Sourcing & supply chain
Manufacturing & supply chain
1,399 episodes across 45 shows cover sourcing & supply chain. The shows that cover it most are The Amp Hour, EMS@C-LEVEL and Shop Talk Live. The most recent, from 12 Oct 2026, is “Unpacking Marvell's Analyst Day, OpenAI Revenue Rumors, and the Heterogeneous Rack” from The Circuit.
Finding and buying parts and materials: suppliers, distributors, lead times, shortages, BOM risk, inventory strategy.
1399 episodes from 45 shows, most relevant and most recent first.
1399 episodes
Turning the E-Waste Stream Into a National Asset w/ Matt Bedingfield
Matt Bedingfield, CEO of Mint Innovation, explains how the US can turn its e-waste stream into a national asset by recovering critical minerals like copper, gold, and palladium from printed circuit boards and black mass. He highlights a…
Ep 191: Agents Gone Wild: Broadcom’s ASICs and the AI Frontier
Ben Bajarin and Jay Goldberg discuss Broadcom's recent earnings, highlighting the shift in custom ASIC customers from Google to Anthropic and OpenAI, and the increasing complexity of modeling mixed-chip programs involving competitors like…
La Colombe Coffee Roasters: Todd Carmichael and J.P. Iberti. A Brotherhood Built on Coffee (2020)
Todd Carmichael and J.P. Iberti, co-founders of La Colombe Coffee Roasters, recount their journey from meeting in Seattle to launching a specialty coffee brand in Philadelphia. They detail the operational challenges of their early…
Bonus Episode: Resilient Supply Chains for Robotics (ERF 2026)
Claire Asher interviews Carolina Domation, Sanford Dickert, and Agatha Sua at the European Robotics Forum 2026, discussing the urgent need for resilient robotics supply chains in Europe. The guests highlight vulnerabilities in sourcing…
R&D RADIO: Brian Chau from Chau Time
Brian Chau, founder of Chau Time, an R&D operations consulting firm, explains his four-phase process for taking food products from concept to commercialization. He details the concept of 'fiber stacking' used in functional chocolates like…
Ep. 12: Why Robotics Teams Lose Momentum Before They Ever Ship | The Robo Success Podcast
Mitesh Shetty, Founder of Raprod, explains why robotics and hardware startups lose momentum due to sourcing delays and production bottlenecks. He shares his experience at Honda and Hotchkiss, noting that engineering teams often spend…
The PCB Supply Chain Squeeze - A C-Level Special with Confidee's Raymond Goh and TLT's Vytautas Ilgunas
Raymond Goh of Confidee and Vytautas Ilgunas of TLT PCB discuss the severe PCB supply chain squeeze driven by AI server demand and upstream material shortages. They explain how capacity loss in European laminate manufacturing, combined…
Building a domestic nuclear fuel supply chain
Scott Nolan, CEO of General Matter, explains the five-step nuclear fuel supply chain, highlighting enrichment as the critical bottleneck where the US relies heavily on European and Russian sources. He details the distinction between Low…
Do data centers actually increase electricity prices? No...and yes
Andy Lubershane, head of research at Energy Impact Partners, joins host Shayle Kann to explain the dual impact of data centers on electricity prices: they often lower local utility rates through the 'denominator effect' while driving up…
Unpacking Marvell's Analyst Day, OpenAI Revenue Rumors, and the Heterogeneous Rack
Ben Bajarin and Jay Goldberg analyze Marvell's recent Analyst Day, highlighting its strategic shift from Amazon ASIC share battles to a broader data center infrastructure play involving optical interconnects, switching silicon, and new AI…
BONUS: What Is Servitization? How OEMs Can Turn Their Installed Base Into Long-Term Revenue with PTC's Sam Neva
Sam Neva, Vice President of Sales for Service Lifecycle Management at PTC, explains servitization—the shift from selling equipment to selling outcomes—and how OEMs can monetize their installed base. He details the three maturity levels of…
Simplifying BOM Management with Intelligent Platforms
Nemanja Jokanovic, VP and General Manager at Breadboard, explains how his platform automates Bill of Materials (BOM) management to bridge the gap between design engineers and procurement professionals. He details features including…
Enter the electric supercycle
Andy Lubershane, head of research at Energy Impact Partners, explains the 'electric supercycle'—a series of interlocking technological flywheels involving solar PV, lithium-ion batteries, EVs, and wide-bandgap power electronics that are…
Episode 155: SHOW ME THE MONEY! NVIDIA Earnings, and more from the Week!
Ben Bajarin and Jay Goldstein discuss a week of major semiconductor announcements, focusing on AMD's strategic partnership with Meta involving custom Instinct GPUs and equity, and NVIDIA's record-breaking earnings driven by Grace Blackwell…
Rapid Reshoring: Building a Reliable North American Supply Chain w/ Mike Wynn
Mike Wynn, Vice President at Advanced Purchasing Dynamics (APD), explains how manufacturers are rapidly reshoring supply chains to North America to mitigate tariff risks and reduce lead times. He details APD's 'rapid reshoring' process…
How Smart Labels Transform the Supply Chain | Reelables' David Stanton | Internet of Things Podcast
David Stanton, CEO and co-founder of Reelables, explains how the company’s mass-produced, battery-powered smart labels are transforming supply chain visibility by providing real-time, item-level tracking for cargo and inventory. Stanton…
Inside Component Testing: Fighting Fakes in the Electronics Industry
Elijah Miller, VP of Operations at The Lab Worldwide (TLW), explains the sophisticated methods counterfeiters use to infiltrate the electronics supply chain, including remarking, harvesting, and cloning. He details how even franchise…
248. Xometry’s Oscar Lovera & How AI Is Rebuilding Manufacturing
Oscar Lovera, COO at Xometry, explains how the AI-powered manufacturing marketplace is digitizing the sourcing of custom parts by integrating design, quoting, and manufacturability feedback into a single workflow. He discusses the shift…
The geopolitics of rare earth elements
Ahmad Ghahreman, co-founder and CEO of Cyclic Materials, explains the geopolitical dominance of China in the rare earth element (REE) supply chain and the recent escalation of export controls. He details how China controls 90% of…
R&D RADIO: Building a Reliable Formula Brand with Casey Bauer, COO, Bobbie
Casey Bauer, COO of Bobbie, explains how the company maintains food safety as one of only four U.S. infant formula manufacturers by conducting over 2,000 safety and quality checks at multiple stages, from raw materials to finished cans. He…
EP 164: ARM, ARM Earning, Agentic CPU Inflections, A World of Constraints
Ben Bajarin and Jay Goldberg discuss the semiconductor industry's 'agentic CPU' surge, driven by the need to execute AI-generated code, which is causing massive demand for high-core-count CPUs from ARM and AMD. They analyze the 'ultimate…
Volts crossover: Six big energy questions
David Roberts and Shayle Kann discuss six critical energy questions for the next decade, starting with the urban and climate impacts of self-driving cars, noting that while they are electric, they may accelerate sprawl and vehicle miles…
Supply Chain Challenges in Medical Device Manufacturing
Supply chain executive Simon Hinds discusses the unique complexities of medical device and life sciences supply chains, contrasting them with automotive and consumer electronics. He explains how regulatory barriers, traceability…
R&D RADIO: Non-GMO, Organic, or Gluten-Free? How to Decide Which Certifications Are Worth It
Esther Levy, founder of Evolve Food Consultants, explains the complex trade-offs founders face when deciding on third-party certifications like USDA Organic, Non-GMO, and Gluten-Free. She highlights that while organic is theoretically…
Founder Feature: Reinventing Honey Through Design, Packaging, and Consumer Psychology with Noah Phillips of Honey Department
Noah Phillips, founder of Honey Department, explains how his background in advertising and design led him to reinvent the honey category by packaging 100% raw thick honey in an aluminum tube. He details the decision to use creamed honey…
Lithium’s wild ride
Ernest Scheyder, author of 'The War Below' and senior correspondent at Reuters, explains the volatile lithium market, detailing the shift from niche uses to battery supply chains and the current oversupply driven by Chinese producers…
EP 190: NVIDIA and Marvell Earnings, Hot Chips Hot Takes
Ben Bajarin and Jay Goldberg analyze NVIDIA’s earnings, highlighting a 70% revenue growth guide driven by supply constraints and TSMC capacity, while noting margin pressure from rising memory and component costs. They discuss Marvell’s…
EP 151: WFE Boom! Insight from the Clouds. Word of the year - constraints
Hosts Ben Bajarin and Jay Goldberg analyze the semiconductor industry's current 'constraints' theme, focusing on the structural differences in the Wafer Fab Equipment (WFE) cycle driven by low tool reuse at advanced nodes. They discuss the…
AI-Powered PLM: The Future of Hardware Product Lifecycle Management
Michael Corr, CEO and founder of Duro, explains how his cloud-based PLM platform simplifies hardware product lifecycle management by centralizing bill of materials (BOM) data and integrating with supply chain APIs like Octopart and Nexar…
#227 - Operations Ask-Me-Anything with Jamie Valenti-Jordan
Jamie Valenti-Jordan, CEO of Catapult Commercialization Services, explains how early-stage CPG brands can navigate product development, sourcing, and manufacturing partnerships. He details the high costs of direct-to-consumer frozen…
AI scaling pathways: on grid, on edge, off grid, off planet
Jake Elder, Senior Vice President of Research and Innovation at Energy Impact Partners, joins host Shayle Kann to evaluate four pathways for scaling AI compute infrastructure: grid-connected, edge, off-grid, and orbital. They analyze the…
Episode 117: Talking Apple in China with Patrick McGee
Patrick McGee, author of 'Apple in China', explains how Apple’s massive investments and 'Apple squeeze' training programs inadvertently built China’s advanced electronics manufacturing sector, enabling companies like Foxconn, Luxshare, and…
Why Manufacturing Leaders Must Understand the Global Chemical Supply Chain w/ Doug Friedman
Doug Friedman, CEO of BioMADE, explains why every manufacturing leader must understand the global chemical supply chain, tracing products like laptop plastic cases back to petroleum-derived chemicals. He highlights the vulnerability…
#171 - SupplySide West Recap with Doss
Wiley Jones, Founder and CEO of Doss, joins host Daniel Scharff to recap SupplySide West, discussing how the event serves as a critical networking hub for CPG brands seeking ingredients and co-manufacturers. Paul and Barbara Logan of…
GM's big new battery tech push
Kurt Kelty, GM's VP of battery, propulsion, and sustainability, explains how GM is commercializing lithium-manganese-rich (LMR) batteries to offer high energy density at lower costs by swapping expensive nickel for abundant manganese. He…
243 - Why Kitting A Finished Medical Device with a Drug Create So Much Work
Subhi Saadeh, Founder of Let’s Combinate, explains why selecting commercially available finished medical devices for combination product kits creates significant regulatory and quality challenges. He argues that an 'already approved'…
#259 - Mini-Episode: Legal Considerations for Co-Branding Agreements with Foster Garvey
Hillary Hughes, a lawyer at Foster Garvey, explains the legal framework for co-branding agreements in the CPG industry, using examples like Doritos Locos Tacos and Oreo Coke Zero. She distinguishes true co-branding from simple licensing by…
#474: Behind the QMSR Audits: The Top 5 FDA Citations & Risk Management Pitfalls
Nikhil Mangale, Vice President of Quality at Kapstone Medical, discusses the real-world impact of the FDA's Quality Management System Regulation (QMSR) based on seven months of inspection data. He identifies the top five FDA citations as…
Building a supply chain for rare earth elements
Ahmad Ghahreman, CEO and cofounder of Cyclic Materials, explains the critical role of rare earth elements (REEs) in permanent magnets for EVs and wind turbines, noting that China currently controls over 90% of downstream processing. He…
#222 - Buyer Spotlight: Pastas, Pasta Sauces, Oils, and Vinegars, with Brooke Gil of Whole Foods Market
Brooke Gil, Category Merchant for Pastas, Pasta Sauces, Oils, and Vinegars at Whole Foods Market, discusses current trends and buyer expectations. She highlights the rise of functional vinegars, the 'tallow takeover' driven by beauty…
The Big Switch: Are Batteries the New Oil?
Dr. Melissa Lott hosts the season premiere of The Big Switch, featuring guests Alessandra Carrion, Professor Dan Steingart, and Tom Morinhaut, to examine the global supply chains for lithium-ion batteries. The episode dissects an 18650…
MADE IN EUROPE #3: Scaling Defense From EU Strategy to Battlefield Innovation
Kitron Group's President and CEO Peter Nilsson and Managing Director Hans Petter Thomassen discuss the urgent scaling of Europe's defense industrial base, highlighting the disparity between rapid electronics manufacturing and slow chemical…
Is AI an Engineering Teammate in Hardware Design?
Avinash Harsh, co-founder of Wizerr AI, explains how his platform acts as an AI teammate for hardware engineers by providing a component intelligence layer that bridges the gap between design intent and procurement. He details how Wizerr…
#159 - EDI 101: Emily Curran, SPS Commerce
Emily Curran, Senior Manager of Product at SPS Commerce, explains how Electronic Data Interchange (EDI) automates supply chain documents like purchase orders and invoices to streamline operations for CPG brands. She details the necessity…
Electronica 24: AI and Digital Transformation in Supply Chain Management with Sourceability's Rob Picken
Rob Picken, Sourceability's SVP of Digital Transformation, explains how AI-driven data transparency can repair strained relationships between OEMs and EMS partners exposed by the pandemic. He details how Sourceability's platforms…
#400: The State of the Medical Device Industry
Greenlight Guru’s Sara Adams joins host Etienne Nichols to discuss the 2025 Medical Device Industry Benchmark Report, highlighting that global sales are projected to reach $800 billion by 2030. They analyze key industry shifts, including…
#157 - Buyer Spotlight: Jason Murrell, JIMBO’S
Jason Murrell, Director of Grocery at JIMBO’S, a San Diego-based organic retailer, explains how the company prioritizes regenerative organic certification (ROC) and strict ingredient standards to curate its ~13,000 SKUs. He details the…
Designing Space Robots
Chris Finger, a sales engineer for Harmonic Drive, discusses the technical challenges of designing space robots, focusing on the specific requirements for strain wave gearing in vacuum and extreme temperature environments. He details the…
Scaling low-carbon products with book and claim systems
Adam Klauber, VP of sustainability and digital supply chain at World Energy, explains how book and claim systems decouple environmental attributes from physical goods to bridge the gap between low-carbon producers and global buyers. He…
#142 - Buyer Spotlight: Christine McNerney and Jason Bidart, Thrive Market
Christine McNerney, VP of Merchandising Ops for Health, Beauty, and Home, and Jason Bidart, VP of Food Merchandising, both at Thrive Market, discuss the retailer's high ingredient standards and sourcing strategies. They detail how Thrive…