Ariba, Inc. (Nasdaq: ARBA), the leading provider of collaborative business commerce solutions, today announced that it has been named Best Web-Based Supply Chain Finance Solution by Financial-i Magazine as part of its 2010 Leaders in Innovation Awards.

"Competition was fierce across a number of categories this year as banks and financial software vendors invested more heavily in innovations designed to make the user experience more personalized and intuitive using the latest Web 2.0 applications," said Anita Hawser, Managing Editor of Financial-i magazine. "Cloud computing in transaction banking is starting to take hold with private clouds being developed in certain segments of the market to provide banks and corporates with lower cost means of accessing the latest functionality without having to make substantial upfront IT investments themselves in order to acquire technology know-how."

Ariba was selected as Best Web-based Supply Chain Finance Solution based on its innovative use of cloud-computing. Through the Ariba® Commerce Cloud, Ariba provides companies with everything needed to buy, sell and manage cash more efficiently and effectively than ever before.

"Ariba's Commerce Cloud, which encompasses applications for spend management, working capital management and sales acceleration delivered as cloud-based services, as well as their offering of useful data analysis, sets them apart," Hawser noted.

Delivered in the Ariba Commerce Cloud as part of Ariba's portfolio of working capital management solutions, Ariba Supply Chain Finance enables companies to provide third-party financing to key suppliers to improve their cash flow while at the same time supporting their cash management and working capital objectives. Using Ariba Supply Chain Financing, companies can:

  • Provide suppliers with access to low-cost, off-balance sheet, on-demand financing from one or more third-party financial institutions
  • Extend investment-grade credit to suppliers, providing short-term financing capabilities that are reserved for only the highest-rated firms
  • Reduce supply chain risk and operational costs while improving cash management processes

"The economic rollercoaster of recent times has led finance and treasury leaders to train a sharp eye on cash flows as they seek to master the near-term imperatives of viability and maneuverability," said Peter Lugli Senior Director, Working Capital Management, Ariba, Inc. "Companies that manage their commerce lifecycle efficiently and effectively can drive highly profitable growth and gain a competitive edge. And that's exactly what we are aiming to help them do through the Ariba Commerce Cloud. We are pleased that Financial-i recognizes Ariba's ability to deliver market-leading solutions that companies of all sizes can leverage."

About Financial-i Leaders in Innovation Awards

The awards identify global transaction banks and financial hardware and software providers that in the last 12 months have excelled in terms of innovation in business solutions. Categories are based on four main focus areas:

  • Payments and Cash Management
  • Securities Services
  • Trade Finance & Supply Chain
  • Business Solutions

Shortlisted companies were selected based on research conducted by Financial-i's team of journalists including input from industry analysts, consultants and practitioners.

When selecting winners the criteria considered included:

  • Solution innovations over the last 12 months, including new solutions or enhancements to existing functionality;
  • Depth and breadth of functionality;
  • To what extent a solution differentiates a provider from its peers
  • The ease with which customers can implement and interface with these solutions;
  • The extent to which these solutions are likely to help companies solve or address common business issues such as increasing automation, combating money laundering, more accurate cash flow forecasting, enhanced liquidity management etc.

About Ariba, Inc.

Ariba, Inc. is the leading provider of collaborative business commerce solutions. Ariba combines industry-leading technology with the world's largest web-based trading community to help companies discover, connect and collaborate with a global network of partners - all in a cloud-based environment. Using the Ariba® Commerce Cloud, businesses of all sizes can buy, sell and manage cash more efficiently and effectively. Over 400,000 companies around the globe use the Ariba Commerce Cloud to simplify inter-enterprise commerce and enhance results. Why not join them? To get on the path to Better Commerce visit: www.ariba.com/commercecloud/

Copyright © 1996 - 2011 Ariba, Inc.

Ariba, the Ariba logo, AribaLIVE, Ariba.com, Ariba.com Network, Ariba Spend Management. Find it. Get it. Keep it. and PO-Flip are registered trademarks of Ariba, Inc. Ariba Procure-to-Pay, Ariba Buyer, Ariba eForms, Ariba PunchOut, Ariba Services Procurement, Ariba Travel and Expense, Ariba Procure-to-Order, Ariba Procurement Content, Ariba Sourcing, Ariba Savings and Pipeline Tracking, Ariba Category Management, Ariba Category Playbooks, Ariba StartSourcing, Ariba Spend Visibility, Ariba Analysis, Ariba Data Enrichment, Ariba Contract Management, Ariba Contract Compliance, Ariba Electronic Signatures, Ariba StartContracts, Ariba Invoice Management, Ariba Payment Management, Ariba Working Capital Management, Ariba Settlement, Ariba Supplier Information and Performance Management, Ariba Supplier Information Management, Ariba Discovery, Ariba Invoice Automation, Ariba PO Automation, Ariba Express Content, Ariba Ready, and Ariba LIVE are trademarks or service marks of Ariba, Inc. All other brand or product names may be trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective companies or organizations in the United States and/or other countries.

Ariba Safe Harbor

Safe Harbor Statement under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act 1995: Information and announcements in this release involve Ariba's expectations, beliefs, hopes, plans, intentions or strategies regarding the future and are forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties. All forward-looking statements included in this release are based upon information available to Ariba as of the date of the release, and we assume no obligation to update any such forward-looking statements. These statements are not guarantees of future performance and actual results could differ materially from our current expectations. Factors that could cause or contribute to Ariba's operating and financial results to differ materially from current expectations include, but are not limited to: the impact of the credit crises on Ariba's results of operations and financial condition; delays in development or shipment of new versions of Ariba's products and services; lack of market acceptance of Ariba's existing or future products or services; inability to continue to develop competitive new products and services on a timely basis; introduction of new products or services by major competitors; the impact of any acquisitions, including difficulties with the integration process or the realization of benefits of a transaction; the impact of our disposition, including the potential disruption of our ongoing business; the ability to attract and retain qualified employees; long and unpredictable sales cycles and the deferrals of anticipated orders; declining economic conditions, including the impact of a recession; inability to control costs; changes in the company's pricing or compensation policies; significant fluctuations in our stock price; the outcome of and costs associated with pending or potential future regulatory or legal proceedings; the impact of our acquisitions and dispositions, including the disruption or loss of customer, business partner, supplier or employee relationships; and the level of costs and expenses incurred by Ariba as a result of such transactions. Factors and risks associated with its business, including a number of the factors and risks described above, are discussed in Ariba's Form 10-Q filed with the SEC on February 2, 2011.

Ariba, Inc.
Karen Master, 412-297-8177
kmaster@ariba.com
or
Ariba, Inc. UK
Fiona Ashby, +44 (0) 207 467 3701
fashby@ariba.com