SAP today announced investment plans of €2 billion over five years to help business and government entities benefit from the proliferation of sensors, smart devices and Big Data that is transforming business with the Internet of Things (IoT).
SAP plans to accelerate innovation in its IoT solution portfolio, increase sales and marketing, scale service, support and co-innovation, and grow its ecosystem of partners and startups in the IoT market, which is estimated to reach €250 billion by 2020.
“With billions of connected devices, we now have the potential to reshape society, the economy and the environment,†said Bill McDermott, CEO, SAP.
“SAP HANA is the data platform we knew would unlock the Internet of Things. Today SAP is making another bold investment to help our customers seize the benefits of live business. Only SAP empowers businesses to innovate from the core to the edges to the network,†added McDermott.
SAP IoT aims to make sense of Big Data from the multitude of things through IoT solutions that apply machine learning and integrate with the core business applications of SAP S/4HANA. SAP IoT includes solutions connecting people, partners, things and the physical environment, enabling organizations to extend and enrich business processes with real-time, live intelligence so that they can see where opportunities exist, achieve new operational efficiencies, and reimagine business models, products and services to deliver more immediate customer and stakeholder value.
SAP IoT seeks to enable connected business and connected society, addressing urban and rural areas and spanning agribusiness, infrastructure and energy, health, defense, manufacturing, consumer and transportation industries.
SAP is introducing Industry 4.0 packages that feature IoT solutions to enable customers’ digital business strategies. The jump-start package is designed to initiate operational and business system connectivity as a foundation to monitor equipment effectiveness and provide insight into shop floor operations. The accelerator package also has this functionality, and adds an automated, paperless, manufacturing execution and control environment by supporting manufacturing planning and execution, performance analytics and advanced plant maintenance. SAP also plans IoT package solutions to address the unique digital operations of cities, agriculture and energy industries.
SAP IoT provides a comprehensive, integrated technology stack from connectors to the IoT foundation and applications, business network and business process layer, enhanced by machine learning and predictive analytics. SAP has acquired PLAT.ONE, an enterprise-grade IoT provider that simplifies the process of creating, deploying and managing complex IoT solutions.
SAP has also recently acquired Fedem Technology, a Norwegian company specializing in advanced engineering analysis and building software for multibody dynamic simulation and lifetime calculation of structures and mechanical systems under the influence of complex loads.
SAP plans to establish locations around the world to collaborate on Industry 4.0 and the IoT with customers, partners and startups. SAP IoT labs are intended as lighthouse locations and primary access points for IoT research, development, proof-of-concept modeling and incubation, with IoT showcases, thought leadership, expertise and infrastructure for strategy and product co-innovation.
