The German enterprise software giant has unveiled its new SAP Labs Munich Campus, located in Garching near Munich, marking the completion of a nearly three-year construction project.
The recent development represents a significant investment by SAP, totaling 100 million euros, which underscores the company’s commitment to bolstering research and development activities within Munich. This move also emphasizes SAP’s dedication to enhancing Germany’s standing as a hub for business and scientific research. The Technical University of Munich (TUM) will also be a key occupant of this innovative facility, highlighting the unique industry-academia collaboration model on a global scale. (InsideSAP often references articles from websites in other languages to bring you as much information as possible.)
The SAP Labs Munich Campus is designed to serve as a strategic center for development, with a particular focus on SAP applications and the SAP Business Technology Platform (BTP). Additionally, it functions as a research hub for SAP Business AI, bringing together approximately 700 SAP employees and 120 TUM employees. This modern facility spans 19,000 square meters and offers flexible working and collaboration spaces. Its ground floor, largely open to the public, features a café and the SAP Experience Center, an interactive space showcasing SAP products and industry solutions. This design fosters a vibrant ecosystem of interdisciplinary collaboration, integrating customers, partners, TUM members, students, start-ups, SAP employees, and guests.
Thomas Saueressig, a member of the Executive Board of SAP SE, emphasized that the SAP Labs Munich Campus is a center for innovation and cooperation. He noted that the campus not only strengthens the longstanding partnership between SAP and TUM but also serves as a site where future developments in technology are collaboratively pursued. The campus aims to drive forward research and development, particularly in areas such as artificial intelligence and the SAP Business Technology Platform, thereby positioning itself as a beacon of technological progress.
SAP Labs Munich Campus: A Hub for Research and Development
The Technical University of Munich is set to move into the SAP Labs Munich Campus with nine professorships, further cementing the collaborative spirit of the facility. The current research focus at the campus includes cutting-edge fields such as artificial intelligence, digital supply chain, environmental, social and corporate governance (ESG), the future of work, synthetic data, and quantum computing. This partnership is part of a broader research cluster supported by SAP, which also explores new forms of mobility and other innovative domains.
Prof. Thomas F. Hofmann, President of TUM, expressed enthusiasm for the deepened collaboration with SAP. He highlighted that the new research building in Garching would enable TUM scientists and SAP experts to work closely on joint research projects, especially in artificial intelligence. This partnership aims to bridge academic excellence with entrepreneurial innovation, turning pioneering ideas into marketable, competitive products. Hofmann emphasized the importance of this collaboration in transforming theoretical advancements into practical applications that drive economic growth and technological progress.
The SAP Labs Munich Campus will also host a Business AI Research Hub, expanding the existing Industry-University Collaboration (IUC) model. This hub aims to facilitate the exchange of knowledge and innovation between academia and industry in the field of artificial intelligence. SAP’s initiative to establish this hub reflects its broader strategy to deepen collaboration with strategic partners such as UnternehmerTUM, applied.AI, Innovationspark Heilbronn, and DLD. These partnerships are crucial in fostering an ecosystem where academic research can seamlessly integrate with industry needs, driving forward advancements in AI and other emerging technologies.
The new SAP Labs Munich Campus represents a significant milestone in SAP’s commitment to research and development, as well as its dedication to fostering strong industry-academia collaborations. With its state-of-the-art facilities and strategic focus on cutting-edge technologies, the campus is poised to become a central hub for innovation, driving forward advancements that will shape the future of business and technology.
