The Reason People Hate the ProcureTech Cup...

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Hi readers,

My throat is hoarse from yelling at my computer all week…

You see… We’re about halfway through the 2025 ProcureTech Cup tournament on LinkedIn…

It’s the time of year where for 11 days, I take a break from my regular digital procurement articles to shepherd 64 ProcureTech brands through a single elimination, bracket style, vote-based tournament in the quest to find LinkedIn’s favorite ProcureTech solution.

It’s a great way for procurement professionals to quickly and easily get exposed to the “art of the possible” in the ProcureTech space.

As an example, you can check out the Round of 32, Group 1 post which is still open for voting until tomorrow at 8am ET!

So why have been yelling at my computer?

Well, this year procurement professionals could fill out a prediction bracket if they wanted to test out their ProcureTech market chops.

I filled one out…

And this is how it’s going…

Thankfully, no one is doing much better than I am… 😅

We’ll see what another week does to our egos… 😂

If you haven’t tuned into the action yet, there’s still 1 week for you to get involved.

Here’s how:

• Download the tournament ebook (below 👇)

  • Watch solution demos

• Vote for your favorite solutions as the round posts get published on my LinkedIn profile daily at 9am ET.

In today’s post, I’ll address the most common critique I get about the event. You’ll also get more insight into how it all works 😊

Onwards!

📰 In this week’s edition:

• 🏆 2025 ProcureTech Cup Tournament Update

• 🌙 Why People Hate the ProcureTech Cup

Note: Some of the content listed above is only available in the email version of this newsletter. Don’t miss out! Sign up for free to get the next edition.

Grab the 2025 ProcureTech Cup Tournament ebook!

200+ digitally-minded procurement professionals have already grabbed this year’s edition of the ProcureTech Cup Almanac.

They’re using it to get an overview of ProcureTech’s latest and greatest in 2025.

The 64 ProcureTech Cup participants have provided their:

• Company details

• Solution category

• HQ location

• Solution demo links

• Etc.

In an easy to read and navigate format.

Grab your copy before the tournament ends!

The 2025 ProcureTech Cup tournament is already halfway done!

If you missed the action this week, here are the links to catch up on the action:

• Episode 1 - Tournament Setup (13 mins)

• Episode 2 - Round of 64, Group 1 Results (12 mins)

• Episode 3 - Round of 64, Group 2 Results (14 mins)

• Episode 4 - Round of 64, Group 3 Results (17 mins)

  • And special guest!

• Episode 5 - Round of 64, Group 4 Results (13 mins)

Tune in on LinkedIn Live every day this week @ Noon ET on my LinkedIn profile to get all the results while they’re sizzling hot.

What is the ProcureTech Cup? Start Here.

Why People Hate the ProcureTech Cup…

This week I got a few messages like this regarding the ProcureTech Cup on LinkedIn:

And you know what? I completely agree with this comment!

The truth is, comparing a spend analytics platform to a sourcing tool is indeed like comparing apples to oranges (or pears? 😅).

They solve different problems, serve different functions within the procurement ecosystem, and deliver value in completely different ways. One might excel at providing visibility into spending patterns, while the other streamlines the supplier selection process and generates negotiated savings.

Both valuable, but in their own distinct contexts.

Furthermore, a sourcing system designed for small/medium businesses will provide a fundamentally different value proposition than one built for complex enterprises with global supply chains, multiple backend ERPs and master data challenges that will make your head spin... The context matters enormously.

The Real Purpose of the ProcureTech Cup

So why run the ProcureTech Cup at all if I'm acknowledging this fundamental limitation?

Because the ProcureTech Cup was never designed to be a definitive ranking of which technology is objectively "better" than others. Instead, it serves as:

• An educational showcase. Introducing procurement professionals to the rich diversity of solutions available in today's market.

• A community-building exercise. Bringing together vendors, practitioners, and thought leaders in a fun, engaging format that promotes the space.

• A conversation starter. Prompting deeper discussions about how we evaluate and select technology.

Context Is Everything

The most important lesson from this tournament isn't about which vendors advance to the next rounds… It's about understanding that the "best" technology is always contextual. What works brilliantly for one organization might be a poor fit for another.

When evaluating procurement technology for your organization, you need to consider:

• Your specific objectives and strategic priorities

• Existing systems, integration requirements and technological debt

• Your team's capacity and technical capabilities

• Organizational constraints (budget, IT policies, etc.)

• Industry-specific requirements and compliance needs

• The vendor's non-software capabilities (e.g. language support) and company culture

Beyond the Tournament

While the head-to-head matchups create excitement and visibility, the real value comes after the Cup, when procurement leaders take that awareness and apply critical thinking to their own unique circumstances.

The most successful technology implementations I've witnessed haven't come from organizations blindly adopting the "winner" of any competition, following solution rankings, or even relying on analyst reports...

They've come from teams who thoroughly understood their objectives and needs, carefully evaluated options against their specific criteria, and implemented solutions that aligned perfectly with their organizational context…

Looking Ahead to 2026…

As I already start looking ahead to next year's tournament, I’m exploring ways to better highlight these contextual differences — perhaps through category-specific insights or deeper dives into use cases.

What remains unchanged is my commitment to elevating the conversation around procurement technology and helping organizations make more informed decisions.

So yes… Comparing different types of ProcureTech solutions to find the “best ones” doesn't make much sense… And that's precisely why the conversation around how we evaluate, select and implement procurement technology needs to continue…

Let's use the excitement of the Cup as a starting point, not the final word, on our procurement technology journeys.

What do you think?

How can we better balance the fun, educational aspects of the ProcureTech Cup with the nuanced reality of technology selection? I'd love to hear your thoughts.

Let me know in the comments 👇

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