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In Announcements, Tel Aviv, Featured, HR & People Engagement

SAP.iO Foundry Tel Aviv Kicks Off Deskless Workforces & People Management Program

May 30, 2023 — SAP SE (NYSE: SAP) today launched a virtual startup program focused on supporting deskless workers and people managers at SAP.iO Foundry Tel Aviv. A jury of SAP SuccessFactors solution experts selected 10 international startups whose solutions address the personas’ unique challenges as specified in original SAP SuccessFactors research.

Research from SAP SuccessFactors reveals that deskless workers (workers who complete their work away from a desk and lack consistent access to technology or internal system) face unique challenges across the employee lifecycle, such as outdated hiring processes, inadequate rewards, and a lack of opportunities for meaningful development beyond ongoing required training. Deskless workers – and the managers and HR teams that support them – often lack fit-for-purpose technologies to solve their most pressing issues.

In addition to deskless workforces, SAP.iO is also addressing the challenges faced by people managers in this year’s program. Results from a new SAP SuccessFactors research program show that over 90 percent of people managers believe their role has changed in the past three years, with their roles becoming less tactical and administrative and focusing more on supporting their teams’ well-being and growth. However, people managers lack the technology and tools to thoroughly understand their team members’ needs, and HR leaders struggle to help managers navigate this change.

Driven by the findings of these research programs, SAP.iO aims to close these gaps through this program by establishing a partnership with 10 startups that address these challenges by integrating in SAP products.

”At SAP, we are committed to help our customers succeed in a rapidly changing world, and we understand the critical role employee experience plays in the success of any organization.” said Aaron Green, Chief Marketing & Solutions Officer at SAP SuccessFactors. “By combining our expertise with the innovative solutions of our partner startups, we are able to provide our customers with the capabilities they need to create a better employee experience, no matter where they work.”

Over the next 30 weeks, the startups will be guided and supported by SAP executives, receive exposure to SAP® technology and application programming interfaces (APIs), and opportunities to collaborate with SAP customers around the world.

The following startups are participating in the SAP.iO Foundry Tel Aviv program:

  1. Arist allows Fortune 500 organizations to create, deliver, and analyze bite-sized courses and nudges experienced over SMS, WhatsApp, Teams, and Slack to drive behavior change.
  2. Beekeeper gives frontline employees technology in one place to streamline their work, collaborate with teams, and access critical safety, maintenance and training information to be the best at their jobs.
  3. Bites Learning Ltd. combines the captivating nature of short videos with interactive elements, empowering organizations to effectively share professional knowledge and engage their workforce.
  4. Connecteam is a mobile first employee management platform to manage, train, and communicate with non-desk workforces.
  5. LumApps provides ultra-personalized and media-rich communications, smart integrations and automation, and community spaces that enhance collaboration and knowledge sharing across the enterprise.
  6. Operations1 digitizes operational shopfloor processes to empower workers.
  7. Retrain.ai is a responsible AI-driven talent intelligence platform for talent acquisition, talent management and skills mapping.
  8. Sense provides an AI-powered talent engagement platform that accelerates the hiring process by helping candidates find the right jobs and making recruiters more productive.
  9. Winningtemp analyzes and presents employee experience data with the help of AI.
  10. Yoobic offers a mobile frontline employee experience platform that is purpose-built for the retail, restaurant and hospitality industries.

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 Interview, CRM & Customer Experience

SAP Startup Spotlight Series: Velou

In today’s installment of e3zine’s SAP Startup Spotlight Series, we’ll be taking a look at Velou, an SAP.iO Rising Stars startup which improves the online retail shopping experience.

Sadee Gamhewa is the Founder and CEO of Velou, an AI-powered retail technology startup. He has 22 years of industry experience in product and engineering with expertise in data science, AI/ML, and ecommerce. Sadee previously led product, innovation, Machine Learning, AI strategy, and engineering at multiple startups and Fortune 100 companies, including Sysco, Accenture, and Fujitsu. He holds patents in ecommerce and has published research papers on Machine Learning and AI. He received his BSc in Computer Science with First Class Honors from Edith Cowan University, Australia.

1. What is Velou and what do you offer?

Velou is an AI copilot tailored for brands and retailers that automates ecommerce functions, all backed by industry-specific data. Ecommerce teams lose precious time, incur significant expenses, and miss opportunities due to the inefficiency of manual reviews of product catalogs, and blindspots created by lack of access to retail data and analytics. Velou’s AI is fine-tuned for ecommerce to offer industry-specific solutions. It reviews a retailer’s entire product catalog, identifies missing metadata, auto-generates product descriptions, and enriches and standardizes ecommerce data. Velou increases productivity for ecommerce teams and revenue through powerful analytics so retailers know how they’re converting and losing customers.

Our services are available globally with offices in San Francisco, Munich and Paris at Station F through the LVMH accelerator.

2. How does your solution work?

Velou applies three AI technologies to automate and optimize online retailers’ ecommerce business. Velou’s Computer Vision Models automatically analyze product images to identify the product attributes related to things like color, style, fabric, and shape that resonate with shoppers. Combining this technology with our proprietary industry-specific data sets, which serve as the foundational models, Velou’s Product Data Enrichment builds out online retailers’ product pages, automatically creating product descriptions and feeding discovery features. Finally, Velou’s Natural Language Processing uses all this information to understand search phrases that convert more customers, while taking the stress off ecommerce teams.

3. Do customers need special technology/devices to access your service?

Velou is already tightly integrated with the largest ecommerce platforms. Velou does all the work while retailers have full control, so no special technology or expertise is required.

4. Why did you start Velou?

AI in online retail is exciting because it can be applied today. We want ecommerce teams to have control over how it’s working while boosting their efficiency. Velou believes online retail is an ideal application for AI because it addresses two crucial challenges for online retailers: manual management of product catalogs and the need to analyze and optimize conversions and retention.

5. How are you connected to SAP? Can your solution be integrated in SAP systems and if so, how?

Velou is a SAP.iO Rising Stars startup and our solution is available through the SAP Store. You can visit us at the SAP Experience Center in Paris and play around with our demo store!

We work closely with SAP engineering to make the SAP Commerce Cloud + Velou integration seamless. Velou is a one-click deployment. This makes using Velou on the SAP platform super easy!

Read More…

In Featured, Announcements, Shanghai

SAP.iO Greater China Kicks Off 1st Pop-up Program in Taiwan

May 26, 2023 — SAP SE (NYSE: SAP) launched the first pop-up program for startups in Taiwan in parallel to the 2023 SAP NOW Taiwan event. The program specifically targets startups with sustainability use cases and/or startups with enterprise solutions that employ model based control (MBC), supply chain finance, robotics, AI, or data analytics technologies.

During this 5-month program, the five selected startups will build and develop long-term partnerships with SAP by defining joint use cases and exploring product integration and various business development opportunities. SAP customers will also be involved in the program by evaluating opportunities for proof of concepts.

The following startups are participating in the SAP.iO Greater China program in Taiwan:

  1. BSOS is a B2B supply chain FinTech company that solves the asset liquidity problem with Web3 technologies.
  2. e-Formula provides three major services of energy, communication and intelligence to make customers’ sustainable development intelligent, compatible and integrated.
  3. BBTruck is a one-stop supply chain logistic service for every business.
  4. RV Automation is a people-centric robotics solution.
  5. MoBagel is a no-code generative AI/ML platform for enterprise analytics to build sustainability together.

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 New York, Supply Chain Management

How To De-Risk Supply Chains In An Unpredictable World

Supply chain collaboration is one of those every day business terms that’s easy to dismiss until a catastrophic disruption strikes like material shortages, product design flaws, production delays, and more. But what if organizations across the supply chain could quickly huddle to pinpoint problems and take action together, staving off anything from minor setbacks to potential disaster? This is the concept behind Inspectorio, a cloud-based solution designed to help suppliers, manufacturers, brands, and retailers work together to reduce supply chain risk through digitalized quality management, ESG compliance, production tracking, and lab testing.

“Automating activities on a centralized data platform helps companies make fast and strategic adjustments in a way that is incredibly collaborative with their supplier base,” said David Klein, president and co-founder of Inspectorio. “Organizations can become more agile and resilient to supply chain disruptions, able to shift sources, product materials, and production locations to address problems and improve productivity and efficiencies.”

After digitalizing manual activities on Inspectorio, Klein said that organizations have averaged 95% time savings in administrative data entry, and 100% time savings in reporting. Customers have improved quality pass rates by approximately 8% on average. Some have reduced defect rates by 14% on average.

Digitizing quality control for accuracy and efficiency

Quality management spans numerous groups, including factories that conduct self-inspections and third-party inspectors who visit facilities. According to Klein, digitizing quality management activities helps suppliers, retailers, and others work together on standardized quality control. Inspectorio incorporates artificial intelligence to monitor facility risk, leading to valuable business insights and cost-savings.

“With data integrity, you can better understand your supplier base and benchmark their performance,” said Klein. “When you designate factories and products by risk factor, you can adapt quality controls appropriately. For example, maybe lower-risk factories can manage self-inspections on their own. High-risk factories producing high-risk products require tighter controls. Over time, you’re able to maximize your resources and lower costs while increasing quality outcomes.”

Read More…

In New York, Featured, Supply Chain Management, Announcements

SAP.iO Foundry New York Kicks Off Supply Chain Management Program

May 24, 2023 — SAP SE (NYSE: SAP) today launched the 2023 program focused on innovation in supply chain management at SAP.iO Foundry New York. The 10 startups have been selected by a jury of SAP experts, partners, customers, and investment funds to join the program. 60 percent of the startups are led by underrepresented individuals. 

 A strong digital supply chain strategy is largely a “behind-the-scenes” organizational function. It can differentiate and enable companies to improve efficiency, effectiveness and be resilient to disruption in the supply chain. The SAP.iO program targets B2B startups with innovative supply chain solutions looking to integrate their solutions with SAP products including SAP S/4HANA, SAP Business Technology Platform and SAP Supply Chain Management software. ​ 

During the 5-month program, the selected startups work to build and develop long-term partnerships with SAP by defining joint use cases, product integration and various business development opportunities. SAP customers will evaluate opportunities for proof of concepts. 

The following startups are participating in the SAP.iO Foundry New York 2023 program: 

  1. AutoScheduler.AI creates optimal warehouse plans and feeds them directly into the warehouse management system (WMS), dynamically optimizing activities based on constraints to ensure that each site runs at peak performance. 
  2. DARVIS simplifies and automates processes using computer vision and geo-referencing for logistics and healthcare.
  3. Everstream Analytics delivers predictive insights and risk analytics businesses need to build smarter, more autonomous and sustainable supply chains. 
  4. MaintainX combines an intuitive mobile app and cloud technology to enable maintenance, operations, and safety teams to easily manage maintenance work orders, parts inventory, safety inspections, and other standard operating procedures in a single platform.  
  5. Morpheus.Network’s solutions help cargo owners, logistics service providers, and government agencies digitize, optimize, and automate their extended global supply chains. 
  6. Parsable is a connected workforce platform that digitizes frontline operations and empowers industrial leaders to increase efficiency, reduce costs and improve sustainability.
  7. Partsimony enables organizations to build intelligent manufacturing supply chains that are more resilient and sustainable by unifying engineering and supply chain data.
  8. Transmute‘s Verifiable Data Platform (VDP) digitizes the documents involved in global trade into verifiable credentials to streamline regulatory compliance, maximize business agility, and reintroduce identity, trust, and meaning into supply chains. 
  9. Vendia provides a data collaboration platform that increases supply chain visibility and enables real-time actions by all participants.
  10. Versed AI‘s cutting-edge AI delivers relevant, rapid and secure supply chain visibility, pinpointing your risks across multiple tiers.

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 IoT Startup program, Singapore, Featured, Sustainability, Announcements

SAP.iO Foundry Singapore Kicks Off Intelligent Sustainable Enterprise Program

23 May, 2023 — SAP SE (NYSE: SAP) and Singapore’s Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA) have launched the Intelligent Sustainable Enterprise program, a 6-month program focused on supporting tech startups to build innovative solutions for businesses in the following areas: 5G, internet of things (IoT), robotics, data analytics and augmented, virtual, or mixed reality (AR/VR/MR).

As we continue to navigate the challenges of a highly disruptive and rapidly evolving world, it is becoming increasingly important for businesses to not only be profitable, but also sustainable and intelligent. By using innovative technology, enterprises can make informed decisions and respond to market changes quickly. Companies that are more agile and intelligent in their decision-making processes are best positioned for long-term success in today’s competitive business landscape. 

“As one of the fastest-growing regions in the world, South East Asia is a hotbed of innovation and a hub for startups. With its diverse and dynamic economy, rich culture, and young, digitally savvy population, the region presents immense opportunities for businesses to grow and thrive. At SAP, we are committed to supporting co-innovation, and are excited to collaborate with IMDA to create a vibrant ecosystem for startups to achieve their goals,” said Verena Siow, President and Managing Director, South East Asia at SAP.

Highlighting the importance of sustainability of tech solutions within the business and to the environment, 9 startups have been selected by a jury of experts from SAP and IMDA, as well as selected SAP customers to join the program. The selected startups will gain opportunities to work with leading corporates and end users to demonstrate real-world applications of innovative technology to address challenges across various industries.

Through the Intelligent Sustainable Enterprise Program, the selected startups will be given resources and support to commercialise their innovative tech solutions with access to:

  • Dedicated mentorship by the teams at SAP and IMDA;
  • SAP’s enterprise customers and IMDA’s network of corporates, startups and industry partners;
  • SAP’s technology and application programming interfaces (APIs);
  • Resources in 5G, AR, VR and a panel of consultants on subjects such as design thinking, digital storytelling and UI/UX at IMDA’s innovation hub – PIXEL*

Where relevant, selected startups may enrich their own catalogue of services and offerings by participating in IMDA’s programmes – ranging from 5G, artificial intelligence (AI), trust tech to open innovation platform challenges.

“Innovation plays a critical role in today’s competitive landscape, and we believe in building the ecosystem alongside our partners. With the Intelligent Sustainable Enterprise program, in collaboration with SAP, we will bring in IMDA’s innovation, tech resources, business networks, and leverage SAP’s expertise, to accelerate the growth of our tech startups globally,” said Justin Ang, Assistant Chief Executive of Singapore’s Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA).

*PIXEL supports corporates and startups in digital innovation through customised consultation to identify opportunities and develop tech products based on their unique business needs. Powered by the Open Innovation Platform (OIP), corporates can crowdsource for innovative solutions from IMDA’s global network of over 12,000 solution providers. One of the top launchpads in South East Asia, PIXEL also houses specialised labs including AR/VR, 5G, usability testing, as well as co-working spaces. 

The following startups are participating in the program:

  1. Ackcio builds wireless monitoring systems to make industrial operations smarter and faster.
  2. Delta Capture effortlessly manages the sustainability of agriculture supply chain
  3. Intangles transforms fleet monitoring standards by leveraging on their proprietary digital twin technology.
  4. QZense helps companies optimize food supply chain operations with their IoT-based automation and analytics solutions.
  5. Scoutbee provides actionable supplier insights for better business outcomes powered by the Scoutbee Intelligence Platform.
  6. SkyMap provides location-based data analytics to deliver sustainability related geospatial AI applications at scale.
  7. Unbox Robotics elevates fulfillment for digital commerce with intelligent vertical robotic sortation.
  8. UNL Global enables businesses to build highly scalable, hyperlocal services and applications with their mapping, location, and data tools.
  9. xSquare leverages intelligent warehouse automation technology to optimize warehouse operations without changing existing configurations.

For program developments and opportunities to participate in innovation workshops with the selected startups, refer to the updates on https://sap.io/sgp-23/ .

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/.

About Infocomm Media Development Authority
The Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA) leads Singapore’s digital transformation by developing a vibrant digital economy and an inclusive digital society. As Architects of Singapore’s Digital Future, we foster growth in Infocomm Technology and Media sectors in concert with progressive regulations, harnessing frontier technologies, and developing local talent and digital infrastructure ecosystems to establish Singapore as a digital metropolis.

For more news and information, visit www.imda.gov.sg or follow IMDA on LinkedIn (IMDA – Singapore), Facebook (IMDAsg), Instagram (@IMDAsg) and Twitter (@IMDAsg).

For more information, please contact:

SAP.iO
Steven Tong
Director, SAP.iO Foundry Singapore
steven.tong@sap.com 

Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA)
Elsa Kimy Yue
Communications Division
+65 8338 8942 | elsa_kimy_yue@imda.gov.sg

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.

Read More…

In Featured, Financial Services, Announcements, Latin America

SAP.iO Foundry Latin America and Caribbean Kicks Off B2B Innovation in FinTech Program  

May 18, 2023 — SAP SE (NYSE: SAP) today launched the 2023 program focused on innovation in financial technology (FinTech) at SAP.iO Foundry Latin America and Caribbean. The 10 startups have been selected by a jury of SAP experts, partners, customers, and investment funds to join the program, with 90% of the startups led by underrepresented individuals. 

2021 was a breakout year for venture capital deals in Latin America, with a total of $16.3 billion invested in startups – more than the previous five years combined. FinTech and financial services account for around 39 percent of this total investment. To address this demand, the SAP.iO program is designed for startups with innovative B2B FinTech solutions such as digital wallets, open banking, banking-as-a-service, and ‘Buy now, pay later’ (BNPL).  

During the 5-month program, the selected startups will work to build and develop long-term partnerships with SAP by defining joint use cases, product integration and various business development opportunities. SAP customers will also be involved in the program by evaluating opportunities for proof of concepts.  

The following startups are participating in the SAP.iO Foundry Latin America and Caribbean 2023 program:  

  1. Agrotoken creates a secure and frictionless ecosystem to make trading grains easier, more efficient and more reliable based on asset tokenization. 
  2. Bankuish simplifies access to personalized loans for gig workers and freelancers by translating their work into a language that financial systems can understand. 
  3. CryptoMate explores and launch Web3 digital transformation through simple APIs. 
  4. Jelou AI enables financial services via WhatsApp using AI. 
  5. Kanoo Pays is a digital wallet that allows users to make secure payments and transfer money from their mobile devices. 
  6. MetaMap eliminates manual and repetitive identity verification tasks for B2C FinTechs, helping them to onboard and verify new users. 
  7. Slice reimagines the financial orchestration by collecting data from multiple sources and structuring a data lake at a comprehensive ledger.  
  8. Synaptic is an open finance solution that automates capturing, processing and delivering data. 
  9. Toku Spa offers a simplified payment system that collects debts, reduces late payment and improves the fidelity of customers.  
  10. Wispok allows users to create QR codes, encrypted graphics, and payment links that are unique to each person and lead to a checkout where users can see the amount due for each payment.  

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 Event

SAP.iO at SAPPHIRE 2023

Sapphire 2023 hosted 8,579 customers and partners, up 60% over 2022. The feeling of positivity was palpable concluding with a powerful keynote featuring tennis legend Serena Williams. The message across the show was consistent and focused on SAP’s strong commitment to diversity and sustainability demonstrating to the world what we stand for. Sapphire news reverberated across global tier-one publications (Bloomberg, CNBC, CIO.com, Forbes, MarketWatch, Reuters, etc.) as many focused on SAP’s Vision for Future-Proofed Business in the Age of AI Comes to Life: SAP Sapphire in 2023.

 

Show Highlights​

 

  • Alexa Gorman of SAP.iO and Alberto Rebolledo of Colgate-Palmolive presented on the  strategic focus areas for startups in 2023 and how you can pilot startup solutions to solve challenges facing your business. The Next Frontier: Augment Your SAP Solutions with Startup Innovation
  • 5,473 Total Customers Attended
  • 78% of those who attended are decision makers
  • Virtually, the event had over 208,000 unique viewers
  • SAP News generated 15,588 Total Content Views

 

Media

 

In Tel Aviv, CRM & Customer Experience

SAP Startup Spotlight Series: Mention Me

In this installment of e3zine’s SAP Startup Spotlight Series, we’ll be taking a look at Mention Me, a referral engineering platform which integrates first-party advocacy data directly into your SAP ecosystem.

Kat Wray is the Director of Strategic Partnerships at Mention Me. As Director of Strategic Partnerships, Kat oversees the SaaS company’s strategic partnerships, working with leading partners to identify opportunities to accelerate growth for their customer base of over 600 clients. With a career spanning sales, business development, and partnerships, Kat has honed deep expertise into how brands can harness the power of customer advocacy to exponentially grow their business.

1. What is Mention Me and what do you offer?

Mention Me empowers businesses to turn word of mouth and brand advocacy into an unstoppable driver of sustainable, organic growth. Using cutting-edge technology and expertise gathered over 10 years in referral marketing, we’ve built the world’s first Advocacy Intelligence Platform that identifies, recruits, nurtures, and activates loyal brand fans. Established in the UK with offices in London and Boston, we’ve so far delivered more than 1.8 bn USD in revenue for 500 brands globally, including ASOS, PUMA, Charlotte Tilbury, ManyPets, and Nutmeg.

2. How does your solution work?

While your fans have always been the most authentic and trusted promoters of your brand, until now it wasn’t possible to harness their potential.  And so while they were busy recommending your brand and products in the background, you weren’t able to target, nurture or reward them so they advocate more often and more loudly with everyone they meet. For the first time, Mention Me’s Advocacy Intelligence Platform and technology changes that.

3. Do customers need special technology/devices to access your service?

In order to track earned acquisition and gather the first-party data required to fuel the Advocacy Intelligence Platform, you’ll need to deploy a high-quality referral program with Mention Me.

Mention Me’s Advocacy Intelligence Platform integrates first-party advocacy data directly into your marketing automation and personalization platforms (including, of course, Emarsys and SAP). Aside from integrating our platform into your martech infrastructure, no special devices or tech is required.

4. Why do you believe thinking advocacy-first is so important for brands in 2023?

Business reliance on digital marketing today is at an all-time high. In the US, Google, Meta and Amazon now account for 64% of all ad spend. Meanwhile, acquisition costs are rising, iOS changes are ramping up the pressure, and we’re in an economic downturn. All that makes it no easy feat to acquire high-quality customers.

Winning in the times ahead requires a different approach: earning growth instead of paying for it. By taking an advocacy-first approach that prioritizes your existing customers—and delighting them enough to share your brand with friends and family—you’ll drive organic, sustainable growth without busting your marketing budget.

5. How are you connected to SAP? Can your solution be integrated in SAP systems and if so, how?

Integrated with Emarsys, Commerce Cloud, and CDP, Mention Me delivers the best Advocacy Solution for the SAP CX portfolio. Our solution equips brands to leverage referral as a sustainable growth channel while gathering rich first-party data that enhances performance across marketing channels. These unique advocacy insights integrate across the martech stack, enabling brands to identify current and future advocates and serve personalized omnichannel experiences that keep customers coming back, spending more, and bringing their friends.

6. How has SAP.iO’s involvement impacted your journey?

With SAP.iO, we’re maximizing the joint value we’re delivering to clients, while educating more CRM and CX leaders on the power of brand advocacy. Looking ahead, we’re excited to build on the success we’ve achieved so far as a recently appointed SAP Spotlight partner.

Read More…

In Service Industries, CRM & Customer Experience, Announcements, San Francisco, Featured

SAP.iO Foundry San Francisco Kicks Off B2B Innovation in Sales & Service Program

May 11, 2023 — SAP SE (NYSE: SAP) today launched the 2023 program focused on innovation in B2B Sales & Services at SAP.iO Foundry San Francisco. The 11 startups have been selected by a jury of SAP experts, partners, customers, and investment funds to join the program.  

This program is for startups with innovative solutions for B2B sales and service processes and experiences to help improve the customer journey. Customer Experience (CX) is SAP’s largest addressable market with a strong demand for more CX partner solutions that SAP customers can leverage.

During this 5-month program, the selected startups will build and develop long-term partnerships with SAP by defining joint use cases, product integration and various business development opportunities. SAP customers have been involved in the cohort selection and will be supporting by evaluating opportunities for proof of concepts.

The following startups are participating in the SAP.iO Foundry San Francisco 2023 program: 

  1. Aisera is a leading provider of ChatGPT and Generative AI solutions for customer and employee experiences covering IT helpdesk, customer service/support, HR, sales, and finance.
  2. Ascendo connects human and machine to achieve proactive support.
  3. AmplifAI is the AI-driven performance enablement platform for employee-centric enterprises, helping hybrid teams maximize business outcomes, boost productivity and improve engagement.
  4. Bounti AI-driven growth operating system turns customer data into real-time alerts and hyper-personalized actions for sales and customer experience representatives to drive customer expansion and retention.
  5. InsideBoard is a digital success platform powered by AI, which brings business value to digital transformation programs. InsideBoard engages users to adopt digital solutions and processes, while also making sure they continue to perform optimally over time.
  6. Knowmax works with Fortune 500 brands to help improve knowledge management capabilities for customer experience organizations by moving knowledge from being static to a guided-assist based approach, helping create a single source of truth.
  7. Lucy serves as an ultimate AI Answer Engine℠ across the enterprise—getting users the right answer, at the right time, no matter where they sit in the organization.
  8. Neuron7 provides AI-generated resolution intelligence for complex service organizations that need fast, accurate issue resolutions at scale.
  9. Pryon rapidly transforms organizations’ untapped wealth of approved content into AI-powered experiences that greatly increase the productivity of customers, employees, and partners. By leveraging proprietary computer vision and large language models, the company fuses disparate sources to then deliver fully attributed and trusted answers that accelerate workflows.
  10. Quiq helps enterprises deliver great digital customer experiences using its asynchronous messaging platform to automate 30-80% of customer issues with AI and handle the remainder with human agents working in Quiq’s digital contact center.
  11. Salesroom is an AI-based meeting intelligence platform that gives customer-facing teams real-time coaching cues, suggests meeting agendas, automates note-taking, and generates highlights so sellers stay present, creating a lasting impression with buyers. 

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 Foundries, Inclusiveness, HR & People Engagement, Inspiring Innovators

Inspiring Innovators: Alex Lamb Chief Executive Officer and Founder of BOLDLY-Get A Couch, On Being BOLD

At SAP.iO, we work with innovators 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 hear how founders, CEOs, and presidents of cutting-edge startup technologies overcame, thrived, and pursued their goals. SAP.iO’s Alexa Gorman sat down to discuss the road to success and lessons learned with some of our most inspiring startup founders.

Meet Alex Lamb

People described as bold tend to listen to their gut, prioritize, take action, and demonstrate courage. Boldness inspires and energizes, both of which are important qualities in a leader and a coach. As the Chief Executive and Founder of BOLDLY, these are traits that Alex Lamb personifies. In addition to her leadership role at BOLDLY, Alex is also a fractional Chief People Officer, organizational psychologist and executive coach, and has a deep understanding of how to create an environment to develop people’s skills. We were excited to have the opportunity to speak to Alex about her path, starting with looking for career advice, to coaching, to becoming a Founder and Chief Executive.

Working in Shanghai and Hong Kong for Korn Ferry over seven years, Alex honed her skills in various positions, from client management to product development. To get direction for her next career move, Alex started searching for a framework for decision-making which led her to studying evidence-based coaching practices and becoming a coach herself.

Observing an appetite for customized solutions suited to Asia, Alex moved to Singapore and started a consulting service designed to nurture domestic leadership talent. The service grew rapidly, taking on 11 consultants, and she quickly realized they needed a coaching technology platform to build BOLDLY beyond the reach of consulting. Alex launched the BOLDLY platform in 2017 to democratize coaching.

BOLDLY is a global coaching marketplace of qualified executive coaches and career coaches who are trained to develop staff and impact business performance using evidence-based coaching practices. Coaching is an evidence-based career development method proven to nurture professional growth, enhance workplace performance and provide targeted support for vocational confidence, competence, and leadership development. Their mission is simple: to ensure everyone has equal opportunity in the future of work.

“I figure if I don’t show up and have a try at something, somebody else will. And so, why not me? I often do things that scare me or might be a bit awkward at first, but this is where I learn. So being bold and finding courage has meant that we’ve taken the business further than we expected.”

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In Foundries, Portfolio News

New Startup Solutions Available on SAP Store : April 2023

200+ SAP.iO startups deliver their apps, add-ins, and integration kits to SAP’s global customers through SAP Store. SAP Store is the online marketplace where customers around the world can discover, try, buy, and renew enterprise solutions from SAP and its trusted partners. We are excited to share with you the latest startup technologies to be added to the store! You can check out all of our portfolio technologies that integrate with SAP solutions on the SAP Store.

 

Woocar

By Woolabs S.A.

Safe and sustainable fleet management with 100% mobile telematics

We take care of fleet management starting with driving behavior. Reduce road accidents and carbon footprint while optimizing road maps, SAP LBN API-integrated providing enterprise composability. 80% reduction in road accidents and 15% in fuel costs, with carbon footprint reduction worldwide. This solution was incubated and/or funded by SAP.iO and works with SAP Logistics Business Network. Check out a product video here, and find them on the SAP Store here.

YZR

By YZR

YZR leverages AI to clean and enrich product data

YZR automatically standardizes, enriches and categorizes product data for digital commerce. The solution is integrated with SAP Commerce Cloud via ImpEx. This solution was incubated and/or funded by SAP.iO and works with SAP Commerce Cloud. Check out a product video here, and find them on the SAP Store here.

AI Driven Dynamic Pricing

By Nextorbit Platforms and Solutions Private Limited

AI-driven pricing drives sales while maintaining margin goals

Our dynamic pricing engine enables profitable growth by ensuring optimized pricing to influence shoppers’ buying decisions. The pricing decisions are put on autopilot to drive sales, margins, and loyalty and integrates seamless with SAP S/4HANA. This solution was incubated and/or funded by SAP.iO SAP S/4HANA. Check out a product video here, and find them on the SAP Store here.

Soil Pathogen Risk Alert System

By Solena Ag, Inc.

Get soil pathogen risk alerts and detect crop diseases early

Soil pathogen risk alert system API integrates with SAP Intelligent Agriculture to detect crop diseases early, enabling farmers to take timely action and maximize yield. Prometheus AI platform helps farmers optimize ag management and increase profitability. Choose a sustainable future. This solution was incubated and/or funded by SAP.iO and works with SAP Extension Suite and/or SAP Integration Suite. Check out a product video here and find them on the SAP Store here.

Supply-Chain Collaboration Solution

By Shanghai Yunli Information Technology Co.,Ltd

Streamline your supply chain with a collaborative solution

This solution integrates with SAP S/4HANA and SAP S/4HANA Cloud to help automate and streamline the process of invoicing and settling payments between buyers and suppliers. It’s a platform for buyers and suppliers to manage their invoicing and payment processes in a centralized, automated manner. This solution was incubated and/or funded by SAP.iO and works with SAP S/4HANA and SAP ERP.  Check out a product video here, and find them on the SAP Store here.

KINEXON OS – Order Tracking and Process Management

By KINEXON Industries GmbH

Automate operations in manufacturing with location intelligence

Accelerate the processing of production orders by providing real-time visibility and increasing the level of automation and quality. The solution is fully integrated in SAP Digital Manufacturing to enhance the digital twin of all movable assets. Check them out on the SAP Store here.

SORGA Transparency on e-commerce

By AGENCE MAP

Bring inviolable proof of your commitments & regain the trust you deserve

Our innovation allows brands to provide transparency and traceability to their customers and retailers. The only carbon-neutral and digital sovereignty blockchain solution. Easy to use, it makes responsible consumption accessible to all. This solution was incubated and/or funded by SAP.iO and works with SAP Commerce Cloud. Check out a product video here, and find them on the SAP Store here.

SoPost Product Sampling Platform

By SoPost Limited

Product sampling integrated anywhere online

We make it easy to run highly effective product sampling campaigns anywhere online. Integrate into any channel, collect valuable first and zero-party data, personalize every experience to achieve any campaign objective, and sync data with SAP Customer Data Platform (CDP). Check a product video here, and find them out on the SAP Store here.

SPARETECH

By SPARETECH GmbH

Unlock the full potential of your spare parts data

The leading data platform for industrial spare parts, our software solution automates spare parts management processes for manufacturing companies to ensure maximum transparency and data accuracy along the supply chain in an effective, reliable, and collaborative manner with SAP S/4HANA. Check a product video here, and find them out on the SAP Store here.

Andonix

By Tripi Connected Tech, Inc.

A.I. connected factory workers to hold machines and processes accountable

Boost quality, processes, and factory productivity in just days by connecting your workers to their machines and supervisors through an artificial intelligence-enabled alarm, escalation, and collaboration platform (digital andon cord) to quickly identify, track, and resolve operating problems. This solution was incubated and/or funded by SAP.iO and works with SAP ERP. Check out a product video here, and find them on the SAP Store here.

In Funding Announcement

Venture Activity April 2023

SAP.iO’s ecosystem of successful raises and exits

April 2023

 

SAP.iO has curated over 525 startups in SAP’s startup ecosystem. We’re proud that many of the startups from our programs continue to raise VC funding and have successful exits. This demonstrates that SAP startup technologies are addressing the rapidly changing requirements of the marketplace and have risen to the occasion of meeting customer needs. Here are the latest raises and exits you should know about!

Funding

4.screen, a driver interaction platform company, announced the successful closure of its €21 million Series A funding round led by S4S Ventures and Continental Corporate Venture Capital. 4.screen enables brands to interact with drivers in real-time via their car screens using in-car technology and unique data signals only accessible through their platform. The funding round will be used to accelerate 4.screen’s global expansion plans and further advance its platform.

Chekkit, Nigerian anti-counterfeiting startup, has secured additional funding to help it scale its blockchain-powered drug safety and tracking solution. Chekkit’s platform tracks product movement and has helped secure over 50 million pharmaceutical and consumer goods products to date. The funds will help Chekkit onboard more manufacturers across Nigeria and other regions in Africa, while also expanding to new markets in India, UK and the Middle East.

Accredify, a Singapore-based verifiable technology solutions provider, raised USD$7M in Series A funding. The company intends to use the funds to expand its regional presence across APAC by scaling its services and diversifying use cases of verifiable technology solutions across various industries.

Lilz has announced they have completed 590-million-yen Series B round funding. With these new funds they plan to promote the development and mass production of explosion-proof IoT cameras that are in high demand in the chemical plant and gas industries. In addition, continue to develop of products that can be expanded overseas, focus on organizational structure, and strengthen recruitment in all positions.

In Foundries, Supply Chain Management, Success Stories

5 companies leveraging startup innovation to improve their supply chains

In today’s fast-paced business environment, businesses are turning to startups for innovative solutions to enhance their supply chain operations. By leveraging startups’ agility and creativity, companies can overcome supply chain challenges and gain a competitive edge. 

SAP.iO makes it easy for SAP customers to work with the most innovative and relevant enterprise software startups by helping startups integrate with SAP solutions. Our portfolio has 100+ enterprise-ready startup solutions that are helping customers solve their most important supply chain management challenges.   

In this roundup, we will explore five companies successfully harnessing startup innovation to improve their supply chains. 

 

Shippeo & Fressnapf Group: Improving promotion planning to better serve customers with multimodal visibility 

Fressnapf Group worked with Shippeo’s real-time transportation visibility platform to boost its supply chain visibility, reduce transportation costs, and improve customer service. The collaboration resulted in a more efficient and streamlined supply chain management process for Fressnapf Group. 

Shippeo works with SAP Industry Cloud & SAP Logistics Business Network and is available on the SAP Store. 

 

Inspectorio & Yunus: How Textile Manufacturer Yunus Solved Supply Chain Challenges with Inspectorio  

Textile manufacturer Yunus successfully addressed supply chain challenges by leveraging Inspectorio. Yunus utilized Inspectorio’s inspection and quality management platform to streamline their supply chain operations, enhance communication and collaboration among stakeholders, and improve overall product quality, increasing efficiency and customer satisfaction. 

Inspectorio works with SAP S/4HANA and is available on the SAP Store.  

 

NET2GRID & E.ON: Increased customer engagement through disaggregation 

E.ON, a leading energy company, utilized NET2GRID’s smart control app to provide personalized energy management services to its customers. The app’s data-driven insights and recommendations helped E.ON’s customers better understand and control their energy usage, increasing customer satisfaction and energy efficiency. 

NET2GRID works with SAP Industry Cloud, SAP Extension Suite & SAP Integration Suite and is available on the SAP Store. 

 

Shyftplan & Siemens: Higher employee satisfaction and productivity thanks to automated shift planning  

Siemens Energy worked with Shyftplan’s workforce management software to optimize employee scheduling, shift planning, and time tracking. The partnership lowered administration time and costs and improved workforce planning and employee satisfaction.  

Shyftplan works with SAP SuccessFactors Workforce Analytics & SAP Industry Cloud and is available on the SAP Store.  

 

Geek+ & Decathlon: Europe E-commerce giant sees massive logistics upgrade  

Decathlon’s European e-commerce operations worked with Geek+ automated robots and AI-powered solutions to streamline their warehouse operations, optimize inventory management, and achieve a 300% increase in productivity. This collaboration improved order processing times, reduced operating costs, and enhanced customer satisfaction for Decathlon’s European e-commerce business. 

Geek+ works with SAP Extended Warehouse Management, SAP Extension Suite, SAP Integration Suite & SAP S/4HANA and is available on the SAP Store. 

 

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