Hardware is hard.

This has been conventional wisdom since I entered the tech world. And it’s proven by the current state of manufacturing and supply chains. Data is scrambled, parts are missing or late, and engineers act more like firefighters. The status quo in manufacturing is reactionary.

This is changing thanks to Parter.

Fresh off $5.5 million in seed funding, the company is turning reactionary dysfunction into proactive simplicity. The company’s solution unites data across disparate systems and allows companies to plan ahead for supply chain disruptions, tariffs, and compliance issues.

Find out how in this interview with co-founder & CEO Asaf Israelit.

Table of Contents:

1. The Opportunity

2. The Product

3. The Market

1) The Opportunity

What problem is Parter solving?

Asaf: Hardware companies have been operating with outdated tools and fragmented processes for decades. They’re forced to react to issues like shortages, obsolescence, tariffs, and compliance only after they happen. Parter helps them become proactive by analyzing and enriching their data so they can predict and solve problems before they disrupt production.

Can you give an example of the risks you’re addressing?

Asaf: Obsolescence is a big one - this is when a key part stops being manufactured. Without alternatives lined up, entire product lines can stall. For example, during COVID, Tesla and GM shipped incomplete cars because certain charging ports weren’t available and they didn’t have any substitutes in place. Parter predicts when components will become obsolete, surfaces last-time-buy dates, and market availability, and provides alternatives so companies can plan ahead.

What inspired you to start Parter?

Asaf: My co-founders and I saw the problem firsthand in engineering and manufacturing roles, particularly in the defense and automotive industries. Even the largest manufacturers were constantly firefighting because they lacked reliable data. That experience made it clear the entire industry needed a better way.

How large is the opportunity?

Asaf: The market is massive. Electronics and hardware manufacturing is in the trillions of dollars and growing in double digits annually. Every delay, compliance misstep, or missed component has a huge financial impact.

2) The Product

How does Parter’s platform work?

Asaf: We unify data from engineering, R&D, supply chain, and procurement into one system. Instead of each team working in silos, they collaborate on the same enriched insights. The platform predicts risks, suggests alternatives, and speeds up decision-making from the design stage all the way to production.

How is Parter different from existing systems like ERPs?

Asaf: ERPs are essential for running operations, but they are not built for live data. They rely heavily on manual entries, and insights are often missing or outdated. Parter does not replace the ERP. We enrich and monitor component data in real time, creating a live layer of intelligence on top of existing systems like ERP or PLM. This gives teams the visibility and foresight they need without changing their core infrastructure. Customers tell us it feels like their existing systems suddenly became smarter and more proactive.

Who is your target customer?

Asaf: We serve hardware companies of all sizes, but our strongest fit is medium to large enterprises with complex supply chains. We work with both OEMs and CMs, bridging the gap between them. Automotive, defense, and healthcare are great examples where delays and disruptions carry very high costs.

What results do customers see when they use Parter?

Asaf: When OEMs first start using the platform, their data is up and running, and available in real time in minutes. Our system saves engineers valuable time that they would have otherwise spent manually fetching data. Because of the time saved, engineers can turn to more productive work like building amazing designs. This results in faster time to market.

On the CM side, all of the above is true and we also help them quote more accurately. Quoting times drop from weeks to hours and margins improve due to the accuracy.

3) The Market

Why is now the right time for Parter?

Asaf: It’s the right time for three reasons.

1. Market pressure. The pandemic exposed fragile supply chains but the larger lesson is that risks like tariffs, export controls, and geopolitical disruptions are constant. Companies need to shift from reactive to proactive.

2. Outdated tools. Many hardware companies are still using systems that have not changed in 20 years. They now realize they need connected and modern platforms.

3. AI maturity. We can now parse millions of documents, BOMs, and compliance filings automatically. That enables insights that were impossible just a few years ago.

What are your thoughts on the current state of manufacturing?

Asaf: Manufacturing today is about managing complexity at scale. Beyond the pandemic, companies face constant challenges from geopolitics, tariffs, environmental regulations, and component obsolescence. Delays at companies like Boeing and Airbus show how disruptions can ripple for years. What has changed is mindset: manufacturers now recognize they need resilience built in, not bolted on after the fact. That means diversifying supply chains and relying on real-time intelligence. This is exactly what Parter enables, with live tariff visibility, global shortage tracking, and automated compliance.

Thanks for Reading!

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-Greg