SAP, a Germany-based tsoftware provider, has put eight African start-ups through to its accelerator programme to help them port or build their applications for SAP Hana, its business data aggregator.
The objective of the accelerator is to build a proof of concept and, eventually, a product with explicit business value. The accelerator kicks off with an intensive boot camp on SAP Hana development topics. Once development is underway, SAP will support participants with regular architecture reviews, technical support and consulting. When start-ups are ready with their product, they will enter SAP’s Go-To-Market stage.
The eight were selected from 50 companies across the sub-continent to pitch on how to best to leverage the real-time capabilities of SAP Hana.
From that, a judging panel, which included Kaustav Mitra, leader of the SAP Start-up Focus programme, and senior SAP specialists based in Palo Alto, California, selected three winners: managed network solutions provider Chappal Waddi from Nigeria lifted the most innovative idea award; the best mobile solution went to Kamoeba, a SAP consulting company from South Africa; and the judges’ favourite award went to Vertigro Asset Management, a boutique financial services and investment group, also of South Africa.
The other finalists included software solutions provider Navomax (South Africa); security-centric network management firm Axis Solutions (Zimbabwe); information technology business GreenBuk Technologies (Nigeria); analytical tools developer EPI-USE Analytics (South Africa); information and communication technology firm Shiluba-Tsaka Productive (South Africa); and Expert Solutions (South Africa).
Of his first visit to South Africa, Mitra said: “Hana is our gateway to the start-up community and the high quality here compares with any I have encountered at other forums around the world.”