5th Edition of Startup Social: SAP Labs India and Capgemini Shine

SAP Labs India has recently hosted the 5th Edition of Startup Social in collaboration with Capgemini. The event acknowledges itself as an initiative fostering collaboration among industry leaders, startups, and customers to shape the future of Software as a Service (SaaS) and enterprise technology.

This year saw close to 285 start-up founders participating in a richly curated one-day program with 10+ sessions and around 530 attendees, panel discussions, and hands-on workshops while engaging with their peers and learning from experts through mentor clinics, expert talks, and more.

Commencing in 2016, this event has not only emerged as a highly anticipated gathering but has also established itself as a unified platform for diverse stakeholders within India's vibrant startup ecosystem. From enterprises and startups to investors and thought leaders, this forum brings together a large group of collaborators under one roof.

The event was kicked off by Sindhu Gangadharan, SVP and MD, of SAP Labs India, where she highlighted the transformative potential of SAP Startup Studio and its significant influence within the Indian startup ecosystem. During the program, a series of enriching fireside chats and insightful panel discussions revolving around digital transformation and the evolution of modern startups were organized.

Among the many significant dignitaries present at the event, Sokrates Koutounidis, Vice President and global AE for SAP at Capgemini, highlighted the partnership between SAP Labs India and Capgemini. Meanwhile, Dev Ramnane, Head - Early-Stage Startups, AWS, discussed the collaboration between AWS and SAP Labs India, whereas, Chaitanya Ramalingegowda represented Wakefit and provided insights as a valued customer ofSAP, shedding light on how to navigate success in a dynamic world. The day also featured other key luminaries from the Unicorn ecosystem in India such as Mabel Chacko (Open), Sudarshan Ravi (LetsTransport), Amuleek Singh Bijiral (Chaipoint) among others.

These engaging sessions fostered thought-provoking discussions and a wealth of knowledge exchange.

Addressing the audience at the event, Sindhu Gangadharan said,“India is the third largest startup ecosystem globally and will continue to grow exponentially with its large talent base in the region. Our commitment to innovation extends beyond SAP itself. Over the last 25 years, India’s startup community has been an integral part of SAP’s journey. We recognize the importance of startups in India's tech growth and support them by providing access to SAP's services, technologies, customers, partners, and more. We are here to support startups to thrive and SMEs to succeed, contributing to India's ongoing tech evolution and economic growth in the digital era.”

Adding to Sindhu’s comments, Justin Paul, Head - of SAP Startup Studio said, “The startup studio program facilitates growth-stage startups within the SAP ecosystem, fostering safe and collaborative expansion opportunities. Over the 12-month duration, our partners benefit from expert guidance encompassing industry, technical, and go-to-market domains, nurtured under the guidance of the Product Management and Product Engineering teams at SAP Labs India and active collaboration with various sales & marketing teams from the SAP India Market Unit. With 62 startups incubated to date 22 engaged in co-innovation with SAP and over 50+ Joint Go-To-Market engagements as of 2023, we have facilitated a significant total of $150+ million in funding. Our commitment is to sustain and enhance this initiative, nurturing startups poised to drive transformative change.”

The 5th Edition of Startup Social stood as a testament to SAP Labs India's unwavering commitment to promoting innovation, fostering collaboration, and enabling startups to drive the digital transformation agenda in the region. Through initiatives like SAP Startup Studio, SAP Labs India continues to pave the way for a vibrant and forward-thinking startup ecosystem, poised to shape the future of enterprise technology.