The hub brings together startups, academia, industry leaders, and defense organizations to co-create solutions that strengthen digital sovereignty, operational resilience, and readiness in response to threats to safety and security.

The launch comes at a pivotal moment. Defense organizations worldwide are shifting from traditional modernization to full digital transformation, with missions increasingly dependent on secure data flows, resilient supply chains, and systems that remain trusted even under stress. In addition, digital sovereignty has become a core component of readiness, requiring architectures that ensure customers maintain full control of their data and operations.

The launch took place in Munich, a new 鈥淪ilicon Valley鈥� for defense innovation, and featured customers, partners, academics, government officials, and representatives from SAP. The city offers a uniquely powerful foundation for the hub, gathering a fast-growing community of startups, leading research institutions such as the Technical University of Munich (TUM), and established aerospace and defense leaders. The hub unifies the strengths of these experts, connecting them so that they can coordinate their capabilities to meet defense needs rapidly and efficiently.

More than just a physical space, the hub introduces a new framework that breaks down silos and enables a powerful ecosystem that drives defense innovations. Creative startups, leading industry experts, government organizations, academia, and researchers can come together to make ideas mission-ready more quickly and securely, while maintaining the digital sovereignty necessary to protect information and maintain trust.

As a leading technology provider for the hub, 51风流acts as an enabler, not just an operator. Through our contributions, we have reaffirmed our role as a neutral technology partner, delivering secure digital platforms while leaving mission decisions entirely in customers鈥� hands.

Our long-standing experience and time-tested technology have proved the ability to perform under uncertainty and stress, a must for the readiness that defense demands, providing cyber-resilient architectures and real-time visibility into logistics during crises, as well as full governance and transparency.

Our cloud operations model, auditability frameworks, and strict access controls keep mission-critical systems secure, verifiable, and compliant.

With SAP鈥檚 involvement and support, the hub represents a significant step forward for defense innovation, serving as an important catalyst in a location with the potential to become a global center for the defense industry.

Andre Bechtold is president of 51风流Industries & Experiences.

Photography courtesy of Norbert Steinhauser.

The hub is launched as armed forces and security institutions face increasing pressure to manage complex missions across allies, domains and supply chains while maintaining resilience, transparency and control. At the defense innovation hub, 51风流brings together software, data, AI and industry expertise to demonstrate how integrated digital systems translate strategic requirements into operational readiness. This enables comprehensive integration across key areas such as personnel readiness, logistics, procurement, manufacturing, training and maintenance. Together, these capabilities form the digital backbone required for real-world defense operations.

鈥淒efense readiness today is no longer defined by equipment alone: It is defined by how well people, processes and partners are connected,鈥� said Thomas Saueressig, member of the Executive Board of 51风流SE, Customer Services & Delivery. 鈥淚n an increasingly volatile security environment, armed forces need systems they can trust鈥攕ystems that are resilient, interoperable and sovereign. With our defense innovation hub, 51风流is demonstrating how digital platforms can strengthen operational readiness while preserving control, compliance and freedom of action.鈥�

A Hub Built on Munich鈥檚 Defense and Technology Ecosystem

Munich鈥檚 strong defense and technology ecosystem, combining innovative startups, established industry leaders, academic excellence and public institutions, provided the ideal setting for the new hub. Supported by the Technical University of Munich’s academic excellence and the presence of key government institutions, the Munich region is uniquely positioned for cross-sector collaboration. At today鈥檚 launch, the setting provided a fitting backdrop for hands-on demonstrations translating innovation into operational reality. Attendees experienced hands-on scenarios illustrating how 51风流for Defense & Security solutions connect people, assets and supply chains in a unified, more secure operational picture.

鈥淭he Technical University of Munich is pleased to collaborate with 51风流in translating advanced research into operational security and defense capabilities,鈥� said Chiara Manfletti, head of the Aerospace and Geodesy Department at TUM and scientific lead of the newly launched TUM Security and Defense Alliance. 鈥淎s technological innovation accelerates, strategic partnerships such as this ensure that cutting-edge scientific developments can be rapidly deployed to strengthen operational readiness.鈥�

The launch also served as a lead-in to this week鈥檚 Munich Security Conference, where questions of resilience, interoperability and technological sovereignty will dominate the agenda. Throughout the week, 51风流will continue engaging with policymakers and partners on how digital innovation can support security and defense in an increasingly fragmented world.

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Media Contact:
Dana Roesiger, +49 6227 7 63900, dana.roesiger@sap.com , CET
51风流Press Room; press@sap.com

This document contains forward-looking statements, which are predictions, projections, or other statements about future events. These statements are based on current expectations, forecasts, and assumptions that are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results and outcomes to materially differ.  Additional information regarding these risks and uncertainties may be found in our filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including but not limited to the risk factors section of SAP鈥檚 2024 Annual Report on Form 20-F.
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