Dallas-based o9 Solutions, a supply chain artificial intelligence firm, has filed a lawsuit against SAP and three former executives, claiming they conducted a coordinated scheme to steal trade secrets, according to court documents obtained by Becker’s.
The lawsuit, filed Nov. 26 in Texas federal court, accuses the executives of secretly taking thousands of confidential o9 documents before leaving the company to join Germany-based SAP.
SAP allegedly encouraged this effort so it could use o9’s proprietary information — including details about its technology, products and customers — to strengthen its competing supply chain planning platform and win business from shared clients, according to the lawsuit.
The filing claims these actions violate the Defend Trade Secrets Act, Texas trade secret law, and multiple breaches of confidentiality, noncompete and nonsolicitation agreements.
o9 is seeking damages and court orders to prevent SAP from using the allegedly stolen proprietary information.
“SAP is committed to the highest standards of business ethics and respects the intellectual property rights of others,” the company said in a Nov. 25 statement to Becker’s. “We will review o9’s complaint and will respond, as appropriate, within the legal process.”
