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In Featured, Bangalore, Discrete Industries, Announcements

SAP.iO Launches Future of Automotive Startup Program in Bangalore

December 9, 2021 — SAP SE (NYSE: SAP) announced the launch of a new virtual startup program focused on the future of automotive at SAP.iO Foundry Bangalore. Five startups have been selected by a panel of SAP experts, partners, and customers in India to join the cohort. The SAP.iO program is designed to accelerate early-stage B2B startups that can extend SAP’s portfolio and deliver additional innovation to customers.

“With investments in electric vehicle infrastructure, digital manufacturing and direct-to-consumer distribution, the automotive industry continues to witness a massive transformation,” said Manish Prasad, Vice President, Metal, Mining & Automotive Industry at SAP Indian Subcontinent. “The SAP.iO program brings together industry and startup communities to build robust intelligent and scalable technology solutions that address current business challenges and accelerate growth and agility for the automotive sector.”

SAP.iO’s growing network of top-tier startup programs enables entrepreneurs to extend SAP’s portfolio with innovative software solutions for SAP customers. Throughout the 12-week program, the startups will gain valuable mentorship from SAP executives and leading industry experts, as well as access to SAP® technology, application programming interfaces (APIs), and opportunities to collaborate with SAP customers.

The SAP.iO Foundry Bangalore cohort includes the following startups:

  • Dave.AI is an AI-powered sales augmentation platform that helps brands drive sales with improved and interactive product discovery experiences using a virtual sales avatar.
  • Rezo.AI automates conversations over voice, emails, WhatsApp, social media, and chats using artificial intelligence for efficient and effective customer interactions.
  • Plutomen provides augmented reality and virtual reality solutions for remote assistance and collaboration to help transform the industrial frontline.
  • Electrono is a digital solutions enterprise with expertise in research infrastructure management, remote engineering, design consultancy, and Industry 4.0 solutions.
  • CamCom leverages computer vision and associated technologies to improve the visual inspection process.

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 330+ external startups and internal ventures accelerate their growth while enabling thousands of SAP customers to access innovation. For more information, visit https://sap.io/.

In Munich, Featured, Discrete Industries, Announcements

SAP.iO Foundry Munich Introduces New Mobility Startup Program with MHP Management- und IT-Beratung GmbH

September 10, 2021 — SAP SE (NYSE: SAP) launched a startup program focused on new mobility at SAP.iO Foundry Munich in collaboration with MHP Management- und IT-Beratung GmbH to address customer objectives and challenges in the mobility sector. Ten startups across the globe were selected by a panel of SAP experts, partners, customers, and investment funds to participate. 

Within this program, the B2B software startups will work closely with customers and MHP to unlock joint innovation efforts. The cohort will address multiple strategic areas throughout the equity-free program – from connectivity in transport and fleet management to battery charging and autonomous driving. 

“For sustainable, emission-free mobility, we need the innovative power of startups and the resources and opportunities of large corporates. SAP.iO Foundry Munich combines both in their new mobility program, and we at MHP are pleased to be able to actively support and promote the startups to make a joint contribution to a better future.” said Marcus Wieland, partner and strategic lead for future mobility at MHP. 

SAP.iO’s growing network of top-tier startup programs has paved the way for entrepreneurs to extend SAP’s portfolio with innovative software solutions for SAP customers. Throughout the 12-week program, the startups will gain valuable mentorship from SAP executives, leading industry experts, as well as access to SAP® technology, application programming interfaces (APIs), and opportunities to collaborate with SAP customers.  

The following startups were selected to participate in the new mobility program with SAP.iO Foundry Munich:   

  • 4.screen | 4.screen is building the first marketplace for in-car branded placements to connect businesses with drivers. They help local businesses reach customers within their car navigation screens when searching for points of interest and proactively recommend stops.
  • adiutaByte | adiutaByte offers flexible and scalable optimization algorithms through an easy-to-use and customizable web front-end for automated scheduling processes via software-as-a-service.
  • BlueSpace | BlueSpace.ai is an autonomous vehicle (AV) software company that leverages patented software with 4D sensors, proprietary mathematical formulas, high-quality state estimation, and optimized software implementation to calculate and process the full motion of objects in real time.
  • BOX ID Systems | BOX ID connects logistic transport assets with long-living IoT sensors. BOX ID offers greater precision of physical asset flows while providing insights into analytics and automation for stock levels, transports, pick-ups, and more.
  • ChargeX | ChargeX offers affordable and scalable charging infrastructure. With a simple and clear dashboard, customers can interact with the chargers and report on the charging processes. The all-in-one package makes charging infrastructure simple, scalable and easy to operate.
  • Compredict | Compredict allows fleet operators and vehicle manufacturers to gain deeper insight into how vehicles are being used. The solution provides data for different stakeholders to reduce CO2 emissions over the whole product lifecycle: from right-sized components, efficient vehicle testing, product durability all the way through to optimized maintenance and fleet operation.
  • Eccocar | Eccocar is a platform to launch, operate and scale digital mobility services, designed with rent-a-cars, dealers and fleet managers around the world.
  • gridX | gridX offers a platform for all decentralized energy resources from the PV system to the charging station. This enables customers to operate their charging infrastructure more efficiently, use more self-generated energy and develop their own energy applications.
  • Hovering Solutions | Hovering Solutions develops drones capable of flying autonomously and replacing the need for human intervention within indoor/outdoor environments, beneficial for carrying out 3D mappings of underground, closed, or confined areas.
  • Motion2AI | Motion2AI offers AI platforms for warehouse mobility fleets like forklifts, carts and robots by providing services of safety, monitoring, optimization, and autonomy.

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 300+ external startups and internal ventures accelerate their growth while enabling thousands of SAP customers to access innovation. For more information, visit https://sap.io/.   

In Fund, Blog, Discrete Industries, Business Technology Platform

BigID Data Security Platform is SAP.iO’s First Startup Unicorn

SAP.iO reveals in its 2020 Impact and Insight Report that BigID, one of the its early investments and an SAP Solution Extension Partner, is the first startup unicorn in the SAP.iO portfolio with a valuation of over $1 billion. The company’s data security platform helps organisations secure customer data, satisfy privacy regulations, and manage risks.

According to the Wall Street Journal, following the emergence of increased remote work (brought on by the global COVID-19 pandemic) and a rise in high-profile cyberattacks, risk-management and cybersecurity startups are in the spotlight among venture capitalists.

SAP.iO, SAP’s early-stage venture-capital arm, invested an undisclosed sum in BigID in multiple rounds between 2017 and 2019. As of December 2020, BigID announced a $70 million Series D on a valuation of $1 billion. 

In 2019, BigID and SAP forged a global reseller agreement, allowing SAP to sell two BigID powered products: SAP Privacy Management application by BigID and SAP Data Mapping and Protection application by BigID.

Now, more than ever, effectively managing risk and privacy compliance associated with big data is critical and a must for organisations. 

John Licata, Vice President and Fellow at SAP.iO Startup Accelerator explains:

“Data is increasingly valuable, and the backbone to AI, so tapping next-generation cybersecurity technologies is no longer a nice have. It’s a requirement to secure data and leverage it for growth opportunities. At least it should be for the modern enterprise that will witness over 500 billion connected things by 2030.”

Driving Innovation in Data Security

BigID is a recognised as a leader in data-centric personal data discovery and privacy, intelligence and automation. The cybersecurity startup has been bestowed with several awards for its innovative privacy technology, including:

  • 2018 RSA Conference Innovation Sandbox winner
  • CB Insights 2018 Cyber Defender
  • Network Products Guide 2018 IT World Awards “Hot Company of the Year” winner
  • 2019 InformationWeek Vendor to Watch
  • 2019 World Economic Forum Technology Pioneer
  • 2020 Forbes Cloud 100
  • Business Insider 2020 AI Startup to Watch
  • Database Trend-Setting Products 2020

Dimitri Sirota, CEO and co-founder of BigID, explains how the startup’s data security platform provide the best of breed point solutions that address enterprise security gaps:

“Since starting in 2016, BigID has aimed to rethink how organisations provide data accountability to their customers through more intelligent data accounting. Before BigID, data privacy was largely about policy and process. BigID put data at the center, redefining how enterprises find, manage and protect their most important asset: their customer and employee data.”

The BigID data security platform leverages advanced machine learning (ML) and identity intelligence to help enterprises better protect their customer and employee data at petabyte scale. BigID’s technology enables organisations to manage IT complexities, minimise risk, and comply with ememerging data protection regulations such as the Europian Union’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA).

BigID also plans to expand its marketplace to third-party developers, offering them the ability to build applications on top of its data security platform. According to Sirota, the company aims to further accelerate sales and marketing in 2021.

Read More…

In Podcast, Discrete Industries, Foundries, New York

Computer vision in supply chain – a chat with Cogniac

Cogniac is a company that uses convolutional neural networks to quickly and painlessly automate visual inspection tasks in all kinds of scenarios.

I invited Cogniac CEO Chuck Myers, and Cogniac CTO and co-founder Bill Kish to come on the podcast to tell me more, and we had a fascinating conversation where I learned how their solution is being used in scenarios as diverse as railroads, automotive companies, and timber yards.

To learn how supply chain leaders improve end-to-end supply chain visibility, download the research study of 1,000 COO’s and Chief Supply Chain Officers – “Surviving and Thriving How Supply Chain Leaders minimize risk and maximize opportunities”


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In Foundries, New York, Press Release, Portfolio News, COVID-19, Discrete Industries

SAP.iO Foundry New York Launches Accelerator Program for Women and Diverse Entrepreneurs Focused on Retail, Manufacturing and Automotive Technology

NEW YORK — SAP SE (NYSE: SAP) has announced the launch of the SAP.iO Foundry New York Fall 2020 virtual accelerator program with six early-stage enterprise startups led by women and/or diverse entrepreneurs. These startups are driving innovation with solutions relevant to the retail, manufacturing or automotive industries.

“Digitalization is advancing enterprise business progress more than at any other time in history,” said Vanessa Liu, head of SAP North America Foundries. “Understanding that startup innovation can drive value for our customers and partners in these industries in a post COVID-19 global society, we welcome these entrepreneurs from diverse backgrounds to the SAP.iO family.”

SAP customers need to adapt quickly to market dynamics, and this requires an unparalleled commitment to digitalization. To this end, SAP.iO remains committed to its SAP.iO No Boundaries initiative, announced in early 2019, and to the belief that a healthy ecosystem includes entrepreneurs from diverse backgrounds.

“We welcome this innovative group to the New York Fall 2020 cohort,” said Peter Maier, SAP president of Industries and Customer Advisory. “We are particularly looking forward to working with these companies on our industry cloud solutions for retail, manufacturing and automotive that will enable our customers to rapidly respond to new business requirements and drive cost-effective transformation and sustainable growth.”

The 12-week program will be held virtually. The new cohort includes startups using technologies including artificial intelligence (AI), analytics, 3D printing, robotic fabrication and ultrasonic to drive new business insights and capabilities. The cohort will have access to curated mentorship from SAP executives, exposure to SAP technology and application programming interfaces (APIs), and opportunities to collaborate with SAP customers. The program will culminate with the Demo Day in December 2020.

The SAP.iO Foundry New York cohort includes the following startups:

  • Cogniac is an enterprise platform utilizing AI, human-computer interaction tools and large-scale data management to enable easy automation of any visual inspection task for the industrial and manufacturing industries.
  • Hero is an online shopping platform that helps retail store associates connect, through text, chat and video, with hundreds of millions of online shoppers.
  • Ivaldi provides companies with a sustainable, cost-effective digital distribution solution to identify, qualify and distribute digital spare-part files for on-demand production and distribution.
  • LISNR’s ultrasonic data-over-sound technology enables proximity verification and contactless transactions for merchants, financial service providers and automotive and transportation companies.
  • Rheaply offers an award-winning asset management and exchange platform to help customers visualize, quantify and utilize their physical assets.
  • Wise Systems is an AI-driven dispatch and routing software that helps enterprises adapt to everyday challenges, improving fleet efficiency and customer service.

To learn more about SAP.iO and how SAP is helping innovators inside and outside of SAP build products, find customers and change industries, visit SAP.iO.