The Origin Story of Diagon - Building a Marketplace for Manufacturing Equipment

In this inaugural episode of the *Movers and Makers* podcast, hosts Greg Smyth and Will Drewery, co-founders of Diagon.ai, dive into the founding story of Diagon, sharing their unique experiences from Tesla and their time working in Russia and Iraq. Greg and Will discuss their vision for revitalizing American manufacturing, touching on the topics of venture capital, the importance of founder intuition, and the need for re-industrialization in the face of political and supply chain hurdles. They also introduce the three core themes for upcoming episodes of the podcast: factory-building strategies, deep dives into manufacturing processes, and valuable market insights. This episode sets the stage for future discussions on the cutting-edge of manufacturing innovation.

 

In This Episode:

• (00:00) Introduction to Movers and Makers podcast, origin stories, San Fransisco event
• (02:55) Impactful experiences at Tesla, and in Russia and Iraq 
• (09:30) Greg’s Russia story, Will’s Fallujah story
• (14:30) Naming inspiration for Diagon from Harry Potter, motivation for starting the company, angel investing
• (23:06) Venture capital - challenges and issues
• (28:23) Understanding the total addressable market (TAM) in manufacturing 
• (31:25) Role of founder intuition in recognizing opportunities, rising technology and the Mom test, re-industrialization - carrots vs. sticks
• (38:50) Challenges of tariffs, political regimes, and supply chain disruptions 
• (41:37) Future episode themes, manufacturing processes, technology, current events, and market insights
• (47:58) Closing thoughts

 

About the show:

The Movers and Makers podcast, powered by Diagon.ai, explores the future of manufacturing and supply chain innovation. Hosted by Diagon co-founders Will Drewery and Greg Smyth, the show will cover factory-building strategies, manufacturing processes, and market insights. With expertise from Diagon, a leader in reshoring and streamlining manufacturing equipment procurement, the podcast offers valuable perspectives for engineers, executives, and enthusiasts, aiming to optimize supply chains and drive efficiency in the industry.

 

About the hosts:
Will Drewery is the founder and CEO of Diagon, a procurement marketplace for manufacturing equipment. With a background in equipment buying, Will’s career began as a DOD contractor in Iraq (2009), followed by his work at Tesla (2012-2018), where he built and led the equipment procurement team. He also has deep tech experience with Social Construct and Astra. Will's career has focused on simplifying the complex process of sourcing, financing, and managing machinery for high-tech industries like batteries and aerospace, leading him to create Diagon.

Greg Smyth is a co-founder and current VP of Supply Chain for Diagon, as well as a venture partner and podcast host. Greg has extensive experience in engineering, supply chain management, and investment. Originally from Newfoundland, Canada, Greg worked at ExxonMobil for 8 years before moving to Silicon Valley in 2016. At Tesla, he spent 4 years negotiating contracts, leading the development of self-driving hardware, and managing full life cycle commodity procurement—from raw materials to recycling. Greg is also an angel investor who continues to drive Diagon’s growth and success.

 

Resources:

Diagon.ai