The Procurement Software Podcast

EPISODE SUMMARY Dheev Arulmani, COO and co-founder of Valdera, joins James to unpack one of procurement tech's most underserved areas: chemicals and raw materials sourcing. He explains why this $6 trillion, hyper-fragmented category breaks generic source-to-pay suites, and how Valdera's verticalised, AI-native approach handles infinite spec permutations, regulation and supplier data. Essential lis...

EPISODE SUMMARY: In this episode of The Procurement Software Podcast, host James Meads welcomes Andrew Stroup, co-founder and CEO of Leverage AI, to discuss the massive inefficiency hiding in how procurement teams manage purchase orders and track supplier visibility. After leading Project N95, the national clearinghouse for PPE during COVID, Andrew identified a critical gap: supply chains still ru...

In this episode of The Procurement Software Podcast, James Meads welcomes Malin Schmidt, founder and CEO of Kodiak Hub, to discuss what it really takes to build a world-class SRM platform from the ground up. Malin brings an engineering and operations background to a space most founders enter from procurement itself, and that outside perspective has shaped everything from how Kodiak Hub's product i...

In this episode of The Procurement Software Podcast, James Meads speaks with Jeff Gerber, CEO of Suplari, about the evolution from traditional spend analytics to AI-powered spend intelligence. The conversation explores how procurement teams can move beyond static dashboards and begin leveraging predictive insights and autonomous agents to drive better decision-making. Can AI-Powered Spend Intellig...

In this episode of the Procurement Software Podcast, James Meads explores the rise of free B2B procurement software and what it really means for buyers. Joined by Tom Ruello, VP of Sales at SpendHound, the conversation unpacks how removing the price barrier can accelerate adoption—without compromising value. Can Free SaaS Management Software Beat Existing Tools? Tom explains how SpendHound’s model...

In this episode of The Procurement Software Podcast, James Meads welcomes Mike Cargiulo, founder of MJC Sourcing, for a conversation that challenges the tech-first narrative in procurement transformation. Mike shares how MJC Sourcing supports mid-market organisations with hands-on, execution-focused procurement expertise. Rather than leading with slide decks, Mike and his team roll up their sleeve...

In this episode of The Procurement Software Podcast, James Meads is joined by Gregory Vider and Markus Sinz, co-founders of apadua, recorded live at their Indirect Procurement Days event near Frankfurt, Germany. Drawing on their backgrounds as procurement practitioners and founders, Gregory and Markus share a grounded, thoughtful perspective on what AI really means for procurement. Rather than hyp...

In this episode of The Procurement Software Podcast, James Meads welcomes Matthew Spencer, procurement veteran and founder of FlockScore, a newly launched startup rethinking how supplier performance is captured and shared across industrial supply chains. Matthew brings a rare perspective as a procurement practitioner-turned-founder, having led SRM and sustainability at Bekaert Group before identif...

In this episode of The Procurement Software Podcast, James Meads is joined by Gaurav Sharma, Head of Procurement Centre of Excellence at MTN, with a background that uniquely combines procurement expertise and data science. We explore how Gaurav’s journey from category manager to leading digital transformation has shaped his view on procurement technology, user adoption, and the need for more pract...

In this episode of The Procurement Software Podcast, James Meads is joined by Oscar Fernandez, founder of ProCREWment and former Principal Procurement at mobility-as-a-service (MaaS) company FreeNow. We dive into a compelling case study on building an effective procurement process using existing tools, without splurging on expensive enterprise suites. Oscar shares how his small procurement team tr...

In this episode of The Procurement Software Podcast, James Meads welcomes Brajan Gatys, Procurement Operations Lead at Personio, to explore how lean procurement teams can build powerful systems without specialist procurement tech. Recorded after James and Brajan met in person at the Wolf Pack Summit in New York, this episode is a masterclass in how low-code and no-code platforms can transform proc...

In this episode of The Procurement Software Podcast, James Meads sits down in person with Harry Wilde, co-founder of Cotiss, a source-to-contract platform purpose-built for regulated industries. Recorded live at the Wolfpack Summit in New York, it’s a rare face-to-face conversation packed with insight, humour, and honest reflections on building procurement tech for complex sourcing needs. They unp...

In this episode of The Procurement Software Podcast, Raphael, co-founder and CEO of Growin. Co interviews your usual host, James Meads, alongside Linkana co-founder Leo Cavalcanti. It's a lively and forward-looking discussion about the next wave of digital transformation in procurement. They explore how AI, agentic automation, and no-code tools are disrupting traditional approaches—especially for...

In this episode of the Procurement Software Podcast, host James discusses the critical topic of cybersecurity in procurement with expert Jano Bermudes from CyXcel. They explore the importance of cybersecurity in vendor selection, the regulatory landscape, and the necessary precautions organisations must take to protect their data. Cybersecurity 101: what to consider when Buying Software The conver...

Welcome back to The Procurement Software Podcast! We’re kicking off Series 6 with a shift to a monthly format and an emphasis on more guest episodes. This week, host James Meads welcomes back Sheldon Mydat, founder and CEO of Suppeco, marking his third appearance on the show. Together, they dive deep into the transformative potential of generative AI in SRM and how it’s revolutionising the way pro...

In this special Christmas episode of The Procurement Software Podcast, we celebrate the end of 2024 with a roundup of the latest developments in the procurement technology space. James shares insights on the evolution of the industry and presents predictions for 2025 in the "state of procuretech address." Whether you're enjoying a festive meal or relaxing during the holiday season, this episode ai...

In this episode of The Procurement Software Podcast, host James Meads welcomes Gregory Vider, co-founder and CEO of Apadua, to discuss their recent Indirect Procurement Days invite-only mini conference held near Frankfurt, Germany. Their conversation delves into the benefits of networking in a more intimate setting compared to larger conferences. Tune in to explore how these innovative events coul...

In this episode of The Procurement Software Podcast, host James Meads welcomes Richard Brown from Anvil Analytical to discuss the transformative power of spend analytics in procurement. The conversation explores the evolution of spend analytics technology, highlighting the advancements from previous years and discussing practical applications that can help organisations operate faster, better, and...

In this episode of The Procurement Software Podcast, host James Meads explores the critical role of A players in leading digital transformations within procurement teams. He discusses the challenges organisations face in finding the right talent to implement digital procurement tools and emphasises the importance of having experienced and adept change managers Tune in for insights that can help dr...

In this episode of The Procurement Software Podcast, host James Meads delves into a provocative topic inspired by a LinkedIn post from industry commentator Jon W. Hansen. The post claims that 83% of AI initiatives fail and predicts that 75% of AI solution providers will be out of business by the end of 2025. So, is this likely? Tune in as he breaks down these bold claims and offers insights into t...

In this episode of The Procurement Software Podcast, host James welcomes Praveen Kalamegham, CTO of Workrise, to discuss the importance of industry-specific solutions in procurement technology, particularly in the oil and gas sector. The conversation dives into how tailored tools can better meet the unique needs of different industries and enhance procurement processes. Tune in to learn how to con...

In this episode of The Procurement Software Podcast, host James Meads explores most the exciting opportunities in procurement technology, focusing on three emerging categories: spend analytics, e-sourcing, and AI-driven co-pilots, each offering unique solutions to procurement’s evolving challenges. Tune in to learn how these innovative tools are reshaping the future of procurement, helping organis...

In this episode of The Procurement Software Podcast, host James Meads interviews Dan Gianfreda, the new CEO of DeepStream, to explore how procurement teams can move from reactive to proactive tech adoption. Focusing on key procurement challenges and organisational maturity, Dan shares actionable insights to help procurement leaders make smarter, value-driven technology decisions aligned with their...

In this episode of The Procurement Software Podcast, host James Meads dives into the essential, often overlooked aspects of digital procurement transformation that go beyond the software itself. He discusses 10 critical factors that organisations must address, such as people dynamics, internal politics, and deep-rooted organisational issues that technology alone can't resolve. Tune in for actionab...

In this episode of The Procurement Software Podcast, host James Meads sits down with Paul Gurr, founder of Provalido, to dive into the nuances of building and managing a high-impact savings pipeline. From stakeholder alignment to identifying various different savings and value-driving categories, we drill down into key strategies and share insights to give your budgeting process a nudge in the rig...