🌐 Battery & Energy Storage Meetup - How to Build Leverage with Your Suppliers for Startups

Supply strategy and building a resilient supply chain has always been a challenge for startups. Finding the right vendor who can fill the knowledge gap and make a business case amid uncertainties can be a major bottleneck. On the other hand, changing designs, tight timelines, limited design and manufacturing expertise, and last-minute design changes limit a startup's ability to build leverage with their suppliers.

On August 19, we're sitting down with Randa Itani to discuss robust supply strategies and ways for startups to build leverage with their suppliers in the face of these challenges.

About Randa

Randa Itani is a supply chain executive and independent consultant who specializes in transforming complex product and manufacturing operations into scalable, production-ready systems. With over a decade of experience across global companies and startups, she brings deep expertise in product engineering, supplier strategy, and operational excellence — particularly in the energy, battery, and transportation sectors.

As the founder of Randa Itani Consulting, she partners with organizations developing advanced technologies to bridge the critical gap between innovation and real-world production. Her work focuses on material development, supplier qualification, and process verification, helping companies transition from promising prototypes to reliable, repeatable manufacturing at scale.

Randa is known for aligning engineering and supply chain functions to accelerate commercialization, especially in emerging and climate-focused industries. She's passionate about solving the operational challenges that often prevent breakthrough technologies from reaching the market.

Beyond her technical work, Randa is a strong advocate for effective communication and leadership. She actively supports initiatives that empower professionals — particularly women in tech — to navigate complex organizations and lead with confidence.

Agenda

• 5:00 – 5:45 PM: Arrive and mingle
• 5:45 – 6:45 PM: Fireside chat & Q&A
• 6:45 – 7:30 PM: Networking & Closing

About The Battery Saloon

The Battery Saloon is a San Francisco-based deep tech battery technical commercialization hub founded in August 2024. We work with early-stage technical founders to build products designed for manufacturability, standardization, and scalability from the outset — while also teaching the art of storytelling and customer-driven product development.

About 9Zero

We're a members-only community of founders, investors, scientists, and innovators accelerating climate solutions through meaningful relationships. Apply to join at www.9Zero.com.

This is a 🌐 9Zero Cluster Meetup, a sector-specific group led by subject matter experts. With online tools and monthly in-person meetups, they help 9Zero members meet others in their area of interest.