StartUp Focus: Tablets on the construction site?

Consistent digital mapping of all processes on and off the construction site should make even ambitious construction projects controllable and also predictable.

For this purpose, Sablono developed a platform on which projects can be planned collaboratively and evaluated and controlled on the basis of real-time data.

Process & project management, mobile and in real-time - how did you come up with the idea and what hurdles did you have to overcome?

Lukas Olbrich: Basically, the idea was a combination of the results of a research project at the TU Berlin and requirements from our very first customers.

Together, we recognized early on that, particularly in construction project management, there are no digital solutions that enable process standardization in planning on the one hand and end-to-end monitoring during project execution on the other.

Other industries are further along in this respect, and so we have also learned from them. Today, it is no longer just construction companies that benefit from our solutions, but also suppliers, logistics companies and other companies along the entire value chain.

There are many hurdles in conservative industries - the biggest challenges for us were the initially still widespread resistance to digital and especially mobile ways of working - tablets on the construction site? Never! - and also the support and implementation of change processes at our customers.

How did SAP Startup Focus support you during the startup?

Olbrich: Project management in construction projects is a major challenge and it was clear to us that we would have to place this topic - in the corporate context as a customer end product - on a powerful foundation.

Hana in combination with the Startup Focus program lent itself to this, and fortunately we were also accepted directly into the program in 2013.

At the beginning, the collaboration focused strongly on technology. Together with experts from the SAP Innovation Center in Potsdam, we tested the feasibility of our concepts and subsequently launched them on the road in an initial MVP. Over time, however, the collaboration with SAP has grown far beyond technology.

Process and project management can be very complex, even more so in real-time. How does your platform and the app simplify this for users?

Olbrich: Our customers use the platform in very complex projects. Typically, they are concerned with keeping track of the execution of thousands of individual activities performed by a wide variety of companies and people in different locations over a long project duration.

One of the most important tasks for our product is therefore to reduce the complexity in the daily work of our customers as much as possible.

When multiple workers send updates on their progress throughout the day, this information needs to be immediately available to all other stakeholders. Here, we use and trust the special performance of the Hana platform, which enables us to perform real-time calculations and complex temporal evaluations.

We also chose the Hana platform to offer long-term integrations with existing solutions such as SAP ERP.

If you were to take up one point of your platform - what would it be?

Olbrich: Sablono's greatest benefit comes from the simple and seamless integration of all project stakeholders across company boundaries, locations and responsibilities.

Particularly in complex and decentralized projects, virtually everyone involved is dependent on timely input from others and therefore needs information about the current progress and project status at all times.

Our system enables people to manage processes and supply chains on a project-by-project basis, bringing together all relevant data centrally in one place. This ensures that everyone is provided with information according to their needs, which is necessary to successfully carry out their work.

Illustrative examples are: How far is the production of certain components abroad, at what point are the expected material deliveries and what stage has the installation or construction work of a certain trade reached on the construction site?

How does the data get into the platform and the app?

Olbrich: The platform consists of a web portal and mobile apps for iOS and Android.

Via the web accesses, a process pre-planning and rolling adjustment in the sense of a weekly planning takes place in the highest detail - what has to be done next week and by whom. Here we offer the possibility to use existing data, for example from Excel tables, schedules or building models.

According to their responsibilities, all workers, foremen or managers involved in the process provide information about the current status of their work via our mobile apps. In real time, this data is then merged, recalculated and processed on the platform.

Within seconds, the central project management can thus see what progress all participants have made in order to be able to intervene at an early stage and take countermeasures if necessary.

What requirements do customers have to meet in terms of data, infrastructure and IT systems and software?

Olbrich: In principle, our customers do not have to meet any special requirements to work with Sablono. With our Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) offering, we take care of hosting, maintaining and updating the system in a multi-tenant cloud.

In addition, other options such as private cloud or on premises are of course also possible if the customer so desires. The web platform can be accessed from any current browser and is of course also optimized for mobile use.

What implementation times should potential customers expect and what support do you offer?

Olbrich: The introduction of the system is usually very fast. In the classic SaaS model, there are no times for installation and configuration and the platform is ready for use immediately.

Depending on the customer's requirements, learning the system and setting up a first project then takes a few days. Of course, we support the customer in the form of workshops and training courses, which can take place either online or on site.

During the contract period, we are of course available for questions and assistance at any time via our support. The personal customer support can be reached directly within the software, for example, to assist with the application.

What are the next steps for Sablono and how does SAP Startup Focus support you?

Olbrich: As a young company, we naturally want to grow and in the process also penetrate further markets. We are currently experiencing a change in the entire value chain of construction and are sensing an ever-increasing demand for systems that enable more reliable realization and handling of projects as a whole.

Since Sablono can already do this today, it is now a matter of working together with the SAP Startup Focus program and other partners to place our solution even more prominently on the market.

Gary Parnell

As Head of Start-up Engagement for EMEA, Gary Parnell is responsible for contact and interaction with start-ups in the EMEA region.

His responsibilities in this role include: driving awareness of the Startup Focus program in the region, identifying, evaluating and ultimately recruiting suitable startups, facilitating training opportunities and support for startups on Hana technology.

In less than a year, this has enabled the team to attract more than 500 startups in the EMEA region and hold over 20 forums for startups in different countries.

In addition, Parnell made sure that Hana actually added value to our startups - especially through workshops.

"We are systematically trying to give startups the opportunity to create a Minimum Viable Product (MVP) based on Hana"

Parnell explains.

As a mentor, he also supports the companies in the implementation of agile development methods and is available as a coach for pitches of the solutions and MVPs that were created during the entry phase in our project.

"Additionally, I also represent the program externally at events and trade shows throughout the region."

One challenge Parnell sees in his job is that startups come to the program in very different ways.

"Some apply on their own, and for some I do the recruiting myself or through contracts and partnerships with other startup helpers and incubators.

For some companies, the solution is developed in a niche that SAP either cannot or does not want to serve. It is also often not easy for start-ups to enter our program, as several providers often court the companies.

This leads to startups being involved in multiple programs, which usually has a negative impact on their focus. I have been fortunate enough to experience many great moments over the past three years in providing assistance to our startups. I would like to highlight one company in particular: Choice Technologies"

says Parnell. Choice offers a Hana-based solution that combines real-time analytics with high-performance data storage. Users can identify threats such as extortion or fraud by detecting suspicious processes, evaluating the potential damage and taking the right steps.

"I met Choice twelve months ago now, and since that day we've been excited about the great synergy between the company and SAP."