Vendra

What do they actually do

Vendra is a U.S.-only marketplace where engineering and procurement teams submit a single RFQ with CAD/files, and Vendra matches the job to vetted U.S. suppliers, runs outreach, and aggregates quotes for the buyer to compare and select. The site supports common 3D and 2D formats (e.g., STEP/IGES/SolidWorks, DWG/DXF, PDFs) and positions the service as a broker layer that facilitates competitive quoting rather than a factory itself Vendra site, YC profile, terms.

Accounts are restricted to U.S. entities/citizens and uploads require an ITAR acknowledgment, indicating a focus on U.S.-based, compliance-sensitive work such as aerospace and defense terms, privacy/ITAR note. Public hiring and company blurbs suggest they are actively serving or pursuing aerospace/defense and larger hardware teams Work at a Startup.

They also describe a near-term product direction toward an “AI-native” vendor/project management experience, but public materials today center on RFQ submission and quote collection rather than a fully featured AI copilot at scale YC Launch.

Who are their target customer(s)

• Aerospace or defense hardware design engineer: Needs ITAR-capable, U.S.-based suppliers with relevant certifications and often spends hours finding and vetting vendors and waiting on quotes that slow programs privacy/ITAR, Work at a Startup.
• Procurement manager at a mid‑to‑large hardware company: Runs many RFQs via email/spreadsheets, chases vendors for responses, and struggles to compare price/lead time/capabilities efficiently Vendra site.
• Supply chain or operations manager for high‑mix, low‑volume manufacturing: Must keep many unique parts, files, quotes, and supplier statuses organized; current tools are fragmented, leading to versioning errors and missed deadlines Vendra site, YC Launch.
• Program manager on a federal/regulated contract: Needs documented proof of U.S.-based, compliant suppliers and spends significant time on manual vetting and audit prep terms, privacy/ITAR.
• Engineering lead at a hardware startup scaling from prototype to small‑batch production: Lacks a reliable supplier network and sees inconsistent quotes, lead times, and quality between builds, risking missed milestones YC profile.

How would they acquire their first 10, 50, and 100 customers

• First 10: Leverage YC/founder warm intros and targeted LinkedIn outreach to engineering/procurement leads in aerospace/defense and hardware startups; run hands‑on pilots handling one or two real RFQs end‑to‑end to prove speed and supplier fit, then convert wins into short case studies Vendra site, privacy/ITAR, YC profile.
• First 50: Scale outbound with a small BDR team focused on procurement pain (slow quotes, spreadsheet chaos), offering short paid pilots and an RFQ audit to show time and compliance savings; use early case studies and vetting proofs to get procurement sponsors Vendra site, hiring/BDR focus.
• First 100: Productize onboarding (self‑serve RFQ and clear compliance checks), add integrations and workflow templates, and build channel partnerships with primes, trade associations, and vetted supplier networks; keep a compliance‑heavy CS motion for ITAR/federal programs terms, YC Launch.

What is the rough total addressable market

Top-down context:

Public industry data suggests tens of billions in U.S. annual spend on custom machined and fabricated parts: machine shops ~$37.4B and fabricated structural metal manufacturing ~$65.5B, with aerospace/defense providing a large regulated buyer base Statista, IBISWorld, AIA.

Bottom-up calculation:

A pragmatic SAM for U.S. RFQ‑addressable, low‑volume custom parts is ~$40–60B/year by combining machine shops (~$37.4B) plus a conservative 30–50% of fabricated structural (~$65.5B), e.g., $37.4B + (30% × $65.5B) ≈ $57B Statista, IBISWorld.

Assumptions:

• Fabricated‑metal industry figures overlap with machine‑shop revenue; only a fraction is low‑volume custom work sourced via RFQ.
• The marketplace primarily targets engineering/procurement buyers in high‑mix categories rather than commodity/high‑volume production.
• U.S.‑only/ITAR focus narrows scope but commands higher‑value, compliance‑sensitive spend terms.

Who are some of their notable competitors

• Xometry: Large on‑demand manufacturing marketplace with instant quoting, enterprise features, and ITAR‑capable workflows; broad U.S. supplier network makes it a reference point for speed and coverage site ITAR.
• Protolabs: Runs automated quoting and its own digital factories (plus a partner network) for very fast turnaround and automated DFM, positioning closer to a manufacturer than an open RFQ marketplace online quoting services.
• Fictiv: Curated manufacturing network that combines automated sourcing/quoting with engineering support and production services; geared to prototype‑to‑production sourcing rather than open bidding platform.
• MFG.com: Traditional RFQ marketplace where buyers post jobs and manufacturers bid; broad reach but typically more manual workflows and slower quote consolidation than instant‑quote platforms marketplace buyer workflow.
• Thomasnet: Supplier discovery directory for North American manufacturing with filters for certifications/compliance; useful for building vetted vendor lists rather than automating RFQ/quote aggregation supplier discovery procurement.