The FOAK Supply Chain Framework

It’s hard to get suppliers to work with your startup.

FOAK projects are usually the worst type of customer for suppliers:

• No track record → you have to build trust from scratch.

• No certainty → you can’t really guarantee your product will work or that your customer will pay you.

• No stability → your bill of materials will change as you tweak your design and process.

From a supplier’s perspective, why bother talking to you at all?

And yet, many do.

Smaller suppliers may struggle to win large, predictable contracts and are willing to take a bet on you.

Big suppliers might see your FOAK as a showcase for entering a new market.

All of them need to hit sales targets—sometimes risk is part of the job.

The real questions are: how do you approach them? What should you have ready? What risks should you watch out for? And how do you get the best terms?

That’s where my five-step FOAK supply chain setup framework comes in:

1. Start mapping suppliers before your pilot.

2. Secure investment commitments.

3. Secure customer commitments (off-takes are gold).

4. Have a clear FOAK execution plan.

5. Reach out—start with small/medium suppliers, don’t overlook used equipment suppliers.

FOAK supply chains are messy, but they can be built systematically. And if you do it right, suppliers can become your biggest allies.