Supplierthon Methodology: The 2021 BMW Quantum Computing Challenge
Rafael Sotelo, Terrill L. Frantz · IEEE Engineering Management Review · 2023
The “Supplierthon” methodology is BMW Group's supplier scouting method that can be especially effective for identifying partners in R&D projects. This article describes the supplierthon methodology developed at BMW and reports on how it was applied as the company sought to identify new partners for its entry into quantum computing. In total, three members of BMW's quantum computing and business development team are interviewed to learn how the process works, how it was applied to the case of quantum computing, and what the outcomes were—both expected and unexpected.