SAP, with its SAP incubation initiatives, claims to have a system to nurture start-ups. These start-ups create new products and solutions which can assist enterprises adapt, compete and thrive.
Through the SAP.iO Venture Studio, SAP mines talent and unique assets internally to help start-ups build businesses which address large problems and try to help their staffs be more productive. SAP’s approach seeks to empower and guides start-ups which address social needs or environmental concerns. Examples are:
- Ruum by SAP
- Briiliant Hire by SAP
- Atlas by SAP
- SAP One Billion Lives
- Well-Being at Work.
Ruum by SAP
Ruum by SAP helps customers manage projects by bringing together interested parties and then keeping them on the same page. This simple project-management-as-a-service solution includes:
- task management
- timelines
- file storage
- team collaboration.
This integrates with various of SAP’s cloud offerings, including SAP:
- Global Track and Trace
- C/4HANA
- Demand Signal Management
- Digital Boardroom.
Ruum by SAP has its own digital assistant, ‘Ada’. This keeps team members informed about milestones and changes – to prevent items ‘falling through the cracks’.
Brilliant Hire by SAP
Brilliant Hire by SAP enables prospective employers to evaluate a candidate’s skill and then fast track hiring without bias. With a digital pre-screening process, Brilliant Hire by SAP provides insights for experts can review.
Brilliant Hire is available in an alpha version on SAP Cloud Platform. It integrates with SAP SuccessFactors solutions.
Atlas by SAP
Atlas by SAP is a portfolio of applications which bring speed and accuracy to help companies make business decisions based on location data. For example, it enables:
- retailers understand what products they should carry
- consumer goods companies determine which stores to target for marketing campaigns.
In SAP’s words, “With just a click, Atlas’ powerful geospatial analytics platform uses near real-time data to provide detailed yet anonymous information”. This includes:
- age ranges
- income
- home zip codes
- hourly traffic near proposed locations.
Initial midmarket customers have proved this works. Atlas has secured a €4.5 million second investment commitment from the SAP.iO Venture Studio to target the enterprise market with Atlas Geo Cloud, a cloud solution which will scale and add functionality such as storing and maintaining data as well as cleaning it for analysis.
SAP One Billion Lives
The SAP.iO Venture Studio is also building social-impact ventures through the SAP One Billion Lives initiative. Started in SAP’s Asia Pacific Japan (APJ) region in 2016, SAP One Billion Lives went global in 2018. Its aim – to improve the lives of one billion people by fostering scalable, viable social businesses. Ongoing projects include tackling cancer drug effectiveness in India and improving disaster prevention and preparedness in Japan.
This initiative seeks to bring together talent and technology to address global challenges. In turn this will benefit:
- businesses
- customers
- employees
- partners.
SAP One Billion Lives is crowd-sourced. It deploys SAP technology to deliver sustainable, commercially viable social impact.
Well-Being at Work
SAP has introduced Well-Being at Work. This is new and looks to place employee well-being at the heart of enterprises. It positions technology as a catalyst and enabler to encourage cultural shifts.
SAP has joined forces with Thrive Global. Founded and led by Arianna Huffington, Thrive Global’s mission is to end the stress and burnout epidemic. It wishes to achieve this by offering companies and individuals sustainable, science-based solutions which enhance well-being, performance and purpose, thereby creating a healthier relationship with technology.
SAP SuccessFactors Work-Life is the first solution to roll out. This brings the vision to life by:
- providing real-time insights into individual and group well-being needs
- making targeted recommendations to improve employee satisfaction and engagement.
What does this mean
In many ways, SAP diversity astonishes by its breadth. As discussed here, it continues to innovate in the business environment. Customers expect this of an enterprise software company.
The examples from the SAP.iO Venture Studio change the focus and add depth. People matter, in different ways. The SAP One Billion Lives is the most broad in its aims and, arguably, it moves beyond standard corporate social responsibility. The more it succeeds the better it will be for all.
