Dear readers,
AI is by no means a new concept in 2026.
Since the early 2020s, it has been explored and increasingly applied, with tangible impact already visible. What we are seeing now, however, are significant leaps in its capabilities and a much broader adoption across enterprises.
Sourcing Champions believes that this evolution is having a profound effect on the work of procurement professionals. In response, we have embraced this change proactively, embedding AI into how we operate, collaborate with partners, and deliver value to clients. Here’s how that approach comes to life in our day-to-day work and partnerships.
Augmenting Expertise with AI
Procurement at its core remains fundamentally about human relationships and trust, even in the age of AI. We believe technology should augment and elevate people. By supporting data-intensive tasks, AI agents work alongside our consultants, enhancing their ability to engage in strategy, decision-making, and relationship building.
This philosophy is also reflected in the way we apply our 15M framework, which has always been grounded in human academic expertise, professional experience, and practical execution. As the framework continues to evolve, we are already exploring how AI can be meaningfully embedded within it, particularly in Process & Digital Strategies (SP4), where data-driven insights, pattern recognition, and automation can further strengthen analytical depth and consistency while keeping human accountability firmly in place.
Sourcing Champions now has the capability to build its own specialized agentic AI on Copilot to support key procurement processes, spanning plan-to-strategy, supplier management, source-to-contract, and procure-to-pay. Our team has developed a “digital brain” using data from previous works, enabling faster, more consistent, and data-backed responses. This initiative also represents our commitment to innovation and entrepreneurial thinking.
Harnessing AI through Strategic Partnerships
Sourcing Champions has always believed strongly in the power of digital tools and innovation. We have been continuously seeking ways to optimize procurement operations since our founding. One core element of our approach is partnering with digital solution providers that deliver real, measurable impact.
The acceleration of AI is reshaping both our organization and our partner landscape. AI capabilities are now being embedded across established procurement platforms, alongside the rise of new partners whose solutions are fundamentally built on AI technology.
Our partners exemplify how we put AI into practice. akirolabs offers a next-generation, AI-powered SaaS platform for category management, enabling deep analysis, strategy formulation, and tracking outcomes. Ivalua continues to integrate agentic AI, IVA, to automate and streamline procurement tasks, while Mithra-Ai provides a single source of truth for spend through automated data cleansing, enrichment, and classification.
In sustainable procurement, IntegrityNext leverages AI to support supply chain sustainability and regulatory compliance. Prewave specializes in AI-powered, real-time risk intelligence, enabling early detection of emerging supply chain and ESG risks. EcoVadis combines deep sustainability expertise with, automating document analysis, risk monitoring, and benchmarking.
By working with partners at the forefront of AI innovation, Sourcing Champions ensures that its clients are equipped not only for today’s procurement challenges, but for the rapidly evolving demands of the years ahead.
Competitive Advantage through Innovation
At Sourcing Champions, we view procurement strategy as a source of competitive advantage, and we remain committed to that belief by continuously adapting how we work. We embrace innovation where it strengthens insight and efficiency, while staying grounded in human judgment, experience, and trust. This balance allows us to remain true to our strategic principles and, above all, continue delivering the best outcomes for our clients.
Robert Waalder
Founder, Sourcing Champions
