Published on May 31st, 2025
Introduction
Tensions between leading enterprise software vendors have reached the courtroom. Celonis, a top player in the process mining market, has filed a lawsuit against SAP, alleging that the German software giant is unfairly restricting access to critical customer data. At the heart of the dispute is a question central to the future of cloud-based ecosystems: Who owns and controls enterprise data?
This legal action could reshape how platform providers and third-party vendors collaborate — or compete — in the age of digital transformation.
1. What Is Celonis and Why Does It Matter?
Celonis is a pioneer in process mining, a technology that analyzes system logs to help companies identify inefficiencies in their operations. It integrates with enterprise systems like SAP, Oracle, Salesforce, and others to visualize and optimize business processes in real time.
The company has:
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Secured billions in funding
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Partnered with global corporations
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Become a cornerstone in digital transformation initiatives
Its value proposition depends heavily on access to unfiltered enterprise data — which makes this lawsuit especially significant.
2. The Dispute: Celonis vs. SAP
According to public filings, Celonis alleges that SAP is restricting customer access to data needed for Celonis’ platform to function effectively. The concern stems from:
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Technical barriers preventing seamless API or database access
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Licensing terms that limit third-party integration
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Alleged competitive pressure, as SAP now promotes its own process analytics tools
Celonis argues that such restrictions violate principles of data portability and customer choice, and potentially antitrust regulations in the EU and U.S.
SAP, in contrast, may argue it is protecting customer security, intellectual property, or ensuring compliance with its own cloud platform policies.
3. Why This Lawsuit Matters to the Enterprise Market
This case highlights a growing power struggle between platform providers and independent software vendors (ISVs) operating in their ecosystems.
Key issues at stake include:
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Data ownership: Who controls enterprise data hosted on platforms like SAP or Salesforce?
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Interoperability: Should enterprise vendors be required to provide open APIs and easy integration for third parties?
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Vendor lock-in: Are platform providers using dominance to restrict competition?
For businesses undergoing digital transformation, the outcome could directly affect their ability to use best-of-breed tools and maintain vendor neutrality.
4. Industry Reactions and Potential Consequences
The legal battle has sparked attention from:
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Enterprise customers, concerned about future flexibility in their software stacks
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Regulators, especially in Europe, who are already investigating tech platform monopolies
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Competing vendors, who may face similar access issues or are eyeing the outcome as precedent-setting
If Celonis succeeds, it could reinforce the right of third-party platforms to access customer-authorized data — leading to more open enterprise ecosystems.
If SAP prevails, it may embolden large tech firms to tighten control over their ecosystems, possibly leading to increased vendor lock-in and less innovation.
5. What’s Next for Celonis, SAP, and the Ecosystem?
The case is still in early stages, but it could:
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Result in a court-mandated change in how SAP handles third-party data access
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Encourage regulatory scrutiny of similar practices across the software industry
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Lead to contractual shifts, where customers demand clearer data access rights in their SaaS agreements
In the meantime, enterprise buyers are advised to:
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Carefully review vendor contracts
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Consider data portability in tech procurement decisions
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Push for transparency in platform integration policies
Conclusion
The lawsuit between Celonis and SAP is more than a business dispute — it’s a signal of deeper friction in the cloud software ecosystem. As the importance of process mining grows and competition intensifies, questions about data access, platform control, and customer choice are taking center stage. The outcome of this legal battle could redefine the rules of engagement for enterprise software providers and the customers who rely on them.
