Innovation at SAP
Driven by innovation
In 1972, the SAP founders pioneered standard software for financial systems to run our customers’ business processes in real time.
Since then, SAP has continuously evolved by moving to a client-server architecture, revolutionizing data management with SAP HANA, and connecting experience with operations. Future-proofing our customers’ business and building systems that provide a foundation for growth and innovation is in our DNA.
Envisioning the future of enterprise IT
Our customers are solving the world’s hardest problems. We can provide you with the infrastructure to help the world run better and improve people’s lives. Our vision of the future of enterprise IT is simple – software must be hyper-personalized, modular in nature, and support outcome-based business models.
Future-proofing businesses
Support for new ventures and technologies
To drive long-term transformation, the New Ventures and Technologies (NVT) organization at SAP scouts problems that will become relevant in 5-10 years. Within NVT, the SAP Innovation Center Network teams explore the business impact of emerging technologies, and the SAP.iO Venture Studio team identifies commercial opportunities in the SAP ecosystem with the ultimate goal of driving long-term transformation and future-proofing SAP.
Customer co-innovation
The ability to innovate is critical to business growth. However, the fast pace of our technology-based and interconnected world requires us to work closer together than ever before. We put our customers at the center to identify the big problems of tomorrow, realize unforeseen opportunities, and create competitive advantages with the help of technology.
SAP Next-Gen
SAP Next-Gen is an innovation program that connects innovators with the world's largest enterprise ecosystem, including SAP customers, a global SAP Next-Gen network of educational institutions, SAP innovation and development centers, and startups.
Co-innovation with SAP
The Partner Innovation Lifecycle Services team helps partners transform ideas into innovative, market-ready solutions. This global organization works with partners to plan, build, test, certify, operate, and deliver new innovative solutions that carry the "Co-Innovated with SAP" designation.
SAP Co-Innovation Lab (COIL)
The global SAP Co-Innovation Lab (COIL) network facilitates project-based co-innovation with its members, enhancing the capabilities of SAP's partner and customer ecosystem through a worldwide network of expertise and best-in-class technologies and platforms.
SAP Leonardo Center
As a global network of connected, physical locations, the SAP Leonardo Centers are the go-to places for digital inspiration and co-innovation, while also acting as delivery mechanisms for SAP Leonardo Innovation Services.
SAP programs for startups
Small teams can have an oversized impact. SAP helps innovators inside and outside SAP build products, find customers, and foster progress. We help turn innovative ideas into business-ready solutions.
SAP Startup Accelerator
SAP Startup Accelerator for Digital Supply Chain is a globally accessible co-innovation program for selected B2B startups that are innovating around digital supply chain, manufacturing, digital assets, and Industry 4.0.
SAP.iO
The SAP.iO program is growing a generation of revolutionary software businesses in the SAP ecosystem, which support visionary startups leveraging SAP’s data, APIs, and technologies to build products, find customers, and change industries.
Open access research publications
Research publications from SAP
SAP is actively participating in collaborative research – both publicly-funded and SAP-funded bilateral projects – with several universities across the globe. Research topics include security, Big Data, AI and machine learning, the future of work, the future of energy, and personalized health.