New sourcing service levels the playing field for manufacturers of all sizes, saving months of legwork finding automation solutions and suppliers.
HowToRobot is excited to announce a new sourcing service on its platform that helps manufacturers move automation projects from idea to supplier quotes in a fraction of the time it usually takes.
The new service uses AI to ask automation buyers about their needs and instantly produce a project brief that is sent out to vetted suppliers from HowToRobot’s global network of 20,000+ suppliers, delivering comparable offers on potential solutions within weeks.
Built on learnings from over 600 automation projects and 2,000 supplier proposals, the service addresses a major challenge for manufacturers, says Søren Peters, Co-CEO of HowToRobot: “We see many companies struggle to describe what they need and what to ask suppliers for to get usable solution proposals,” he says, adding: “Our new service guides you through the process so you can describe your needs in your own words. It translates that into a clear brief suppliers can act on – leading to fewer misunderstandings and faster responses.”
Speeds up projects and frees internal automation teams
The service changes the speed at which companies can get a market response to new automation ideas, lowering the risk of wasting internal resources.
Today, many engineering hours are spent writing detailed specifications before testing whether a project is viable and can be supplied by the market. When that isn’t the case, companies have to start over.
“Too often, companies spend months or years specifying a solution – only to discover that it’s too costly, experimental, or hard to source,” said Søren Peters, suggesting teams adopt a different approach: “Using our service, companies can let suppliers work the challenge and propose their best options. Instead of us designing and telling them what to do, we let the smartest vendors from our global network help specify how they would solve the problem and provide a quote – why solve alone, what the market already knows?”
By making it faster and easier to create a project specification, HowToRobot’s new service frees up internal resources needed to move automation projects across the finish line – which is now needed more than ever.
Facing growing labor shortages, rising costs, and pressure to reshore production, robot adoption continues at high rapid pace in factories around the world, leaving existing expertise stretched thin. By automating supplier outreach on HowToRobot’s platform, teams also no longer have to chase down suppliers one by one – further reducing pressure on them.
How the service works
HowToRobot’s self-guided sourcing service is available via its platform: howtorobot.com/get-quotes. What it does:
- Takes your automation idea → You answer a guided set of questions online.
- Turns it into a structured project brief → Clear requirements, supplier-ready format – in less than a day
- Matches you with relevant vendors → From HowToRobot’s global network of 20,000+ suppliers.
- Delivers budgetary quotes → Comparable offers back in weeks from approved suppliers.
- Finalises deal → Expert assistance available to achieve and negotiate firm quotes – and secure financing of the solution.
All project briefs are reviewed for quality by HowToRobot’s human experts, who are also available for companies that need a more hand-held and tailored approach. HowToRobot’s sourcing fees can often be offset if a solution is purchased, since participating suppliers pay a small commission. Furthermore, financing options allow manufacturers to spread upfront automation costs into manageable monthly payments, making projects easier to budget for.
