The power of artificial intelligence (AI) is undeniable, with an impressive ability to transform industries and generate new business and societal values at a record speed. However, it is clear that no individual business can fully harness the potential of AI in isolation.
Ninety-four percent of tech executives agree, betting on innovation partnerships as integral to their strategy, particularly with AI-powered startup solutions.
Making AI Accessible via Innovation Partnerships
We are proud to share that SAP.iO has surpassed the 125-mark for AI-powered startup partner solutions in our partner ecosystem. These solutions are fully integrated with SAP and available via SAP Store for immediate adoption by SAP customers. The encompassing solutions range across lines of business and industries, including finance, HR, supply chain, and customer experience.
This milestone demonstrates our commitment to helping SAP customers flourish in a rapidly changing world by enabling the easy extension of their software landscapes with tailor-fitted solutions that meet their specific needs.
In 2024, we’ll continue to scale our award-winning ecosystem through startup partnership programs and customer innovation programs in 11 innovation hubs around the world.
Examples of Tailor-Fitted Solutions
As a testament to our thriving ecosystem, let’s look at two examples from our portfolio: Yellow.ai and Nyris.
Yellow.ai utilizes generative AI to uplift customer and employee experiences via dynamic chatbots and voicebots, handling over 2 billion interactions each quarter. This startup solution seamlessly integrates with SAP Customer Experience and SAP SuccessFactors software, facilitating omnichannel experiences across diverse employee and customer touchpoints.
Nyris has leveraged AI to build a powerful visual search platform that provides users with an intuitive way to instantly find what they want using images, keywords, or barcodes. The platform integrates with SAP Commerce Cloud to enable no-code search solutions.
The Symbiotic Relationship Between Startups and Corporates
A study by BCG’s Henderson Institute suggests that businesses can benefit from partnering with AI startups in areas such as technology, talent, and change management. For those AI partnerships to be successful, the findings suggest a shared understanding of data rights, governance, risk management, and pricing methodologies.
By partnering with startups, businesses can get fresh perspectives, customized technology solutions to a specific industry or functional problem, and specialized skills they might not possess internally. In return, established companies offer startups scalability, market presence, and credibility.
This symbiotic relationship enables both entities to stay on top of industry trends, drive AI innovation, and maintain a competitive edge in a rapidly evolving technological landscape. This rich environment of shared learning and continuous improvement then bolsters the entire AI ecosystem.
Alexa Gorman is senior vice president and global head of SAP.iO