When talking about enterprise resource planning (ERP) software, the conversation is normally focused on large corporations. This makes sense, as big enterprises have deeper pockets and require more data to be analyzed in a short amount of time. While small and midsize businesses (SMBs) may not have the revenue to invest, they can offer unique innovations that can benefit ERP providers like SAP.
The 40-year-old business intelligence software provider has taken a new interest in start-up companies since the introduction of in-memory database platform SAP HANA. As more customers turn toward the big data analytics jobs that HANA can handle, SAP is looking for new applications to run on top of the platform to engage and attract new clientele.
Since February, SAP has spoken with 460 start-ups and has invited 124 of them to present their technology at forums held around the world. Of those companies, 37 are also engaged in a year-long incubation program where they are creating applications that will run on HANA.
The program, announced by SAP in April, is part of a $155 million fund meant to spur application development. The investment in HANA also goes hand-in-hand with the increased availability of the platform on the open market. Each business function that SAP adds to HANA is an additional selling point for the platform.
To date, small businesses from industries such as IT security and healthcare, as well as larger corporations like the National Basketball Association (NBA), have adopted HANA and are adding to the number of tasks the platform can perform.
Businesses of any size can benefit from implementing an ERP solution. By partnering with an SAP consulting firm, enterprises can ensure they are using SAP HANA to its maximum efficiency.