SAP.iO Foundry Tokyo, SAP’s B2B accelerator program, recently selected robotics and AI technology companies that focus on customer experience and supply chain transformation.
Many organisations today are gradually recovering from the pandemic shake-up. SAP has been enabling enterprises through intelligent solutions to mitigate disruptions in their supply chain, operations, and overall performance. Through SAP.iO Foundries, SAP’s global network of top-tier startup programs, the software giant is able to identify and support new companies that offer innovative solutions to help businesses run better even during these unprecedented times.
At SAP.iO Foundry Tokyo, the recent focus is on supporting B2B startup companies that offer solutions to accelerate customer experience (CX) and digital supply chain transformation. Last year, more than ever, the supply chain has experienced debilitating challenges that greatly affected the global exchange of goods and services, and, consequently, customer experiences.
SAP Japan President and Representative Director Hirofumi Suzuki said:
“At SAP, we enable our customers to become intelligent enterprises by integrating data and processes, building flexible value chains, and innovating with industry best practices.
The goal is for them to grow more resilient, more profitable, and more sustainable, particularly in light of the current COVID-19 pandemic. This program will enable our customers to realise digital transformations with new technologies brought by cutting-edge startups.”
Backing Robotics and AI Technology Companies
In October 2020, SAP.iO Foundry Tokyo featured consumer-products-focused B2B technologies. This year, the Foundry selected five early-stage startups that offer digital supply chain and customer experience B2B technologies to join the open innovation model and zero-equity-ask program.
Below is the cohort for the first half of 2021 with the theme of “Intelligent Enterprise”:
Adacotech has developed a solution that offers anomaly detection AI software to the manufacturing industry. The Tokyo-based startup created an original AI technology that operates with four types of inputs– image, video, sound, and sensors– for the detection of abnormalities. Some notable clients of Adacotech include DENSO Corporation, Honda Motor Co., Ltd., and Toyota Motor Corporation.
Evolany is the creator of Anybot, a development-free mini-application construction platform. It is an omnichannel for automatic customer service that integrates LINE, Messenger, telephone, and email to help businesses engage directly with their customers.
LINKWIZ enables manufacturing companies to automate and digitalise inspections with its intelligent robot system software. L-Qualify is a 3D robot inspection system for in-line that replaces visual inspection and enables high-precision 100{aa282f308afcc222aaa21b0478c79e01a8fedd01972e2180867097bd93930f22} inspection. LINKWIZ’s other product is L-Robot, a robot control system with automatic teaching data generation/ correction function.
Sensyn Robotics is a Japanese startup focused on the development, application, and deployment of industrial drone services. The company tackles pressing social challenges by leveraging industrial drones and robots with automation software to enable inspection, disaster countermeasures, security, and surveillance for enterprises and municipalities. Last January, Sensyn Robotics unveiled “Sensyn Explorer,” a small drone about the size of the palm of one’s hand, designed to operate within tight indoor spaces.
SORA provides an AI-powered pricing platform to help hotels and their customers find optimal prices.
The Japanese startups will undergo a 13-week virtual program wherein they get access to curated mentorship, SAP data, technology, and application programming interfaces (APIs). They are also given the opportunity to collaborate with SAP customers during the program.
