#118: Digital Product Series: OpenBOM

In this episode of the Stay Sharp podcast, Juliann and Jonathan continue their digital product series with returning guest Oleg Shilovitsky, Co-Founder and CEO of OpenBOM. With over 25 years of experience in PLM and engineering software, Oleg unveils what truly sets OpenBOM apart—and why traditional PLM systems fail modern manufacturing organizations.

From the shift from single-company databases to interconnected digital networks, to how product data must support real-time collaboration across engineering, procurement, and manufacturing, Oleg explains how OpenBOM tackles an industry-wide pain point: sharing the right data with the right people at the right time.

He also introduces the concept of product memory—a foundational element for enabling AI and next-generation decision-making across engineering lifecycles.

Key Discussion Topics

• Why traditional PLM systems were built for single-company control, not interconnected supply chains
• The “Google Sheets paradigm” and why customers value OpenBOM’s ease of adoption
• How OpenBOM enables secure data sharing across multiple companies without compromising independence
• The technology driving it: graph-based data models, polyglot persistence, and cloud-native microservices
• Signals that a company is ready for OpenBOM: complex products, limited resources, and fast-paced innovation cultures
• Using OpenBOM to bridge engineering and procurement (and eradicate Excel chaos)
• Introducing Product Memory—the data layer that enables AI-driven design and lifecycle intelligence

Memorable Quote

“AI starts with the right data. If you can’t feed the AI with clean product memory, you’ll just get noisy answers. That’s why OpenBOM builds the data foundation first—everything else comes from that.”

— Oleg Shilovitsky

If this episode helped clarify what modern PLM tools must deliver—and how product data can become a strategic advantage—make sure to:

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Stay tuned and stay sharp.