Software giant has opened its first co-innovation lab in Africa

SAP says the Lab has a strong focus on collaboration and will offer a hands-on environment for it to innovate jointly with software solution providers, system integrators, and tech partners on various technologies.

“Not only is innovation key to survival in today’s economy,” said Brett Parker, SAP Africa's Managing Director, “but the speed at which you are able to transform is becoming increasingly critical. Far too often, great ideas are lost. Consequently, businesses are looking for smarter, quicker and more efficient ways to innovate.”

The SAP Lab will look to provide a suitable environment , relevant technology, and available expertise to boost competition and encourage entrepreneurship through technology.

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“Co-Innovation links the innovative power of SAP and its ecosystem of partners to help our customers on the way to a truly digital business,” Dr Tanja Rueckert, Executive Vice President LoB Digital Assets and IoT at SAP SE, explained. “We are very happy to now be able to bring the proven model of the SAP Co-Innovation Labs to Africa.”

SAP's first Lab was opened in Palo Alto in 2007 has gone on to open labs in Brazil, Germany, Switzerland, Russia, India, and Japan, amongst other places - all of which boast interconnected operations.

“We are confident that the introduction of the first African SAP Co-Innovation Lab, with its ability to enable and, tangibly showcase the innovation and inventions by Africans, for Africans, will enable us to continue to improve lives through practical solutions, increase skills development. Ultimately the goal is to contribute to job creation by stimulating and driving entrepreneurship across the continent,” concludes Parker.

SAP will continue to expand its labs across the globe to broaden the pool of talent working on solutions to bring a wide array of expertise and knowledge to the table.