Blog

A year ago, Arkestro (formerly Bid Ops) held Optimal. The conference was a recognition that procurement software is a strategic driver for modern business and that AI has become a critical tool for supporting organizations that are under pressure to make better decisions, faster. Optimal wasn’t all presentations, workshops, keynotes, demos, and networking among the 1,000+ participants. As part of the conference, Opti Awards were handed out. These were a celebration of stellar achievement and innovation in the procurement industry. 

Voltaire once wrote, “Appreciation is a wonderful thing. It makes what is excellent in others belong to us as well.” This key truth—the importance of appreciation and recognition—is the core foundation of the Opti Awards, which we recently announced for this season.

Our team is still basking in the glow of Optimal: The Leadership Summit for Predictive Procurement and wanted to share a guide to the resources of our speakers, customers and thought leaders. We knew beforehand that there was a significant demand for the kind of information we were going to share, but the level of engagement we saw leading up to, during and after the conference was truly notable.

The countdown is on to Optimal 2021. This is the AI conference for procurement teams, where procurement meets AI to drive innovation and digital transformation.  

Sourcing and procurement are critical functions in business. They’ve always been one of the keys to success—simply put, without sourcing, there are no raw materials to make a product. Furthermore, procurement teams typically cost less than one percent of an organization’s total budget, and bring double the savings. 

April 22, 2020 marks 50 years of celebrating Earth Day! We have been celebrating in a variety of ways over the decades: gardening, recycling, educating others about sustainable practices, saving energy, and that just scratches the surface. According to Earth Day Network, more than 1 billion people have participated in Earth Day activities since its inception, making it the largest secular civic event in the world.

Happy International Women’s Day!