Sage and Netvibes Form Strategic Alliance to Bring The Best of Web 2.0 Technologies to the Enterprise

SAN FRANCISCO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Modern enterprise workforces are seeking a better way to manage the rapidly growing array of internal enterprise tools and databases, client media and industry feeds, and personal Web 2.0 networks and applications they rely on everyday. Today Sage ERP X3, part of the Sage Group plc, a global leader in business management software and related services, and Netvibes (business.netvibes.com), the personal dashboard publishing platform for the Web, announced a strategic sales, marketing and technology alliance to develop and distribute new solutions to simplify everyday business processes and personalize the workforce environment. These new technologies will be presented in Q1 2010, as part of the next generation of Sage ERP X3, the leading ERP solution used by mid-sized enterprises in more than 39 countries.

“Employees aren't asking for tools to make their workdays more complicated. Instead, businesses looking for ways to make things simpler and easier for employees to manage many different tasks at once, so they can focus on what's really important”

"More than 5.8 million small and mid-sized businesses rely on Sage software because it is simple to use, rapid to deploy and cost effective. We're proud to partner with Netvibes because they focus on these exact same customer benefits," said Emmanuel Obadia, Sr.VP Sage ERP X3 & FRP. "While the enterprise software industry continues its march towards complexity, we hope to bring the focus back to the user by making everyday enterprise business processes easier to manage with innovations such as Netvibes personal dashboard technology."

Effective immediately, this strategic partnership aligns the two companies' sales, marketing and technology efforts to rapidly bring new Enterprise 2.0 innovations to mid-market companies worldwide. Joint development has already begun on new personal workspace dashboard technologies that will bridge the gap between professional enterprise tools and personal Web 2.0 applications and content, enabling the workforce to seamlessly manage both on a personal, individual level from any web capable device. These new features will be presented in Q1 2010, as an integral part of the much anticipated launch of the next generation Sage ERP X3, which will help mid-sized enterprises simplify processes, streamline expenses and personalize interfaces for individual workers.

Starting today, Sage ERP X3 also joins as a premier reseller partner of Netvibes personal dashboard publishing solutions. Already more than a thousand of the world's leading interactive agencies, brands, enterprises and publishers use Netvibes to deploy personal dashboards for global audiences, clients and employees. With this new partnership, Netvibes personal dashboard publishing technology will further expand to reach the businesses that rely on Sage ERP X3 in more than 39 countries.

"Employees aren't asking for tools to make their workdays more complicated. Instead, businesses looking for ways to make things simpler and easier for employees to manage many different tasks at once, so they can focus on what's really important," said Freddy Mini, CEO, Netvibes. "By combining Sage's world-class enterprise software with Netvibes' award-winning user interface and personalization technology, we will usher in a new generation of workforce solutions that can truly deliver on the promise to make the enterprise more personal and productive."

About Sage ERP X3 (http://www.sageerpx3.com)

Sage ERP X3 is a dedicated solution for medium and large businesses by design. With over 150 000 users world-wide, Sage ERP X3 is for more than 10 years a proven comprehensive ERP solution for the mid-market specific requirements and challenges in various industries from manufacturing, services to distribution and many more. More than 2,500 companies have selected Sage ERP X3 because it is easy to use, fast to implement and cost effective.

About Sage Group plc (http://www.sage.com)

The Sage Group plc is a leading global supplier of business management software and related services, with 5.8 million customers worldwide. Formed in 1981, Sage was floated on the London Stock Exchange in 1989 and now employs over 14,500 people worldwide..

About Netvibes (http://business.netvibes.com)

Founded in 2005, Netvibes pioneered the first personal dashboard publishing platform for the Web. For consumers, Netvibes.com is the most awarded startpage where millions of people around the world personalize and publish all aspects of their daily digital lives. For agencies and publishers, Netvibes’ universal widget technology (UWA), widget distribution services and Premium Dashboards help rapidly deliver brand observation rooms and user-personalized marketing campaigns. For companies, Netvibes Enterprise delivers secure, scalable personal workspaces, portals and industry dashboards.

Today, Netvibes powers personalization for more than 1000+ of the world's leading brands, interactive agencies, government organizations, non-profits and enterprises--serving half a billion widgets every month. Netvibes (http://www.netvibes.com) has offices in Paris, London and San Francisco.