Countries are trying to meet the demand for critical minerals, metals, materials and equipment parts needed for energy transition, along with onshoring and nearshoring supply chains for them. This dual focus on industrialization and energy transition will lead to bottlenecks and could slow the energy transition’s pace. How can innovative material substitution and new technologies reduce the constraints in the supply chain? What are some insights, strategies and real-world examples of how new materials and technologies could be leveraged to optimize efficiency, mitigate risks and adapt to evolving needs of energy transition? The ability to adapt and find new technological solutions for constraints in the supply chain will be even more critical in a world that is increasingly fragmented.