In the seven years we’ve been running the SAP Innovation Awards, 2020 felt like the year when the stakes were highest and the work most purposeful. In 2020, work was personal.
Now, the winners of the SAP Innovation Awards 2021 are in, and I’m proud to say the selected candidates met the moment in a year that pushed us unlike any other.
As the world changed in ways no one could have ever predicted, they rewrote the script, sparking a creative momentum that built hope — and drove results. These forward-thinking companies and individuals harnessed the power of SAP solutions to solve big problems, innovate in real time, and transform the way we work and live when it mattered most.
An astonishing 376 ideas were submitted — a 44% jump from the previous year, and a new record for us — representing 27 distinct industries. Our judges carefully reviewed every proposal and, given the high quality and care that went into each one, they had an arduous task to ultimately select 20 winners.
Here are the exceptional candidates that made the final cut:
Scott Russell, member of the Executive Board of SAP SE, Customer Success, put it this way: “The SAP Innovation Awards showcase the most remarkable stories of our customers’ and partners’ creativity, ingenuity, teamwork, and their amazing use of technology to solve complex challenges, revolutionize industries, and improve people’s lives. Today we celebrate their boldness, innovative spirit, and determination to make their ambitions a reality.”
Find all the details on how these forward-thinking companies are not just surviving but thriving at sap.com/innovationawards. Their stories are full of heart, creativity, and innovation.
What comes next is the fun part: SAP will hold a virtual awards ceremony in June and each winner will receive a special trophy, as well as a US$1,000 SAP4Good voucher to support the charitable causes of their choice. The winners will also receive coverage in some of the world’s most respected media outlets, be invited to share their stories on the “Innovation Success by SAP” podcast and participate in SAP and industry events, as well as receive fanfare on social channels and more.
After the events of the past year, perhaps the most significant legacy of the SAP Innovation Awards 2021 will be to remind us that we share a mission to help the world run better and improve people’s lives and — regardless of industry, company, or nationality — we represent the best of ourselves when we act as one human community.