SAP opens regional research Hq in Singapore

• SAP Next Business and Technology located at NRF’s CREATE campus
• To spearhead research and co-innovation with customers

SAP has announced the official opening of the SAP Next Business and Technology Research Center in Singapore, its largest research location and headquarters in Asia Pacific, the company said in a statement.
 
Situated in the National Research Foundation’s Campus for Research Excellence And Technological Enterprise (CREATE), the center is a collaboration between Singapore’s Economic Development Board (EDB), the Singapore National Research Foundation (NRF) and SAP.
 
“There is … an increasing demand on infrastructure, logistics, and environment with the rise of mega-cities in this region,” said Jason Yotopoulos (pic, right), global head of SAP Next Business and Technology.
 
The center “reinforces SAP’s commitment in the region to continue our growth investments and drive the innovation agenda to address the pressing economic, social, and environmental challenges here,” he said.
 
The center joins a family of SAP’s research locations worldwide, with multimillion-dollar investments over the next three years.
 
It will further broaden SAP’s efforts to work with government, industry partners and academia to accelerate the innovation and delivery of new solutions designed to address the challenges facing markets and societies around the world, the company said.
 
It will focus on research in social business networks and collaboration, real-time intelligence and analytics, with a myriad of applications across different industries, including transportation, logistics, urban management and smart cities, machine-to-machine sensor-enabled objects, and retail.
 
Future areas of advanced development could potentially be around financial and medical industries, SAP said.
 
Incorporated in the center is a Co-Innovation Living Lab which provides a real-world, hands-on collaboration platform. The center will also house the SAP Global Business Incubator, creating opportunities globally for entrepreneurs to participate and collaborate in the creation of new businesses.
 
“Singapore is also strategic hub and springboard for business owners and entrepreneurs, and our Global Business Incubator team will be able to leverage the vibrant scene here,” said Yotopoulos.
 
Patrick Chong, Luxasia Group chief executive officer, said, “We are collaborating with SAP Next Business and Technology to create a new level of customer experience that we believe will become the future of the beauty industry.”
 
Dr Ting See Ho, YFind Technologies managing director, said: “Businesses and governments who want to create Location-Intelligent Smart Cities will find themselves faced with a massive undertaking. It's a deeply compelling vision, and one that requires the right technology and partners to deliver.
 
“We are partnering with innovative companies like SAP which see the tremendous potential for Indoor Positioning Technology, and who can help customers execute flawlessly,” he added.
 
The center will also leverage on the local talent pool through a PhD and student internship program with Singapore universities. SAP Next Business and Technology and CREATE have established an active collaborative relationship with local and international universities such as the National University of Singapore (NUS), Nanyang Technological University (NTU), MIT, ETH Zurich and Cambridge.
 
EDB executive director Jayson Goh (pic above, left) said: “SAP’s decision to locate its regional research headquarters here reinforces Singapore’s role as a home for innovation for companies.”