the company’s innovative software platform, and the positive change it creates for the industry.”

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In Paris, Financial Services, ERP & Finance

Micro-climate technology startup Sencrop raises $18 million led by JVP, will expand into Israel

The French company, whose data-driven precision app enables more than 20,000 farmers to have a crop-oriented vision of the weather conditions, disease and pest risks, and their irrigation needs, will open an extension in the International Foodtech Center in the Galilee

French startup Sencrop, which develops micro-climate technology, announced on Tuesday that it has raised an $18 million Series B fundraising round led by Israeli venture capital firm JVP, as part of the VC fund’s climate and foodtech initiative. EIT Food, supported by the European Union, Stellar Impact (managed by Telos Impact), IRD Management, and Sencrop’s existing shareholders, including BPIfrance, Demeter IM, and NCI Waterstart, are also taking part in the transaction. JVP’s investment was led by General Partner Gadi Porat and Director of Investments Alexandre Dahan.

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In Paris, Supply Chain Management

TRIGO Group has acquired the industrial start-up SCORTEX

TRIGO Group has acquired the industrial start-up SCORTEX – forming an alliance of a Deep Tech operation specialising in Artificial Intelligence with the world leader in quality consulting and inspection services within the transportation and industrial sectors.

TRIGO Group, the world’s leading provider of inspection, consulting and quality engineering services to the transportation industry, owned by the Ardian investment fund, announced today the acquisition of the French start-up SCORTEX that specialises in Artificial Intelligence – or AI – applied to automated quality control. This transaction is in line with the Group’s strategy and allows TRIGO to further strengthen its position as industrial innovationists. TRIGO will invest five million Euros in SCORTEX in 2022 and will double the workforce of its new entity.

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In Paris, Funding Announcement, Supply Chain Management

Innovative supply chain solution secures £5m in funding to expand in Europe

Flowlity, an innovative AI-based supply chain planning and forecasting solution, has secured £5 million in funding, led by Fortino Capital, to expand throughout Europe. The funding will be used to accelerate its development with the aim to becoming an industry leader by providing innovate ways of reducing waste across the entire supply chain – enabling companies to save money and reduce their carbon footprint.

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In Paris, HR & People Engagement

Radancy Announces Acquisition of Firstbird – A Global Leader in SAAS Based Employee Referral Programs

Radancy, the global talent technology leader, is pleased to announce its plans to acquire Firstbird, a global leader in SaaS based employee referral programs. Based in Vienna, Austria, Firstbird offers a comprehensive software solution to digitize and streamline the employee referral process. The acquisition of Firstbird is expected to close in the first quarter of 2022, subject to the satisfaction of customary closing conditions, including certain regulatory approvals.

This strategic acquisition combines Firstbird’s innovative referral technology with Radancy’s unified talent acquisition platform. Together, they will provide global clients with enhanced touchpoints along the entire candidate journey, connecting people to careers and companies with qualified candidates to solve their most critical talent acquisition challenges.

“From the first meeting I knew Firstbird checked every box for us. The people, the technology and the opportunity to expand Radancy’s reach within the DACH market made this a perfect match,” said Michelle Abbey, President and CEO of Radancy. “I’m excited to integrate their technology into our global unified platform and continue to transform talent acquisition for our customers.”

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