Every robot is, at its core, an assembly of physical components: actuators, motors, sensors, controllers, end-effectors, cables, connectors, and housings. These parts come from a fragmented global supply chain that most people outside of hardware never think about.
But if you're building a robotics company, procurement becomes one of your biggest headaches — fast.
Why procurement matters
In software, scaling means spinning up more servers. In robotics, scaling means buying more actuators, sourcing more sensors, negotiating with more suppliers, and managing longer lead times.
The procurement process for robotic hardware is:
- Fragmented: There's no single marketplace for robotic components. You're dealing with dozens of suppliers across multiple countries.
- Manual: Most sourcing still involves spreadsheets, email chains, and PDF datasheets. RFQ processes are slow and opaque.
- Technical: You need engineering knowledge to evaluate components. A wrong actuator selection can set your project back months.
- Relationship-dependent: The best pricing and lead times often depend on relationships built over years.
Where things break
The procurement challenges compound as companies scale:
- Prototype to production: What works for 10 units doesn't work for 1,000. Suppliers change, lead times extend, quality issues emerge.
- Bill of materials management: Keeping track of hundreds of components across multiple revisions is a nightmare.
- Global supply chain risk: A disruption in one region can halt production entirely.
What could be built
I think there's an opportunity to build better tools and infrastructure for robotics procurement. Something that combines engineering knowledge, supplier data, and AI to reduce the friction in sourcing physical components.
I'm actively exploring this space. More soon.