Software AG: Touching the lives of millions for half a century
It was 49 years and 364 days ago, on 30th May, 1969. Six young men - all employees at the consulting firm AIV (Institut für Angewandte Informationsverarbeitung) - established Software AG in Darmstadt as a startup. Today, Software AG is one of the biggest software companies of the world, helping to run the world with precision for 50 years, in robust health and actively promoting independence and interoperability - with software from any vendor, anywhere, anytime.
People around the world use Software AG products every day - without even being aware of it. For example, eight of the top ten US banks use Software AG applications for a significant slice of daily global financial transactions - to prevent fraud, manage online transactions, deal with private investments or analyse credit card data.
Outside of finance, if you have ever flown in into the US, driven a car, taken a train, or a bus, gone to outer space or just used an escalator, Software AG most probably eased your rides. If you have ever watched a movie while drinking a Cola, downloaded music, or had coffee on your way to work, you have probably used Software AG.
If you have sent international post, berthed your ship in Rotterdam, had a package delivered overnight, or effortlessly sent freight through Hong Kong or Singapore, it was supported by Software AG’s precise software engineering. According to the company, today Software AG is the world’s largest independent integration software and IoT platform provider and has been giving enterprises the agility and flexibility to react quickly and economically to changing markets for 50 years.
Sanjay Brahmawar, CEO of Software AG, who joined the company in 2018, is proud of its heritage: “Fifty years since the birth of Software AG and the birth of an entire industry. There is a tremendous history of commitment to customer success in this company - great strengths that we can build on as we move forward. Our fiftieth year has given us the opportunity to reflect on those strengths and harness them for the next century.”
This year also marks Software AG’s 20 years anniversary of its Stock Exchange Listing. On 26th April, 1999, Software AG was listed on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange, in what was at the time the world’s biggest ever software industry IPO. The total issue volume was over DM 850 million. After only six months, Software AG’s shares were included in the MDAX stock index.
Today, to celebrate the two major milestones, CEO Sanjay Brahmawar has the honour of ringing the opening bell of the German Stock Exchange trading floor to start the day’s trading session. The bell ringing will not only start the day, but also kick-off a series of birthday celebrations around the world for Software AG, where employees, customers, partners and friends come together to celebrate touching people’s lives for the next half century to come.