Video
DPW NYC 2025 | Main Stage & Tech Safari Q&A
3 minutes
Description
At DPW NYC 2025, Spencer Penn took the main stage fresh off LightSource’s Series A, then fielded questions from a packed crowd at the Tech Safari.
The Q&A covers pricing strategy, technical innovation, advanced sourcing, and what makes direct procurement different. The main stage clips go deeper on tariffs, HTS codes, iterative sourcing, and how LightSource connects PLM, BOM, and ERP into one system of record.
The through line is simple: procurement teams that pair global trade know-how with AI-native tools can move faster without losing control.
Speakers
Spencer Penn
CEO, LightSource
Key moments
Top 3 takeaways from DPW NYC 2025
Spencer walks through the three ideas he heard most at DPW NYC 2025.
After the Series A: Scaling lean with AI
Why LightSource is scaling carefully, and how a team of 40 to 50 can deliver the output of a much larger one.
PLM to BOM to S2P to PLM
How LightSource connects PLM, BOM, and ERP to become the system of record for direct procurement.
Iterative sourcing: Sourcing is not a one-off event
Costs creep over time. Spencer explains why sourcing should be a continuous lifecycle backed by time-series data.
Lead time in today's tariff environment
Switching suppliers fast only works if you leave enough lead time to evaluate each one properly.
What are HTS codes?
A quick primer on Harmonized Tariff Schedule codes, why they matter, and the two things every buyer should know.
Modern procurement skills
Beyond on time, on cost, on quality: the global trade acumen and agility today's procurement leaders need.
Consumer priced goods and LightSource
How category managers outside automotive get a single pane of glass for direct materials sourcing.
Will AI replace your job?
AI won't replace you, but someone who knows how to use AI will. What that means for category managers.
What is “AI washing”?
Why a chatbot bolted onto a 12-year-old tech stack is not the same as AI-native software.
See this sourcing workflow in practice.
LightSource is the AI-native sourcing platform for direct materials. See it on your own parts and suppliers.
