This year’s SAP Sapphire events—first in Orlando, then Madrid—marked a significant turning point. Not just because of the bigger crowds or better venues, but because something deeper is happening. SAP’s message is landing—and customers are not just listening, they’re acting.
Eamonn O’Neill, our CTO, and Henrik Wagner, our Chief Partner Officer, have wrapped up their post-Sapphire debrief on the Lemongrass Roots podcast. Here’s the story that unfolded.
A Return to Form—and Then Some
For those who’ve been to Sapphire in the past, this year had a familiar buzz—but with even more substance. Orlando felt like the pre-pandemic heyday: customers, partners, and SAP all in one space, all genuinely engaged. Madrid took it further. With a new, more accessible venue and a surge in customer presence, it was clear SAP is back in force across the board.
But it wasn’t just the headcount. “The balance was right,” said Eamonn. “There was time and space to meet the right people. It felt focused.” And crucially, the tone had shifted—less hype, more realism.
Messaging That is Landing
A key talking point was SAP’s strategy—summed up in their “flywheel” model that brings together applications, a robust data layer, and business AI. According to Henrik, what’s different now is not just what’s being said, but how it’s being received. “A couple of years ago, the keynote demos felt like science fiction. Today, the story SAP is telling—clean core, business AI, cloud ERP—is starting to resonate. Customers see the path from where they are now to where SAP is heading.”
This year, SAP doubled down on its toolchain: integration technologies like Signavio, Joule, and SAP Build, plus deeper support for existing investments like Databricks. It’s not just SAP-first anymore; it’s SAP-and. That subtle shift is powerful.
Clean Core: From Concept to Action
One of the biggest signals of progress was how enterprise customers are now approaching transformation. The “clean core” isn’t just theory anymore. “It’s not a question of if for large enterprises,” said Henrik, “it’s how fast can I get there?”
At Lemongrass, we’ve felt this shift too. Interest in our Clean Core AI solution spiked at the event, with customers eager for tangible, incremental steps—not five-year, hundred-million-dollar projects. Advisory engagements and assessments that help define real, phased roadmaps were in high demand.
The Rise of RISE—and the Suite Strikes Back
The conversations also showed that RISE with SAP is maturing…especially with Enterprise customers. Customers are beginning to see how RISE unlocks industry-specific capabilities—and how that fits into a broader transformation toward a reimagined SAP Business Suite. Not a throwback, but a rebirth: SaaS-based, AI-powered, and tightly integrated.
It’s about pulling the stack together—applications, data, and AI—into something cohesive. As Eamonn put it, “We’re seeing SAP recreate the magic of the integrated experience. Not through monoliths, but through smart abstraction: APIs, BTP, and a design that actually delivers on the promise of seamless experience.”
Sovereignty, Strategy, and Staying Agile
One rising theme, especially in Madrid, was sovereign cloud. Driven by regulatory demands across Europe, and growing geopolitical tensions, the need for agility isn’t optional—it’s existential. SAP’s announcements, alongside moves from hyperscalers like AWS, suggest this is an area set for rapid growth.
Henrik shared that even clients outside typical regulated industries are now exploring sovereign architectures. “Customers are rethinking future-state operating models—what they’ll need not just next year, but five years down the line.”
Inside SAP: Listening, Learning, and Evolving
As an SAP Mentor, Henrik had a chance to sit with SAP’s executive team behind the scenes. And the message? SAP is listening—intently. “They bring the notepads. They take the feedback. And they come back next time with real updates,” he said.
It’s this blend of humility, ambition, and delivery that gave the 2025 Sapphires their edge.
Final Thoughts: Why It Matters Now
The sentiment from both events was clear: SAP has momentum, and it’s bringing partners and customers along in a much more aligned, transparent way. The tone has changed. The strategy is more coherent. The tech is catching up to the vision.
Whether you were there or not, now’s the time to lean in. Explore what clean core really means. Understand the AI strategy. Look at where sovereign cloud might fit into your roadmap. And most importantly—don’t try to do it all at once.
Take the next step. Small, tangible progress beats big, vague plans every time.
