While some still seem to doubt SAP’s capabilities as a solution provider for small and midsize enterprises, the SME Summit in Istanbul recently offered a venue for customers and startups to prove just how wrong this perception is, especially given the newest trends in technology.

A keynote from Zeynep Keskin, manager of SAP Turkey, revealed that the average age of the Turkish population is 30 — compared to 42 in Germany, 37 in the U.S. and 24 in India — and that many talented young people with a thirst for knowledge are eager to make a difference and move themselves and their country forward. Similarly, throughout the event, representatives of non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and startups made it clear that technological innovations are needed to tackle societal problems, that new ways of thinking must lead to new technological innovations and vice versa.

Many of the startups that want and need to implement and scale their ideas quickly view IT as their greatest opportunity. SAP supports these startups in their quest, for example through the SAP Startup Focus program and the SAP University Alliances program. In addition, online training opportunities such as openSAP or the Academy Cube initiative help close knowledge gaps.

Luis Maruia, director of Ecosystem & Channels for SAP EMEA, cited a recently published Oxford Economics study, pointing out that, backed with this know-how, entrepreneurs worldwide are taking it one step further, distinguishing themselves as “early adopters” of new technologies, particularly in emerging markets.

To learn more and read about how specific SME customers are finding success with SAP, read the SAP.info article.