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        Microsoft has collaborated with AI-powered contract intelligence provider Icertis to integrate contract management capabilities within Microsoft Dynamics 365 Supply Chain Management to control costs and mitigate supplier risk.
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        The integration will enable real-time visibility of contract data within procurement processes, offering benefits such as faster approval decisions, optimal pricing negotiations, AI-driven risk analysis, and automated compliance monitoring. The solution will be generally available in early 2025, with public preview access currently available.
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    <a href="https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20241119932978/en/Icertis-and-Microsoft-Deepen-Collaboration-to-Unlock-Supply-Chain-Value-with-GenAI-Powered-Contract-Intelligence">
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Supply Chain Tech

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 <p>Microsoft is partnering with AI contract intelligence provider Icertis to integrate contract management features in Microsoft Dynamics 365 Supply Chain Management. This collaboration aims to manage costs and decrease supplier risk more effectively. </p>
 <p>With this integration, users will have access to real-time contract data during procurement, offering several benefits. These include quicker approval decisions, improved price negotiations, AI-guided risk analysis, and automated compliance monitoring. The public can preview the solution now, with general availability starting in early 2025.</p>
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Microsoft and Icertis partner to integrate contract intelligence with Dynamics 365 supply chain platform

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 <p>Portcast, a supply chain visibility platform, has recently secured USD 6.5 million in a Series A funding round. The round was led by Susquehanna Asia VC and saw participation from Hearst Ventures, Signal Ventures, Wavemaker Partners, TMV, and Innoport.</p>
 <p>The funds will be used to accelerate product development, especially in GenAI for risk management, transport planning, and invoice auditing, and expand its global presence, and deepen partnerships with other technology providers.</p>
 <p>The company specializes in providing data integration and visibility solutions for the logistics industry. It integrates data from various sources including carriers, terminals, geolocation, and proprietary documents into a single API and portal. This approach allows for proactive management of exceptions and generates automated recommendations for improved productivity and reduced operational costs. Portcast's technology addresses the problems related to data multiplicity in supply chain management.</p>
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Portcast raises USD 6.5 million in Series A funding to accelerate product advancement

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 <p>Roambe, an AI-powered supply chain visibility provider has teamed up with UK retailer Tesco for enhanced tracking and logistics efficiency at over 3,000 store locations.</p>
 <p>With this collaboration, Tesco has fitted all its UK containers with solar-powered sensors for real-time monitoring of over 23,000 container journeys totalling 6.21 million mi. The integration provides insight into container locations, monitors movement, reduces dwell times and delivery blunders; a step forward from their previous reliance on third-party tracking data.</p>
 
</div> <p><b>Analyst QuickTake:<br>
 </b> This marks the second partnership Roambee has entered in 2024. In early October 2024, the company partnered with Tracker to launch the AI-powered OKgo solution to enhance supply chain efficiency. This solution is built to adapt to a wide range of industries and uses AI-powered intelligence to provide valuable insights and predictions.</p>

Roambee and Tesco collaborate to enhance supply chain visibility with AI-powered tracking

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 <p>o9 Solutions has partnered with Indorama Ventures, a sustainable chemicals company, to enhance its operations in Thailand. Indorama Ventures will use o9's Digital Brain platform to improve its integrated business planning.</p>
 <p>Through the partnership, the company will improve supply chain visibility and optimize its operations globally. This will be achieved through o9's Digital Brain platform, hosted on Microsoft Azure, and will aid in optimizing sales, improving logistics, maintaining ideal inventory levels, and enhancing fixed-asset performance.</p>
 
</div> <p><b>Analyst QuickTake:<br>
</b> This expansion marks another milestone in o9's growth in the Asia-Pacific region, following the <a href="https:<br>
//sp-edge.com/updates/26266"> opening of a new office </a> in Shanghai. The company already maintains offices in Australia, India, Japan, Korea, and Singapore to serve clients throughout the region.</p>

o9 Solutions expands in Thailand through partnership with Indorama Ventures

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 <p>o9 Solutions, an AI solutions provider, has partnered with global automotive technology supplier Valeo for seven years. This partnership focuses on optimizing Valeo's production planning and operational management.</p>
 <p>o9's Digital Brain platform will be implemented across 170 Valeo sites spread across 29 countries, streamlining their processes for master production scheduling, as well as sales, inventory, and operations planning. This software solution utilizes AI-driven analytics, enhancing operational efficiency as well as directly supporting Valeo's objectives of sustainability and CO2 emissions reduction.</p>
 
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o9 Solutions partners with Valeo to enhance AI-powered automotive supply chain operations

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 <p>AI-powered platform, BackOps.ai, has successfully raised USD 2 million in a pre-seed funding round. The round was led by Gradient Ventures and included participation from 10VC.</p>
 <p>The firm intends to utilize this funding to upscale its operations in order to meet present and anticipated customer demand. In addition, BackOps.ai aims to expand its use cases through continuous product development.</p> 
<p>BackOps.ai offers an automated solution for supply chain logistics, acting as the central operational hub that seamlessly integrates with a company's incumbent tech stack. This allows businesses to smooth out their workflows, access real-time data, and facilitates faster, more informed decision-making.</p>

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BackOps.ai raises USD 2 million in pre-seed funding to scale operations

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 <p>Vehicle tracking and telemetry company Tracker, in association with Roambee, has introduced the OKgo solution to help businesses gain valuable data to boost growth and resilience in their local and global supply chain networks. This AI-enabled solution provides real-time visibility of assets and inventory in the supply chain, predicting and identifying bottlenecks, prioritizing crucial shipments, and addressing security or quality issues immediately.</p>
  
 <p>The OKgo solution is designed for use across different industries, featuring adaptable integration with data-gathering connected sensors, a device-agnostic platform for exception management and an AI-powered intelligence platform for insight and foresight. Additionally, it contains an integration hub to connect with existing planning, transport management, and warehouse systems.</p>
  
 <p>OKgo employs data triangulation, combining close-to-real-time sensor data, organizational data, and external sources to create a digital twin. Thus, it provides businesses with an automated, comprehensive view of their logistics operations.</p>
  
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Roambee and Tracker unveil AI-powered OKgo solution to enhance supply chain efficiency

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 <p>Tive, in partnership with Supply Chain Now, has introduced a livestream series tackling global cargo security threats. This initiative features Richie Daigle, an executive from Tive and hosts Karen Bursa and Scott Luton from Supply Chain Now.</p>
 <p>The series is divided into several episodes, each underscoring a different facet of cargo security. The episodes, "Unpacking Cargo Security: Defining What Puts Freight at Risk" and "Confronting Ever-Changing Dynamics in Freight Security," are currently made available for on-demand viewing, with the latter episode to stream live on October 16, featuring David Shillingford, co-founder of Everstream Analytics. </p>
 <p>The aim of the livestream series is to provide businesses with applicable strategies and tools to bolster their supply chain's security and predict threats. It broaches a range of topics including cargo theft, equipment failure, operational breakdowns, and creating a resilient technology stack.</p>
 
</div> <p><b>Analyst QuickTake:<br>
 </b> In recent years, Tive has focused on mitigating cargo security threats. In July 2024, Tive <a href="https:<br>
//sp-edge.com/updates/31075"> partnered </a> with Transport Pro, a cloud-native transport management software provider, to offer companies an additional layer of protection against shipments from theft through the Tive tracking systems.</p>

Tive launches livestream series on cargo security threats

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 <p>Flexport CEO, Ryan Petersen, has announced a 2% workforce reduction via an internal memo.</p>
 <p>This action is designed to speed up the company's move towards its growth and profitability objectives. Petersen indicates that the changes will foster quick succession and establish years of profitable expansion.</p>
</div> <p><b>Analyst QuickTake:<br>
 </b> This is Flexport's fourth round of job cuts in two years. In January, the company <a href="https:<br>
//sp-edge.com/updates/26157"> reduced </a> its workforce by 15%, affecting about 400 employees. During this time, the CEO, Ryan Petersen, <a href="https:<br>
//sp-edge.com/updates/25968"> voiced an intention </a> to restore company profitability by the end of 2024, focusing on the core forwarding business.</p>

Flexport cuts 2% of workforce to boost growth

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 <p>Circulor, a solution provider for tracing supply chains, and industrial automation company, Rockwell Automation, have formed a partnership to enhance supply chain transparency.</p>
 <p>The collaboration focuses on delivering advanced tracing solutions for manufacturers within the automotive, tire, and battery sectors. The solutions are designed to track raw materials right from their source to the finished product, enforcing compliance with international regulations, and monitoring emissions. Additionally, the partnership promises to provide strategic insights to decrease costs and enhance efficiency. Rockwell intends to implement this solution globally via its business division, Kalypso.</p>
</div> <p><b>Analyst QuickTake:<br>
 </b> In January 2024, Circulor <a href="https:<br>
//sp-edge.com/updates/28375"> partnered </a> with ACC to trace raw material origins and carbon emissions. This partnership intends to validate supply chain operations and ensure their sustainability and responsibility.</p>

All Updates

Microsoft and Icertis partner to integrate contract intelligence with Dynamics 365 supply chain platform

Portcast raises USD 6.5 million in Series A funding to accelerate product advancement

Roambee and Tesco collaborate to enhance supply chain visibility with AI-powered tracking

o9 Solutions expands in Thailand through partnership with Indorama Ventures

o9 Solutions partners with Valeo to enhance AI-powered automotive supply chain operations

BackOps.ai raises USD 2 million in pre-seed funding to scale operations

Roambee and Tracker unveil AI-powered OKgo solution to enhance supply chain efficiency

Tive launches livestream series on cargo security threats

Flexport cuts 2% of workforce to boost growth

Circulor partners with Rockwell Automation to enhance supply chain traceability

Supply Chain Tech

Microsoft and Icertis partner to integrate contract intelligence with Dynamics 365 supply chain platform

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