Software Giant SAP Launches Blockchain-as-a-Service Platform

Multinational enterprise software giant SAP has launched a cloud platform that is dedicated to helping corporates develop blockchain-based applications.

Announced during an SAP event on Wednesday, the cloud-based solution aims to provide enterprises with a framework to build business applications on top of blockchain systems such as Hyperledger Fabric, the blockchain platform launched by the Linux Foundation, of which SAP is also a main contributor.

The company said in the announcement that the work is being formally rolled out after it has worked with 65 companies within its Blockchain Co-Innovation Initiative that trialed blockchain applications in various industries such as supply chain, manufacturing, transportation, food and pharmaceuticals.

Earlier last month, CoinDesk reported that the company is working with the U.S. sausage maker Johnsonville, as well as Naturipe Farms and Maple Leaf, to pilot a project that tracks the origin of food products across the supply chain as a part of its Farm to Consumer initiative.

In addition to its co-innovation program, SAP has also announced it is forming a blockchain consortium, members of which are entitled to use tech developed by the group.

Notable firms in the consortium currently include HP Enterprise, Intel and UPS. The work marks SAP as the latest tech giant that has rolled out a platform for enterprise blockchain application development, following similar works done by Microsoft, IBM and China's Baidu and Tencent.

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