LightSource, an AI-native direct materials operating system designed for procurement professionals and their suppliers in enterprise companies, is now recognized as a validated provider in The Hackett Group’s Fall 2026 SolutionMap technology assessment. LightSource was evaluated as part of an assessment spanning 122 providers across 16 source-to-pay (S2P) categories.

SolutionMap assessments are conducted by The Hackett Group’s Solution Intelligence Technology Advisors. Each evaluation incorporates 500+ detailed functional and capability assessments; mandatory product demonstrations; and impartial, anonymized, verified customer value ratings. The result is an independent, evidence-based view of the technology landscape that helps buyers compare providers, evaluate trade-offs and validate market claims.

"Speed is the new KPI in procurement, and legacy tools weren't built for it," said Spencer Penn, Co-Founder and CEO of LightSource. "We are proud of how we’ve scaled our AI Workforce capabilities, and this recognition validates that LightSource gives procurement professionals the right solution to launch products faster at lower cost.”

As business leaders navigate a technology market increasingly shaped by AI, selecting the right approach carries greater strategic and operational consequences. SolutionMap supports build, buy and hybrid decisions by giving buyers transparent, comparable intelligence to shortlist providers faster and make defensible choices. For participating providers, the assessment offers independent validation of capabilities and a credible way to demonstrate differentiated value.

“Procurement technology decisions carry real organizational risk. When a provider appears in SolutionMap, it means they’ve earned their place through a process built on 500+ capability criteria, mandatory demonstrations and verified customer ratings – not marketing claims. Buyers can shortlist with confidence,” said Bryan DeGraw, Solution Intelligence Principal of The Hackett Group®.

This recognition comes on the heels of a period of rapid growth for LightSource, which has expanded its AI Workforce suite to give procurement and engineering teams greater visibility into direct materials costs earlier in the product development cycle, helping bring products to market faster and at lower cost. The platform eliminates manual work at the sourcing stages where time is spent most: data analytics, item ingestion, RFQs, and supplier activation.

To view the full Fall 2026 SolutionMap and learn more about The Hackett Group’s technology assessment methodology, visit www.thehackettgroup.com/solutionmap.

About LightSource

LightSource is the direct materials operating system purpose-built to connect engineering, procurement, and suppliers, so innovators always know what their products cost and launch faster. Unlike legacy suites built for indirect spend, LightSource is built for direct materials and NPI velocity. Trusted by Amazon, Conair, Canada Goose, and Shure. For more information, visit lightsource.ai

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260922773550/en/

"Speed is the new KPI in procurement, and legacy tools weren't built for it." - Spencer Penn, CEO and Co-Founder of LightSource