SAP Snaps Up Social Networking Firm Crossgate

Social networking is no longer confirmed to Facebook. On the heels of VMware’s recent acquisition of SocialCast, software giant SAP has acquired German-based Crossgate. Clearly, the enterprise sees business collaboration advantages in social networking. 

Looking to provide customers with options to connect with their business partners, SAP (NYSE: SAP) has announced plans to acquire business-to-business (B2B) integration provider Crossgate.

Headquartered in Munich, Germany, Crossgate lets companies integrate and network with trading partners, clients and suppliers, allowing electronic data exchange with any business partner regardless of their technical capability.

Companies can connect with any trading partner by joining the network once and linking with pre-built business partner profiles. The full-service solution eliminates the need for costly point-to-point integration.

The acquisition of Crossgate follows SAP’s strategy to complement existing applications and solutions with acquisitions that offer innovative technologies and capabilities.

“Companies live in an evolving global network of customers and partners, and technology from Crossgate allows them to interact in new ways at the enterprise level the same way that social networking has transformed the way people interact as individuals,” said Peter Maier, SAP’s general manager and head of Line of Business Solutions.

Read the rest about the Crossgate social networking acquistion at Enterprise Apps Today.