SAP Innovation Awards 2026

We have made several changes, including:

1.      Submissions close date February 20, 2026.

2.      Empowering our customers to choose the award category they align with.

3.      Renamed our template from “pitch deck” to “innovation story”.

4.      Enhancing the eligibility process to provide a quick assessment for your story (To access the assessment tool, click here.)

5.      For 2026, we have 16 total categories for innovators. Participants will be entered into two categories:

a.      The “Industry Leader” category: all entries are automatically considered for this category and grouped based on their industry:

Industry Leader – Consumer Industries

Industry Leader – Discrete Industries

Industry Leader – Energy & Natural Resources

Industry Leader – Public Services

Industry Leader – Service and Financial Services Industries

b.      Participants will select one of the following to best describe their submitted transformation:

AI Excellence
SAP customers who are harnessing SAP Business AI to transform operations, elevate efficiency and shape the future of work through intelligent automation and smarter processes with Joule, SAP AI Core, generative AI hub, SAP Document AI, SAP Business Data Cloud and any AI functionality embedded in SAP solutions.

Industry Leader
SAP customers who use multiple SAP solutions to drive innovation. This may include reinventing business or industry models, streamlining operations, engaging customers, or serving constituents in new ways – collaborating across ecosystems and creating meaningful societal or environmental impact.

Cloud ERP Champion
SAP customers who embrace SAP Cloud ERP to transform, future-proof, and unlock new avenues for growth and innovation. Solutions include SAP S/4HANA Cloud Private Edition and SAP S/4HANA Cloud Public Edition.

Customer Experience Innovator
SAP customers who have transformed their businesses with cloud technologies, creating standout experiences that delight customers and fuel growth. Solutions include SAP Commerce Cloud, SAP Emarsys, SAP Sales Cloud, SAP Service Cloud, etc.

Financial Futurist
SAP customers who are leveraging SAP Finance solutions to revolutionize financial processes to deliver new business models, optimize working capital, increase efficiency, and reduce risk. Solutions include S/4HANA Finance, Quote-to-Cash Management, etc.

People Experience Pioneer
SAP customers who are reimagining the employee journey through AI-enabled, cloud-powered transformation, crafting exceptional experiences that inspire and empower their workforce. Solutions include SAP SuccessFactors, etc.

Procurement Visionary
SAP customers who are leveraging SAP Spend Management solutions to automate procurement processes and actively manage indirect and direct spend for better control, greater value, more savings, and operational efficiencies. Solutions include SAP Ariba, SAP Concur, SAP Fieldglass, etc.

Services Superstar
SAP cloud customers who have leveraged SAP Services to accelerate their business goals by enabling organizational learning, increasing user adoption, enhancing productivity, and maximizing the overall value of their SAP solutions. Solutions include SAP ActiveAttention, SAP MaxAttention, SAP Preferred Success, SAP Value Assurance, SAP Enterprise Support, etc.

Sustainability Hero
SAP customers who are harnessing SAP Sustainability and the power of connected apps, data, and AI for improved efficiency, streamlined compliance, and business growth for a sustainable and resilient future. Solutions include SAP Green Ledger, SAP Green Token, SAP Responsible Design and Production, SAP Sustainability Control Tower, SAP Sustainability Footprint Management, SAP S/4HANA for Product Compliance, etc.

Supply Chain Catalyst
SAP customers who are using SAP Supply Chain Management (SCM) solutions to build strong, well-orchestrated supply chains. With SAP SCM solutions, companies can realize increased visibility across their supply chains, improved efficiency and compliance with regulations, and ensure customer satisfaction. Solutions include Integrated Business Planning, Digital Manufacturing, Transportation Management, and SAP Business Network.

Technology Pathfinder
SAP customers who have implemented one or more SAP Business Technology Platform solutions to solve a business problem or unlock an innovative use case that results in a positive, measurable impact on the community or society. Solutions include SAP Build, SAP Integration Suite, SAP HANA Cloud, SAP Analytics Cloud, SAP Master Data Governance, SAP Datasphere, SAP Business Data Cloud, etc.

Transformation Impact
SAP customers who are leveraging SAP Signavio, SAP LeanIX, and WalkMe to generate business value and strengthen their transformation capabilities. These organizations are consistently advancing critical dimensions—such as processes, applications, people, and data—to ensure they remain resilient and well-prepared for the future.

Please note that for 2026, the SAP Innovation Awards will no longer recognize the Partner Paragon category. Details surrounding partner recognition can be found on the SAP Partner Portal with more updates to follow shortly.

6.      Celebrating the career-defining achievements of the winners and finalists by inviting them to the SAP Innovation Awards Reception. This prestigious event at Sapphire Orlando or Madrid offers an excellent platform for them to share true stories, real challenges, and impressive outcomes. The reception is a great networking opportunity and a chance to celebrate everyone’s success.

7.      Finalist Entries in each Entry Category who plan to attend SAP Sapphire will receive one (1) ticket to SAP Sapphire Orlando or Madrid (Approximate Retail Value (“ARV”) USD $2,900).

8.      Winning entrants may select one (1) ticket to SAP Sapphire Orlando or Madrid (Approximate Retail Value (“ARV”) USD $2,900) or donate USD $1,000 to a charity of their choice through Global Giving. If no one representing a winning Entry is planning to attend SAP Sapphire Orlando or Madrid, the ticket will not be given to that winning Entry, and the Winning Entry may elect to donate to a charity of their choice through Global Giving.