Six startups have been chosen by a committee of SAP experts and partners to participate in a virtual SAP sustainability startup program. Recently launched by SAP.iO Foundry Singapore, the program aims to drive sustainability outcomes for companies across Asia-Pacific and Japan (APJ) through the use of SAP technology.
For years now, SAP has been leveraging the latest digital technologies and innovations to identify and measure the key drivers of the company’s carbon footprint. SAP’s data centers globally, such as the one that opened in Korea last April, practice energy efficiency and electricity procurement to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Additionally, this year also the launch of the company’s Chasing Zero movement, which is centered on harnessing technology to build a world with “zero emissions, zero waste, and zero inequality.”
In support of these initiatives and to adapt to emerging sustainability requirements in the industry, SAP.iO — the German enterprise software giant’s strategic business unit — collaborates with startups around the world to realise its goal of assisting customers in better understanding their carbon footprints and material flows, as well as in promoting diversity and inclusion efforts. Reflecting on this objective, Alexa Gorman, Senior Vice President and Global Head of SAP.iO Foundries and SAP.iO Intrapreneurship at SAP, explained in a blog:
“In working with SAP customers and SAP.iO startups, we’ve seen that the desire to impact this matter coupled with the innovative technology needed to turn the tide, but it must be looked at as a journey instead of a destination. Industries and companies are at different stages of maturity, with requirements in other areas across teams. The challenge is how to make sustainability profitable.”
Moreover, six international tech companies have been selected to take part in SAP.iO’s latest sustainability startup program this month where they could utilise next-generation solutions to help organisations in APJ achieve their goals in different areas. These objectives include maintaining socially responsible supply chains, tackling climate action, and moving towards a circular economy.
Commenting on the new virtual program for startups in the region, SAP APJ President Paul Marriott shared:
“Achieving our sustainability goals will require all of us to work together at pace, as our planet’s time is running out. Initiatives such as this SAP.iO Foundry program are critical in identifying, enabling, and promoting innovative solutions that can change how our customers’ business is run, and ultimately the impact we have on the world.”
Advancing Startup Innovation with the Latest SAP Sustainability Program
The following startups will be able to benefit from exposure to SAP technology and application programming interfaces (APIs), as well as curated mentorship from SAP executives. In addition, they can also take advantage of opportunities to work closely with SAP customers in APJ over the next 13 weeks.
- Ambee. The Bengaluru-based environment intelligence firm uses artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) capabilities to monitor air quality, soil, micro weather, pollen, and other factors to help people breathe clean air. Furthermore, its goal is to collect real-time data on hyperlocal air quality and make it available to developers, consumers, health researchers, and media organisations.
- CarbonClick. Established in Auckland, CarbonClick is a carbon offsetting organisation that has worked with over 760 businesses to date. It is an online marketplace for carbon credits that enables customers to buy accredited carbon offsets, as well as track and minimise their carbon impact.
- givvable. A data-driven technology platform that assists organisations in understanding, sourcing, and measuring the impact of sustainable and social expenditure. The Sydney-based startup maps suppliers’ sustainability credentials, attributes, and initiatives to widely-used international reporting frameworks, such as the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
- Resync. The Singapore-headquartered company delivers intelligent energy management solutions leveraging artificial intelligence for smart buildings and systems that use a variety of renewable energy sources.
- UnaBiz. Founded in 2016, it specialises in sensor product design, manufacturing, and cloud platform services, including the Internet of Things (IoT). The company, which has offices in Singapore, Taiwan, and Japan, uses low-bandwidth wireless network technologies to solve energy consumption and building management issues utilising smart IoT devices.
- WePower. Headquartered in Vilnius, Lithuania, with offices in Melbourne, Sydney, and Tallinn, WePower is a green energy financing and trading platform based on blockchain. It links corporate energy buyers and retailers with green energy generators to help them buy green energy that is produced locally at competitive prices and with full transparency.
“This program not only helps start-ups accelerate their growth, but it is also one of the quickest ways to bring the latest innovation to thousands of our customers globally,” Marriott further emphasised.
