Revamped App Center Brings New SAP Endorsed Apps with Co-Marketing Benefits

Some of the first new SAP Endorsed Apps are now live in the company’s redesigned applications marketplace.

SAP launched the new premium category of partner apps at the SAP Global Partner Summit, held online earlier this month.

The invitation-only new SAP Endorsed Apps are a key addition to the redesigned SAP App Center, the company’s online marketplace.

SAP has doubled down on making the App Center a core destination for customers and its partner ecosystem. Initially the company outlined its plan to revamp SAP App Center during its Field Kick-Off Meeting (FKOM) in January. At FKOM, SAP said it was rebuilding the App Center around its new Partner Solution Progression framework.

That new framework has four levels starting with Validated solutions, apps that meet the SAP’s core security and quality requirements.

Validated apps are a point of entry, according to SAP. Once a partner has onboarded the application, Validated apps qualify for base-level partner benefits.

SAP is encouraging partners with Validated solutions to work their way up to the next level, Spotlight apps. Spotlight apps are those that show higher sales and are eligible for more points, business development founds, logos and banners.

The highest level of the Partner Solution Progression framework are apps the company designates as SAP Solution Extensions. Only a limited number of apps reach this tier because as extensions, SAP includes them on its pricelist. BigID is one partner that started out in the SAP App Center and is now an SAP Solution Extension.

BigID’s Jon Mayer

Now, SAP Data Mapping and Protection by BigID and SAP Privacy Management by BigID are SAP Solution Extensions. “It was a long drawn out qualification and testing process,” said Jon Mayer, BigID’s head of SAP Programs Business Development & Alliances. But he said, the benefit is significant.

“It’s almost like white labeling, although our brand is still attached to the product,” he said. “They [SAP] can sell those products on their own, they don’t need our help.”

SAP Co-Marketing with Endorsed Apps

However, SAP says it only has room for so many Solution Extensions on its price list. The new SAP Endorsed Apps are those the company deems worthy of stronger recognition and support than Spotlight apps. Among the benefits of SAP Endorsed Apps are co-branding by SAP’s field, which include marketing assets and a co-selling platform.

SAP’s Tom Roberts

“We can’t put every product on the SAP price list, that’s just not possible,” said Tom Roberts, global vice president for SAP’s software solution program, during the SAP Partner Summit keynote. “But we can bring more of these compelling solutions to our customers and the App Center and Endorsed Apps are going to help us do that.”

SAP’s Mani Pirouz

Mani Pirouz, SAP’s global head of partner innovation added: “We were looking for a sister program to Solution Extensions that provide the right mix of go-to-market success, but at the same time provide partners the autonomy they want to also drive their own go-to-market.”

The new SAP Endorsed Apps undergo higher levels of scrutiny than Validated or Spotlight apps. All SAP Endorsed Apps must pass integration certification tests, cloud quality checks and static security code scans, according to SAP.

VistaVu Solutions’ Jory Lamb

Jory Lamb, founder and CEO of VistaVu Solutions believes customers are more likely to notice the new SAP Endorsed Apps. “Anytime that SAP is saying this is a good product use it, customers are listening,” Lamb said. “When SAP speaks, it will certainly be to the benefit of those SSPs. The bar is higher. There’s a lot more scrutiny as you can well imagine, but that’s also a good thing.”

First Entrants

Currently, only nine new SAP Endorsed Apps appear in the SAP App Center. Among them are Alert Enterprise Guardian, MediaFly’s Sales Enablement and Content Management Platform, Concorn’s Snow Adapter to provide integration with…

…ServiceNow, Censia’s Talent Intelligence Platform, Semos Cloud’s Job Pts Recognition and Rewards, Price f(x)’s Optimized Dynamic Pricing, MyWave AI Intelligent Personalization Platform, Eightfold’s Talent Intelligence Platform and Ingentis org.manager [web] for SF.

SAP’s Claus Gruenewald

Claus Gruenewald, global vice president of SAP’s Global Partner Organization, told Channel Futures that more are in the pipeline. Gruenewald said the new SAP Endorsed Apps let ISVs, VARs and system integrators monetize their IP.

“Those partners with their service business can switch from a very custom, specific model, as they used to do on premises, to an industry IP model,” he said. “It allows them to sell, to multiple customers, the same IP. But that’s certainly not achieved yet. That is the plan where SAP is pushing and working with the partners to make it happen. But there certainly still work to be done.”