When Anthony Sardain began developing Cavela in 2023, an AI startup that helps brands automate supplier sourcing, he did not foresee that new tariffs would drive customers to become increasingly wary of manufacturing products in China. “You don’t just walk into Vietnam and build up a supply chain,” Sardain told TechCrunch. “A lot of brands find one supplier, and they hang on for the rest of their life, because they really don’t want to lose it.” That’s especially true for small and midsize