The SaaS CFO (Ben Murray)

Mindset AI, a London, UK-based software-as-a-service (SaaS) firm that helps businesses within the knowledge economy to digitize their services and scale their expertise, raised £1.65 million from Mercia and angel investors.

The funding will enable Mindset.AI to expand its team with several key appointments, boost its sales and marketing activity, and further enhance the platform.

I had a great conversation with Barrie Hadfield, CEO and co-founder of Mindset AI.

• Founded in 2020
• Staff of 50, fully distributed
• Just passed 1M ARR
• Sitting on the stairs at a conference and hatched the idea
• Uses ML to track key outcomes and customize the user experience
• Found product market fit; it was the right to raise and scale
• Wants to write a book on fundraising

Barrie’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/barriehadfield/

The SaaS News story: https://www.thesaasnews.com/news/mindset-ai-raises-1-65-million-in-funding

Headroom, a San Francisco, CA-based meeting platform leveraging artificial intelligence to improve communications and productivity, has announced that it raised $9 million in funding.

The capital brings total funding to date to $14 million and will be used to expand Headroom’s team, product development, and mobile offering.

I interviewed Julian Green, CEO and co-founder, using Headroom’s application. Julian has been involved in tech and startups since 1998.

Headroom is solving the problem of efficient meetings. We need better meetings and we need to put back the humanity in our interactions.

• Founded in 2020
• Recently raised $9M
• Staff of 14, fully remote
• Make sure you are aligned with investors on company milestones

Julian Green’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/juliangreen/

The SaaS News Story: https://www.thesaasnews.com/news/headroom-raises-9-million-in-funding

You may know David Spitz as the creator of the acclaimed Pacific Crest / Key Banc SaaS metrics survey.  He was a successful investment banker for over 30 years and then pulled the rip cord to found his own SaaS company.

David realized that traditional benchmarking is painful, using manual processes and ill-suited survey tools.  He founded Benchsights in 2021 to solve this pain.

With BenchSights, he built a software and data platform that focuses on software sales and compensation benchmarks.

David shares his investment banking journey and his experience as a first-time SaaS founder.

David’s LinkedIn Profile https://www.linkedin.com/in/dspitz/

Benchmark your SaaS sales Here https://benchsights.com/

Lionize, a New York-based SaaS leader in the influencer marketing industry announced that it secured a $3 million seed investment.

The round was led by St. Louis-based Cultivation Capital, with participation by ScOp Venture Capital, a Santa Barbara-based firm managed by DoubleClick founder Kevin O’Connor.

I spoke with Chris Buetti, co-founder and CEO of Lionize. He is a data scientist turned SaaS founder. The initial concept of Lionize started as an interview project. Chris learned the hard way through his agency that scaling micro-influencers campaigns is hard.

• Founded 2018
• Team size of 15
• North of 1M ARR
• 4.4M raised to date
• Chris wished he know more about the due diligence process
• When fundraising, try to get past the junior guys to the partners

Chris Buetti’s LinkedIn

Lionize fundraising story

Duel, a London, UK-based leading brand advocacy platform used by companies including ASOS, Dove, and Charlotte Tilbury, secured a $3 million (£2.5m) seed funding round led by SuperSeed.

The investment will enable Duel to continue its 13 percent monthly growth rate in 2022 and better serve its expanding global client base. I spoke with Paul Archer, CEO and Founder of Duel.

Paul’s tech experience dates back to when he wrote first video game at age 12. He founded Duel to turn word-of-mouth brand referrals into a scalable go-to-market motion.

• Founder 2016
• Raised $3M
• Based in London
• 30 staff and growing
• Took 5 years to find product market fit
• Paul discloses his ARR number
• Do reference calls on potential investors
•  

Paul's LinkedIn:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/paulkarcher/

Duel's Fundraising Story:  https://www.thesaasnews.com/news/duel-raises-3-million-in-seed-round

Mesh Payments, a New York-based corporate payment and spend management platform, raised $50 million in Series B funding.

The round was led by Tiger Global, with participation from Entrée Capital, Falcon Edge Capital, and existing investors TLV Partners and Meron Capital. I interviewed Oded Zehavi, CEO and co-founder at Mesh Payments.

He is a self-described “payments geek.” Mesh pivoted product strategy during the pandemic.

• $123M raised, series B of $50M
• 150 staff, 100 engineers
• NYC headquarters Servicing
• 1,000 global companies
• $1B payment value run rate
• Doubling down on market share growth
• Fundraising is about relationships

Oded Zehavi’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/odedzehavi/

Mesh’s fundraising story: https://www.thesaasnews.com/news/mesh-payments-raises-50-million-in-series-b

HPC-AI Tech, a Beijing, China-based artificial intelligence high-performance optimization platform, closed $6 million in seed and angel rounds.

The angel round was led by BlueRun Ventures China (BRV China); the funds will be mainly used to bring in more talented teams and expand the business market.

I interviewed Yang You, founder of HPC-AI Technology. He also holds a PhD and is a professor at the National University of Singapore. The number of parameters in AI modeling has increased 35x. Yang aims to make AI modeling faster and more efficient.

• Founded August 2021
• Team of 30
• Based in US and Singapore
• $7M raised to date
• $1M ARR
• Used open-source as a go-to-market strategy

Yang You’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/yang-you-0b92914b/

HPC-AI Technology’s Fundraising Story: https://www.thesaasnews.com/news/hpc-ai-tech-completes-6-million-in-funding

I interviewed Tom Ross, CEO of Andgo Systems. This is not your regular shift scheduling software. Andgo is innovating on intelligent shift fill automation in complex industries such as healthcare and manufacturing. No more waiting for sick calls and then manually calling employees to fill open shifts.

Not surprisingly the pandemic drove growth. The pandemic crushed the status quo and demanded the need for real-time analytics of labor staffing.

Tom discloses his ARR range in this episode and plans to hire another 5-10 staff on top of its 60 employees.

Andgo Systems (Andgo), a Saskatoon, Canada-based provider of intelligent workflow automation solutions for dynamic absence onboarding, shift filling, and vacation mapping raised $5.6 million CAD in Series A funding.

The round was co-led by First Ascent Ventures and Waterline Ventures, based out of Toronto and Boston, respectively.

Tom Ross’ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thomasrosscan/

SaaS Fundraising Story: https://www.thesaasnews.com/news/andgo-systems-raises-5-6-million-in-series-a

Devicie, a Sydney, Australia-based software startup that helps companies secure their workers’ laptops, announced that it raised $14 million AUD in Series A funding.

The round was led by New York-based private equity and venture capital firm Insight Partners, with participation from leading Australian cybersecurity firm CyberCX.

Devicie previously raised $1.3 million in seed capital from angel investors and the cybersecurity venture accelerator program CyRise.

I interviewed Martin McGregor, CEO and co-founder. Devicie was born out of a cybersecurity consultancy in 2020.

• $15.3M AUD raised in total
• Founded 2020
• Staff of 18 Millions of ARR, hoping to double
• Early prospects did not believe their product claims
• Would have been more selective with time spent with VC’s
• What’s next; automate onboarding

Martin McGregor’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mdmc/

Fundraising Story: https://www.thesaasnews.com/news/devicie-raises-14-million-in-series-a

Oort, a Boston, MA-based identity-centric enterprise security platform, raised $15 million in the funding of Seed and Series A rounds.

I interviewed Matt Caulfield, Founder and CEO at Oort. Matt put his time in as a cloud/systems engineer. While working at a Fortune 100 company, he saw a market opportunity in security and ditched his employee title for SaaS founder.

Oort will use the funds to grow and further accelerate its go-to-market (GTM) strategy and leadership in identity threat detection and response.

The round was co-led by .406 Ventures, Energy Impact Partners (EIP), and Cisco Investments and joined by existing investors including 645 Ventures, Bain Capital Ventures, and First Star Ventures.

• CFO's watch out! You are a security target.
• Oort protects against account takeovers
• Founded 2019
• Team size of 20
• $15M total raised
• Land and expand GTM strategy
• Very engaged customers were a signal to raise

Matt Caulfield’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mcaulfie/

Fundraise Story: https://www.thesaasnews.com/news/oort-raises-15-million-in-funding

I interviewed Thomas Ramsøy, CEO and founder of Neurons. Thomas holds a Ph.D. in Neuropsychology and was a clinical psychologist. He and his company have worked with some of the largest consumer brands in the world to understand how consumers respond to ads.

He is helping these brands stop the waste in their marketing budget.

• Founded in 2013
• Started as a consulting agency
• ~100 staff
• Based in Copenhagen
• Goal to hit 5M ARR in 2023
• 7M total raised + venture debt

Neurons, a Danish consumer neuroscience company that helps businesses better understand unconscious and conscious responses, secured over €6 million in seed funding.

Fairpoint Capital Vækstfonden and Finance Zealand backed the round.

The round will fund the development of unique, state-of-the-art products, the scaling up of the company to 200 employees, and will bring a sizeable increase in annual recurring revenue by 2025.

Thomas Zoëga Ramsøy’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tzramsoy/

Fundraising Story: https://www.thesaasnews.com/news/neurons-raises-over-6-million-in-seed-round/

I spoke with Hauke Feddersen, VP of Operations at PreciTaste. PreciTaste is a fascinating combination of AI and vision hardware. It optimizes food production at quick service restaurants.

PreciTaste, a New York-based Vision AI platform in operational optimization, raised $24 million in Series A to continue its mission to become the standard for digital food AI management in fast casual and QSR kitchens.

• HQ’s in New York and Munich
• Just passed 100 FTE’s
• Doubling growth
• $24M raised
• Huge total addressable market helped with the Series A raise
• Large customers helped refine the product
• Find investors who embrace your vision

Hauke’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hauke-feddersen-precitaste/

Fundraising Story: https://www.thesaasnews.com/news/precitaste-raises-24-million-in-series-a

I interviewed Ben Edmond, founder and CEO at Connectbase. Ben started his career in sales and product management in the telecom arena. He made the leap from employee to SaaS founder in 2015.

His company is connecting buyers and sellers of fiber and connectivity across the globe.

Connectbase, a Westborough, MA-based connectivity marketplace platform, announced that it raised $21 million in its Series C funding round led by DigitalBridge Ventures, the InfraTech initiative of DigitalBridge Group, Inc.

All existing Connectbase investors participated in the funding round, including Ascent Venture Partners, Harbert Growth Partners, Nauta Capital, and Osage Venture Partners.

Connectbase secured the new equity investment to drive the growth of its platform, fueled by the increasing global appetite for bandwidth. The latest funding will be used to enhance the company's Connected world platform capabilities, expand digital services into more global markets and grow its team—including its go-to-market organization.

• $48M total capital raised
• Staff of 82 in the Boston area and remote
• #1220 on the Inc 5000 list
• 500%+ three-year growth per Inc 5000
• PMF, crossing 10M ARR, major customers helped in Series C raise
• Luck favors the prepared; educate first go-to-market strategy
• 18 staff in Sales

Ben Edmond’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/benjaminedmond/

SaaS Fundraising Story: https://www.thesaasnews.com/news/connectbase-raises-21-million-in-series-c

I spoke with Mingsheng Hong, co-founder and CEO of Bluesky. Bluesky, a Menlo Park, CA-based formally launched its first product that provides unprecedented visibility into Snowflake workload usage and costs.

He couldn’t start coding his idea due to IP concerns when he was employed. However, soon after launching the idea, he raised funding and started to code the product.

Bluesky announced that it raised $8.8 million in seed funding led by Greylock, with participation from angels Ashish Thusoo (co-founder of Qubole), Jeff Hammerbacher (co-founder of Cloudera), and Johannes Gehrke (Microsoft Redmond research director).

• Founded 2022
• $9M Raised
• 12 FTE’s and hiring more
• Moved from % savings pricing model to subscription model
• Closer to $0 than $1M ARR
• If the founder’s vision doesn’t resonate with the VC, move on (fail fast)

Mingsheng Hong’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mingshenghong/

SaaS Fundraising Story: https://www.thesaasnews.com/news/bluesky-raises-8-8-million-in-seed-round

I interviewed David Weissman, CEO and co-founder of Humankind. He’s no rookie to e-commerce having spent 20+ years in the space. He’s worked for some of the biggest retail brands and has transformed that experience into a better online shopping experience for you.

Humankind, a Los Angeles, CA-based e-commerce brand's digital concierge, and conversational commerce platform, closed $4.2 million in seed funding to connect real product experts with online shoppers via SMS.

High Alpha Capital and Strand Equity co-led the round.

• Founded 2021
• 17 staff
• First customers through David’s network
• $4.2M raised
• Early sales traction right out the gate
• Find investors via warm intros
• Skip the analyst, talk to the VC partner

David Weissman’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidw/

SaaS Fundraising Story: https://www.thesaasnews.com/news/humankind-raises-4-2-million-in-seed-round

I spoke with Christian Ritosek, co-founder and CEO of CANDIS. He’s helping finance departments in German companies improve their AP technology. He should pass $10M ARR this year as CANDIS expands into Europe.

CANDIS, a Berlin, Germany-based fintech software provider, raised $16 million in its latest funding round to assist businesses in automating their accounts payable (AP) function, bringing CANDIS's total funding to $30 million.

The round was led by Viola FinTech and returning investor Lightspeed, and Viola Ventures also participated in the round. With a focus on the SME market, it will now concentrate on expanding its product offering with payments, building additional integrations, doubling down on core invoice management functionality, and expanding the team.

• Founded in 2015
• Started as a consulting agency
• Focused on the German market but expanding this year
• 110 staff, HQ in Berlin
• $30M raised to date
• Use warm intros to find investors
• Sell your big vision

Christian Ritosek’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/christianritosek/

Fundraising Story: https://www.thesaasnews.com/news/candis-raises-16-million-in-funding

I spoke with Dave Saunders, CTO of Galen Robotics. His company is creating the “Uber” of surgical robots. Galen Robotics will place robots at hospitals and charge per use. This helps increase access to the latest surgical robots. It’s a fascinating hardware and software play, but Dave states that 80-90% of the technology in surgical robots is software.

Galen Robotics, a Baltimore, Maryland-based Digital-Surgery-as-a-Service pioneer, completed a $15 million 1st close for an oversubscribed Series A funding round led by Ambix Healthcare Partners. This funding helped complete the final robot prototype and its submission to the FDA.

Funds will also be used to develop a clinical sales team, expand engineering, grow product development, and develop surgeon training programs.

• Founded in 2016
• Staff of 40; HQ in Baltimore
• Pre-revenue but hope to sell in 2023
• You need to show constant forward motion
• Don’t get greedy with valuation

Dave Saunders LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nemock/

Fundraising Story: https://www.thesaasnews.com/news/galen-robotics-raises-15-million-in-series-a/

I interviewed Kathy Zhu, co-founder and CEO at Streamline AI. Kathy has 10+ years of experience as a commercial lawyer and has built legal teams from the ground up. She was bitten by the startup bug and turned her own pain point into a SaaS solution.

Streamline AI, a San Francisco, CA-based intelligent intake platform for in-house legal teams, officially launched with $3 million in seed funding to supercharge how business teams work, starting with legal.

The round was led by Oceans Ventures, with participation from Scribble Ventures, Ridge Ventures, and other firms.

Streamline AI delivers visibility and metrics across G&A business units, starting with the costliest problem: legal teams.

• Founded 2020
• 1 year to build MVP
• HQ in Millbrae, CA; staff of 7
• Should pass $1M ARR in 2023
• Raised $3M to date

Kathy Zhu’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kathymzhu88/

SaaS Fundraising Story: https://www.thesaasnews.com/news/streamline-ai-raises-3-million-in-seed-round

I interviewed Philippe Humeau, CEO and co-founder at CrowdSec. He is creating the Waze for cybersecurity. If one firewall is having issues, the product can see the machines having the same issues and then block the IP.

The product is free, but CrowdSec will monetize the product by selling the signals to end users.

CrowdSec, a Paris, France-based Cyber Threat Intelligence (CTI) solution, announced raised €14 million in Series A funding round led by Supernova Invest, with participation from Breega.

CrowdSec intends to use this fresh capital to increase its staff from 20 to 45 individuals, strengthen its technical stack, ramp up revenues, extend its U.S. operations, and expand its global network of protected, collaborating devices from several hundred thousand to millions.

• Founded December 2019
• Virtual workforce but mostly in France
• North star KPI is number of installs
• Staff of 24 and growing
• Targeting 1.5M Euros ARR
• €14M Series A Seed round easy, Series A hard

Philippe Humeau’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/philippehumeau/

SaaS Fundraising Story: https://www.thesaasnews.com/news/crowdsec-raises-14-million-in-series-a

This is a special edition of the podcast covering the US R&D tax credit.  I invited Tyler Kem, President of Strike Tax Advisory, to discuss the latest on this tax credit.

There were big changes to section 174 of the tax law affecting small businesses that claimed this credit in the past.  No repeal of these changes is in sight, so we must understand where we stand today.

To understand your tax situation, reach out to your CPA, tax accountant, and/or R&D tax specialist.

Tyler Kem's LinkedIn:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/tylerkem/

Tyler's email:  tyler@striketax.com

From a basement project in 2015 to $33M raised to date, Unito is integrating disparate SaaS applications and improving workflows. I interviewed Mark Boscher, founder and CEO at Unito. Mark’s team uses a product-led growth (PLG) motion to acquire users. He’s at 50,000+ users and climbing.

Unito, a Montreal, Canada-based workflow management software, completed $20 million in Series B funding. CDPQ led the round, with participation from new investors Rainfall Ventures and Investissement Québec, as well as existing investors Bessemer Venture Partners, Tom Williams, and Mistral Ventures.

The fund will allow Unito to solidify its growing market traction—customers include Atlassian, Corpay, Teamwork, the Cincinnati Reds, and Wrike—and expand its connectors across the entire suite of digital productivity solutions.

• HQ in Montreal
• 70 staff
• $33M raised to date
• PLG sales motion
• 50K+ users

Marc Bosher’s Linked Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marcboscher/

SaaS Fundraising Story: https://www.thesaasnews.com/news/unito-raises-20-million-in-series-b

Join my SaaS community here: https://www.thesaasacademy.com/offers/ivNjwYDx/checkout

Follow me on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/benrmurray

Orderlion, a Vienna, Austria-based SaaS platform for the food and beverage industry, raised €4 million in pre-Series A funding, bringing its total raised to about €7.5 million since its 2018 inception.

I interviewed Stefan Strohmer, CEO and Co-founder. The technology has not changed in fifty years to help restaurants manage the supply chain back to suppliers. Stefan founded the company in 2018 and it took two years to build the MVP.

Orderlion is now re-planning to step up expansion plans, making B2B food supply chains more scalable. A European restaurant technology investment firm led the new investment round.

Additional investors include VC firms Rockstart, seed + speed Ventures, tecnet, and Gateway Ventures, among others.

The funding will be utilized for international expansion, growing the team, and extending the company's product line-up.

• Founded in 2018
• Staff of 30
• Remote company
• Raised 7.5M to date
• 3 phases to growth

Stefan Strohmer’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stefanstrohmer/

SaaS Fundraising Story: https://www.thesaasnews.com/news/orderlion-raises-4-million-in-pre-series-a

Join my SaaS community here: https://www.thesaasacademy.com/offers/ivNjwYDx/checkout

Follow me on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/benrmurray

Aug X Labs, a New York-based AI video technology startup, raised $1 million in pre-seed funding to use AI to democratize video creation by content creators.

I interviewed Jeremy Toeman, Founder and CEO, who has a long history of building consumer apps. He built an AI-assisted visual storytelling service that saves time and money for creators.

The company is building an AI-based visual storytelling platform that automatically transforms text or audio prompts into compelling, purpose-driven videos that convert audiences. Its platform allows users to automatically augment their video creations using open or licensed media (photos, short clips, etc.), generative media (AI Art), and owned media.

Aug X Labs' initial investors and advisers include Yohei Nakajima (Untappd.VC), Noah Gale (Co-Founder, Tribe AI), Marc Whitten (SVP & GM, Create @ Unity), Alanna Gregory (Crosscut VC), David Beck (Brightcove), Ben Parr (Octane.AI), Rahim Fazal (CEO of SV Academy/x-Oracle), Jesse Redniss (Qonsent), Avner Ronen (founder, Boxee), Kevin Conroy, Rob Hoffer, Ryan Bricklemyer, Deep Banerji, Scott Ryan, and others.

• Founded January 2022
• $1M raised to date
• 9 staff and 3 contractors
• Pre-revenue
• Engage investors early and be prepared

Jeremy Toeman’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jtoeman/

SaaS Fundraising Story: https://www.thesaasnews.com/news/aug-x-labs-raises-1-million-in-pre-seed-round

Join my SaaS community here: https://www.thesaasacademy.com/offers/ivNjwYDx/checkout

Follow Ben on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/benrmurray

Airplane, a San Francisco, CA-based software-as-a-service (SaaS) development platform, closed a $32 million Series B funding round led by Thrive Capital with participation from Benchmark, bringing the startup’s total raised to $40.5 million.

I interviewed Ravi Parikh, Co-Founder at Airplane. He is also the former co-founder of Heap. Ravi is on a mission to automate the harder part of admin tools in applications. This is the behind-the-scenes code necessary to run your applications.

Airplane has a sales and PLG led motion. His former founder background helped with current capital raises.

Segment co-founder Calvin French-Owen, Confluent co-founder Neha Narkhede, former GitHub CEO Nat Friedman, Vercel CEO Guillermo Rauch, Airtable co-founders Howie Liu and Andrew Ofstad, Allison Pickens from The New Normal Fund, Behance founder Scott Belsky, Jaren Glover, Gokul Rajaram, Liu Jiang, Comma Capital, and several others also participated in the round.

The funds will be put toward growing Airplane’s team while expanding its product to new markets.

• Founded in December 2020
• Staff of 20
• $40.5M Raised
• Sub 10M ARR
• SLG + PLG
• Developer Tools

Ravi Parikh’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/raviparikh2/

SaaS Fundraising Story: https://www.thesaasnews.com/news/airplane-raises-32-million-in-series-b

Join my SaaS community here: https://www.thesaasacademy.com/offers/ivNjwYDx/checkout

Follow me on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/benrmurray

I have a special edition of the show today.  I recently attended a great software event co-hosted by GLC Advisors and a private equity firm. They provided the latest insights into what’s happening on the front lines of software M&A.

I want to share these insights with my SaaS community, so I invited Jim Williams with GLC Advisors onto the show for a Spring M&A Update.

We cover the following and more.

• Deal volume in 2021 and 2022
• Valuation trends in 2021, 2022, and today
• Bid/Ask spread differences
• Credit market impact on levered buyout deals
• Is it a buyer's or seller's market
• Valuations are under pressure
• What does it take for 10x ARR valuation?
• Why SaaS metrics are being scrutinized
• Platform vs add-on buys
• What to expect in 2023 and beyond

Jim Williams LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/james-williams-5754953/

Join my SaaS community here: https://www.thesaasacademy.com/offers/ivNjwYDx/checkout

Follow me on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/benrmurray

Laika (now Thoropass) provides a SaaS platform for companies to establish compliance practices to meet requirements from regulators and enterprise customers. The platform combines automated infosec workflows, audits, monitoring, and vendor diligence while subject matter experts support customers at every step of the compliance process.

I interviewed Austin Ogilvie, the Co-CEO and Founder of Laika. He also founded YHAT, a machine learning infrastructure product, and worked at OnDeck Capital. Austin is self-taught in technical skills, primarily using Python, and his latest company is aimed at B2B software companies of all sizes.

Austin shares his insights on the importance of understanding compliance requirements and implementing the right controls in a robust manner.

• Founded 2019
• Staff of 190
• $50M Series C
• $100M raised to date
• Should pass $10M ARR
• Raise when you don’t need it

[00:00:22] Information security and compliance.

[00:03:31] Vendor risk in enterprise customers.

[00:07:23] Compliance in B2B SaaS.

[00:13:51] Company's funding history.

[00:14:48] SaaS fundraising lessons.

[00:18:11] New information security standards.

Austin Ogilvie’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/austinogilvie/

SaaS Fundraising Story: https://www.thesaasnews.com/news/laika-raises-50-million-in-series-c

Join my SaaS community here: https://www.thesaasacademy.com/offers/ivNjwYDx/checkout

Follow me on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/benrmurray

Saile, a Kansas City, MO-based startup that developed patent-pending AI technology that creates personality-driven sales robots known as “sailebots”, raised $1.35 million in seed funding.

I interviewed Nick Smith, CEO and Founder at Saile. He’s leveraging his sales background to help sales reps triple their productivity. His current ideal customer profile is Fortune 1000 companies.

Saile’s technology learns deeply about individual sales reps to boost their productivity.

The round was led by Atlanta-based Valor Ventures, with participation by the KCRise Fund, a Kansas City-based venture capital firm.

• Founded 2018
• $1.35M Raised
• KC and NYC
• 18 staff and growing
• Triple sales rep productivity

Nick Smith's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nixmith/

Saile's LinkedIn:  https://www.linkedin.com/company/saile/

SaaS Fundraising Story: https://www.thesaasnews.com/news/saile-raises-1-35-million-in-seed-round 

Join my SaaS community here: https://www.thesaasacademy.com/offers/ivNjwYDx/checkout

Follow Ben on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/benrmurray

Jua's weather prediction model will provide a global one-kilometer square's worth of coverage every five minutes and can predict more than fifteen different weather-based parameters, including precipitation, air pressure, wind speed, and wind direction.

I interviewed Andreas Brenner, Co-founder and CEO of Jua. He’s had a previous exit in fleet management software to Battery Ventures. Now, he’s tackling weather.

Jua plans to provide startups, companies, government institutions, and researchers with the ability to create purpose-built weather models in a matter of hours. Jua is pre-revenue and experimenting with its ideal customer profile.

• Founded April 2022
• $2.5M pre-seed round
• Staff of 17
• Pre-revenue
• Luck favors the prepared

Andreas Brenner’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andreasbrenner/

SaaS Fundraising Story: https://www.thesaasnews.com/news/jua-raises-2-5-million-in-pre-seed-round

Join my SaaS community here: https://www.thesaasacademy.com/offers/ivNjwYDx/checkout

Follow me on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/benrmurray

Spiny creates software and solutions specifically designed for digital publishing businesses. They streamline business data, provide insights, and optimize revenue.

I interviewed Nana Nyantekyi, Founder at Spiny.ai. Nana discusses his experience in the digital media startup industry and CBS Interactive, and how those experiences led him to create Spiny.ai.

Spiny.ai facilitates easier data manipulation for publishers and allows them to use data to power their digital media businesses more effectively.

• Founded 2020
• $2.5M Seed Round
• 13 Staff
• HQ in Nashville, TN, USA

Nana Nyantekyi’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nana-b-nyantekyi-3740aa103/

SaaS Fundraising Story: https://www.thesaasnews.com/news/spiny-ai-raises-2-5-million-in-funding

Join Ben’s SaaS community here: https://www.thesaasacademy.com/offers/ivNjwYDx/checkout

Follow Ben on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/benrmurray

KYP is a risk intelligence platform that delivers continuous, real-time partner monitoring and holistic intelligence. It recently announced an £800,000 pre-seed round.  KYP is based in London.

The investment was from US-based 1414 Ventures, BH Ventures, and some leading UK angel investors.

I interviewed Alan Nagle, founder and CEO at KYP.  Alan is originally from Dublin and has a long history in fraud prevention.  KYP, or Know Your Partner, monitors supplier risk continuously rather than on a periodic basis.

Alan states that investors have opened a bunch of doors for new prospects.  Get the leads and then attack with a repeatable founder-led sales model.

• Founded 2021
• £800K pre-seed round
• 7 staff
• London

Alan Nagle’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alan-nagle-9524941/

SaaS Fundraising Story: https://www.thesaasnews.com/news/kyp-raises-800-000-in-pre-seed-round

Join Ben’s SaaS community here: https://www.thesaasacademy.com/offers/ivNjwYDx/checkout

 Follow Ben on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/benrmurray

Subscribe to Ben’s SaaS newsletter: https://mailchi.mp/df1db6bf8bca/the-saas-cfo-sign-up-landing-page

Revend, an Antwerp, Belgium-based company that provides a SaaS e-commerce tool to defend your e-commerce revenue, raised €1 million in seed funding. Revend protects risks posed against your revenue.

The round was led by Pitchdrive, with participation from Seeder Fund and business angel Pieter Casneuf.

I interviewed Peter Wellens, co-founder and CEO at Revend. Peter is a commercial engineer by trade. He’s founded several companies in the solar and social network spaces. Peter wanted to raise from a position of strength. He landed trial customers that potential investors could speak to.

The funds will be used to hire additional engineering talent and prepare for a full release to the broader market. The company also received a grant from the federal government that supports the development of AI and innovative technology.

• Founded 2022
• Staff of 6
• Pre-revenue
• 20 trial customers
• HQ in Antwerp
• Be capital efficient

Peter Wellen’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/peterwellens/

SaaS Fundraising Story: https://www.thesaasnews.com/news/revend-raises-1-million-in-seed-round

Join Ben’s SaaS community here: https://www.thesaasacademy.com/offers/ivNjwYDx/checkout

Follow Ben on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/benrmurray

Subscribe to Ben’s SaaS newsletter: https://mailchi.mp/df1db6bf8bca/the-saas-cfo-sign-up-landing-page

Zift Solutions, a Cary, NC-based provider of Partner Relationship Management (PRM) and Through-Channel Marketing Automation (TCMA) software, recently announced that it raised $70 million in funding.

I interviewed Gordon Rapkin, CEO of Zift Solutions. Gordon is a serial CEO, and it shows in his knowledge, experience, and insight. He is a 5X CEO.

The round was led by Investcorp Technology Partners (“ITP”) with participation from existing institutional investors Arrowroot, Oxx, SSM, and AshGrove Capital.

Zift will use the $70M to invest in its go-to-market engine, marketing awareness, new geographies, and in innovation.

It takes twice as long as you think to raise capital according to Gordon, but he saw improving SaaS metrics, win rates, and a repeatable sales process.

• Founded 2006
• HQ in Cary, NC
• 120 staff
• Sub $20M ARR
• Recent $70M raise
• Partner Community Management

Gordon Rapkin’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gordonrapkin/

SaaS Fundraising Story: https://www.thesaasnews.com/news/zift-solutions-raises-70-million-in-funding

Join Ben’s SaaS community here: https://www.thesaasacademy.com/offers/ivNjwYDx/checkout

Follow Ben on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/benrmurray

Subscribe to Ben’s SaaS newsletter: https://mailchi.mp/df1db6bf8bca/the-saas-cfo-sign-up-landing-page

Vestico, a London, UK-based fashion tech startup that uses AI to help online shoppers find the perfect sizes and shades while buying a product, secured £250,000 in funding.

I interviewed Maddie Forman, co-founder and CCO at Vestico. She is a first-time founder with a strong sales background at Diageo. She met one of her co-founders, Maia Sasania, while getting her MBA.

Vestico is an all-in-one content, sizing, and personalization platform for fashion and beauty eCommerce. Type in your body measurements to see how fashion fits your body type. They are doing the same thing for the beauty industry.

The investment came from the early-stage-focused London-based venture capital firm Jenson Funding Partners.

The funds will be used to develop its technology further and transform the next generation of e-commerce. The company has already partnered with the Spanish fashion label Desigual and plans to expand its service to include more international brands over the next year.

• Founded 2020
• Team size of 4
• £250K pre-seed round
• Find founder/investor fit

Maddie Forman’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/maddie-forman/

Vestico’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/vestico-co/

SaaS Fundraising Story: https://www.thesaasnews.com/news/vestico-raises-250-000-in-funding

Join Ben’s SaaS community here: https://www.thesaasacademy.com/offers/ivNjwYDx/checkout

Follow Ben Murray on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/benrmurray

Subscribe to Ben’s SaaS newsletter: https://mailchi.mp/df1db6bf8bca/the-saas-cfo-sign-up-landing-page

Produce8, a Vancouver, BC, Canada-based SaaS startup that provides distributed and digital-first teams real-time visibility into the work getting done across all their business apps, raised $6 million in funding.

I interviewed Joel Abramson, CEO and co-founder at Produce8. Joel has a strong background in IT managed services and more recently as a partner at Top Down Ventures.

Produce8 is a digital work analytics platform. It helps teams understand how they leverage their technology and time to improve performance and protect employee wellbeing.

Produce8 plans to launch into the IT services market at the start of 2023 with expectations to expand across other industry verticals in quick succession.

• Founded Jan 2021
• HQ in Vancouver
• Raised $6M
• Staff of 20 and ramping
• Solve big problems

Joel Abramson’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joelabramson/

SaaS Fundraising Story: https://www.thesaasnews.com/news/produce8-raises-6-million-in-funding

Join Ben’s SaaS community here: https://www.thesaasacademy.com/offers/ivNjwYDx/checkout

Follow Ben on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/benrmurray

Subscribe to Ben’s SaaS newsletter: https://mailchi.mp/df1db6bf8bca/the-saas-cfo-sign-up-landing-page

Coho AI, a Tel Aviv, Israel-based product-led revenue platform raised $8.5 million in seed funding. Coho AI is a product-led revenue platform that enables companies to maximize the revenue potential of their user base.

I interviewed Itamar Falcon, co-founder and CEO at Coho AI. Itamar was born raised in Israel and has experience in product management and engineering.

Coho AI helps established companies that have reached product-market fit evolve into product insight-driven businesses. Coho AI shows companies that a product-led growth (PLG) methodology can be applied to a wide range of SaaS companies and at different stages of the customer lifecycle.

The round was led by Eight Roads, TechAviv, and a select group of angel investors, including company co-founder Ariel Maislos, Shlomo Kremer, Natan Linder, and other high-profile founders.

With this funding, Coho AI allows to further build its platform that accelerates growth for B2B SaaS companies by effectively “lifting the hood” on their customer usage data.

• Founded 2021
• HQ in Tel Aviv
• $8.5 raised
• Staff of 19
• ARR < 1M (at Feb-23)

Itamar Falcon’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/itamar-falcon/

SaaS Fundraising Story: https://www.thesaasnews.com/news/coho-ai-secures-8-5-million-in-seed-round

Join Ben’s SaaS community here: https://www.thesaasacademy.com/offers/ivNjwYDx/checkout

Follow Ben on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/benrmurray

Subscribe to Ben’s SaaS newsletter: https://mailchi.mp/df1db6bf8bca/the-saas-cfo-sign-up-landing-page

Wisor AI, a Tel Aviv, Israel-based advanced freight booking software solution, raised an $8 million seed round led by Team8.

I interviewed Raz Ronen, Co-founder and CEO Wisor. Raz served in the Israeli Air Force special forces and then jumped right into startup life.

Wizor is changing the way global freight is moving around the world by helping freight forwarders automate route planning, pricing, booking, payments, and more.

Other investors who participated in the round included Ocean Azul and Hico Investment Group, as well as pre-seed investors fresh.fund, Atooro Fund, The Dock, Seed IL Ventures, and Izaki Ventures.

The funding will expedite Wisor’s mission to digitize the global supply chain industry and empower freight forwarders to plan, price, and book a shipment in seconds instead of hours or days.

• Founded 2021
• HQ in Tel Aviv
• Staff of 26 and growing
• $8M seed round

Raz Ronen’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/raz-ronen/

Wisor’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/wisorai/

SaaS Fundraising Story: https://www.thesaasnews.com/news/wisor-ai-raises-8-million-in-seed-round

Join Ben’s SaaS community here: https://www.thesaasacademy.com/offers/ivNjwYDx/checkout

Follow Ben on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/benrmurray

Subscribe to Ben’s SaaS newsletter: https://mailchi.mp/df1db6bf8bca/the-saas-cfo-sign-up-landing-page

Giskard, a Paris, France-based software startup specializing in artificial intelligence quality, raised €1.5 million in a funding round led by Elaia with participation from investors including Bessemer Venture Partners.

I interviewed Alex Combessie, co-founder and CEO at Giskard. Alex started his career in finance and loved the data part of finance and strategic consulting. He went back to school for data science and became a software engineer and data scientist.

Giskard’s AI Test product allows for the building of automated tests on AI models to measure critical quality criteria, including ethics, robustness, and efficiency. Angel investors including Christine Balagué (Founder of Good in Tech), Julien Chaumond (CTO of Hugging Face), Oscar Salazar (Founding CTO of Uber), Nathalie Gaveau (Co-Founder of PriceMinister), Charles Gorintin (CTO of Alan), Nick Hernandez (CEO of 360Learning), Vincent Huguet (CEO of Malt), Shéhérazade Semsar de Boisséson (CEO of McCourt Global), Chris Schagen (ex-CMO of Contentful) and Victor Coisne (VP Marketing of Strapi) also participated in the round.

The investment will provide the startup with the firepower to engage in a sustained recruitment drive that will welcome additional talent to develop and commercialize its offer while venturing into new fields including computer vision, time series, and generative AI models.

- Founded 2021

- HQ in Paris

- Staff of 12

- 1.5M Pre-seed Round

Alex Combessie’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexcombessie/

Giskard’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexcombessie/

SaaS Fundraising Story: https://www.thesaasnews.com/news/giskard-raises-1-5-million-in-funding

Join Ben’s SaaS community here: https://www.thesaasacademy.com/offers/ivNjwYDx/checkout

Follow Ben on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/benrmurray

Subscribe to Ben’s SaaS newsletter: https://mailchi.mp/df1db6bf8bca/the-saas-cfo-sign-up-landing-page

Ramp, a London, UK-based forecasting analytics startup transforming how global finance teams plan for the future, raised $5 million in seed funding.

I interviewed Dan Marcus, co-founder and CEO at Ramp. Dan is a serial entrepreneur with a passion for SaaS. Ramp is helping mobile gaming apps forecast revenue more accurately.

The round was led by AlbionVC and Eurazeo with participation from Triple Point Ventures and angel investors including Barnaby Hussey-Yeo, CEO at Cleo, and Stephane Kurgan, Ex-COO at King.com, among others.

Ramp is a user and revenue forecasting startup that is transforming how global finance teams plan for the future. It uses an opinionated view of modeling the interactions between the different levers of a business and with additional models to optimize inputs such as seasonality and live ops.

- Founded 2018

- HQ in the UK

- Staff of 34

- Passing $1M ARR

- Raised $5M

Dan Marcus’ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dansmarcus/

Ramp’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/rampgrowth/

SaaS Fundraising Story: https://www.thesaasnews.com/news/ramp-closes-5-million-in-seed-round

Join Ben’s SaaS community here: https://www.thesaasacademy.com/offers/ivNjwYDx/checkout

Follow Ben on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/benrmurray

Subscribe to Ben’s SaaS newsletter: https://mailchi.mp/df1db6bf8bca/the-saas-cfo-sign-up-landing-page

Chronicle, a San Francisco-based startup that provides a presentation platform, raised $7.5 million in seed funding.

I interviewed Mayuresh Patole, founder at Chronicle. He has a background in management consulting. Mayuresh was great at creating presentations but knew there was a better, faster way to tell stories in the business world.

Chronicle was created to solve two main problems. The first is that creating slides is time-consuming because many presentation tools expect users to be visual designers, and most are not. The second is that the results are usually unappealing and static.

The seed round was co-led by Accel and Square Peg, with participation from angel investors from Apple, Google, Meta, Slack, Stripe, Superhuman, OnDeck, Adobe, and others.

- Founded in 2021

- Staff of 15

- $7.5M raised

- Investors value authenticity

Mayuresh Patole’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mayuresh-patole/

Chronicle’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/chroniclehq/

SaaS Fundraising Story: https://www.thesaasnews.com/news/chronicle-raises-7-5-million-in-seed-round

Join Ben’s SaaS community here: https://www.thesaasacademy.com/offers/ivNjwYDx/checkout

Follow Ben on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/benrmurray

Subscribe to Ben’s SaaS newsletter: https://mailchi.mp/df1db6bf8bca/the-saas-cfo-sign-up-landing-page

Sightfull, a San Francisco, CA & Tel Aviv, Israel-based company enabling strategic analysis of business data at scale, announced that it raised $18 million in series A funding.

I interviewed Noam Liran, co-founder and CEO at Sightfull. Noam has spent most of his career in cybersecurity. He worked at a company that was acquired by Microsoft and then spent three years at Microsoft in R&D.

Sightfull’s round was led by Dell Technologies Capital, with the participation of Norwest Venture Partners and Tiger Global.

The new investment brings total funding to $24 million and will accelerate product development, meet increasing market demand, and expand the Sightfull team across multiple departments.

Sightfull enables SaaS companies to quickly analyze vast amounts of complex business data to test and adjust their go-to-market strategies continuously.

- HQ in SF and Tel Aviv

- Founded in September 2020

- Staff of 30

- $24M Raised

Noam Liran’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/noamliran/

Sightfull’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/sightfull/

SaaS Fundraising Story: https://www.thesaasnews.com/news/sightfull-raises-18-million-in-series-a

Join Ben’s SaaS community here: https://www.thesaasacademy.com/offers/ivNjwYDx/checkout

Follow Ben on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/benrmurray

Subscribe to Ben’s SaaS newsletter: https://mailchi.mp/df1db6bf8bca/the-saas-cfo-sign-up-landing-page

Join us for an insightful chat with Michelle Duval, the dynamic founder and CEO of Fingerprint, as we explore her journey from pioneering one of the world's first coaching firms to creating an AI-powered tool for understanding cognitive biases and motivational traits at work.

Listen in as Michelle discusses the freemium user acquisition strategy and the success story of how Canva integrated Fingerprint into their onboarding process.

In the second part of our conversation, Michelle sheds light on the capital raising process, having secured AU $9 million to date, and the crucial milestones that guided their fundraising.

She offers valuable advice to SaaS founders about understanding investors and knowing the key metrics that drive a business. Don't miss out on Michelle's insights about the future of Fingerprint and their mission to make human development accessible through conversational generative AI.

-Founded 2017

-Staff of 43

-Around 1M ARR

-HQ in New Zealand but remote first

-6.5M USD raised to date

Subscribe to Ben's newsletter: https://mailchi.mp/df1db6bf8bca/the-saas-cfo-sign-up-landing-page

Fingerprint Linked: https://www.linkedin.com/company/fingerprint-for-success/

Michelle Duval's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michelleduval1/

SaaS Fundraising Story: https://www.thesaasnews.com/news/fingerprint-for-success-f4s-raises-au-5-million-in-seed-round

Welcome back to another episode of The SaaS CFO Podcast! In today's episode, we have the pleasure of speaking with Caitlin MacGregor, a true innovator in the field of talent assessment and CEO of Plum.

Caitlin takes us on a journey through the evolution of her company and shares valuable insights into the intersection of science, technology, and human potential. Join us as we delve into the challenges Caitlin faced when bridging the gap between developers and psychologists, the power of accurate data in the world of psychometric assessments in 2023, and the importance of creating a symbiotic relationship between individuals and employers.

This episode is packed with valuable information for anyone interested in revolutionizing talent practices and boosting organizational success. Stay tuned!

HIGHLIGHTS

00:00:48 Studied international development, became successful entrepreneur.

00:05:09 Focused on SMBs, solved data pain point, scaled to enterprise customers.

00:10:15 Myers Briggs not valid, use KPIs instead.

00:13:43 Too many limitations, needing better ways: Plum.

00:18:55 Large enterprises struggle with talent competition and distributed workforces. Retention and diversity are top priorities.

00:24:57 Navigating committees and stakeholders in procurement.

00:27:23 Talent platform gets funding from Pearson Ventures.

00:30:17 Fundraising is about finding believers and derisking.

00:34:51 Expanding team, empowering individuals, serving enterprises.

LINKS

Caitlin MacGregor’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/caitlinmacgregor/

Plum.io LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/plum-io/

SaaS Fundraising Story: https://www.thesaasnews.com/news/plum-raises-6-million-in-funding

Ben Murray’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/benrmurray/

Welcome back to The SaaS CFO Podcast! In this episode, our host Ben sits down with James Gasteen, co-founder and CEO of Unaric, to discuss his experience in the SaaS space and his vision for building the largest suite of apps on the Salesforce platform.  

James shares insights on the importance of cross-selling, the value of bringing together different products under one vendor, and the unique approach of Unaric as a holding company that acquires ISVs. 

He also discusses their investment thesis and the criteria they look for in potential acquisitions. Have an app that you’d like to sell? Tune in to learn more about James' journey and the exciting future of Unaric. Let's dive in!

HIGHLIGHTS

[00:00:12] 13-year veteran in Salesforce, ISV merger success. 

[00:04:43] Holding company acquires small ISVs for growth. 

[00:07:43] Unaric established July 2022, 8-person team. 

[00:12:06] Raised funds, shifted focus to software company. 

[00:13:44] Be clear with messaging, understand investment history, timing. 

[00:18:42] 3 of us have 35 years experience. Initial conversations through network and conferences. Chief architect has certification that opens doors. Community oriented ecosystem. Careful portfolio building. Service space makes sense. Cross selling between industries and buyers. Building relationships and getting validation. 

[00:23:34] Building app suite, cross-selling, customer success approach. 

[00:26:44] Loads of events at Unaric.com, Dreamforce party. 

Links

Saas Fundraising Stories: https://www.thesaasnews.com/news/unaric-raises-35-million-in-seedround 
 
James Gasteen’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jamesgasteen/ 

James Gasteen’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jgasteen/ 
 
James Gasteen’s Twitter: https://twitter.com/JGasteen 
 
Unaric’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/unaric/ 
 
Unaric website: https://www.unaric.com/ 
 
Follow Ben on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/benrmurray/ 

Welcome to The SaaS CFO Podcast! In this episode, Ben sits down with Vlad Podolyako, founder and CEO of Folderly. Vlad shares his background in entrepreneurship and his journey from running a successful B2B sales agency, Belkins, to creating Folderly, an email deliverability platform.  
  
Vlad dives into the problems they faced with email marketing at Belkins and how that led to the creation of Folderly. He explains how Folderly helps improve email performance metrics by fixing and monitoring issues with mailboxes, domains, templates, and content. Ben and Vlad also discuss the target audience for Folderly, which includes entry-level and advanced users in sales, marketing, and email analytics.  
  
Finally, Vlad shares some impressive revenue metrics and gives insights into the growth and remote team structure of Folderly. Tune in for an insightful conversation with Vlad on this episode of The SaaS CFO Podcast! 

HIGHLIGHTS

[00:02:15] In 2019, email marketing faced a problem with low open and reply rates. The solution involved addressing domain infrastructure and using the right ESP provider. This led to the creation of Folderly, a service to help clients with similar issues. 

[00:05:28] Three customer profiles: beginners, knowledgeable, and advanced in sales and marketing. The most important is understanding email outreach consequences. 

[00:11:00] Our brand focuses on lead generation email marketing. We have successful outbound processes and also generate around 30% organic traffic. We educate customers on various acquisition channels and aim to expand our customer base. 

[00:13:46] Google for startups offers funding, mentorship, and camps for entrepreneurs. Applicants fly to Silicon Valley or Europe to share their background, experience, and technology. Interviews and data sharing determine acceptance. 

[00:15:51] Start with an MVP, gain traction with clients and case studies to attract partners and investors. Show progress, don't fake it. 

[00:19:07] Expressing gratitude and reciprocity. 

Links

SaaS Fundraising Story: https://www.thesaasnews.com/news/folderly-receives-funding 
Vlad Podolyako’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chiefdata/ 
Folderly’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/folderly/ 
Folderly’s Website: https://folderly.com/ 
Follow Ben Murray on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/benrmurray/ 

Welcome to another exciting episode of The SaaS CFO Podcast! In today's episode, we have very special guests who will reveal the secrets to seamless billing in usage-based pricing in the SaaS industry.

Joining Ben are Griff Parry and John Griffin, co-founders of M3ter, a groundbreaking platform that is revolutionizing the way companies handle pricing, billing, and revenue operations. Get ready to dive deep into the world of SaaS finance as Griff and John, along with our host Ben, discusses the challenges of traditional pricing models, the power of usage-based pricing, and how M3ter is empowering CFOs to take control of their pricing strategies.

Whether you're a SaaS company looking to optimize your revenue streams or a finance professional seeking innovative solutions, you won't want to miss this episode. So grab your headphones, sit back, and get ready to unveil the secrets of successful SaaS invoicing on The SaaS CFO Podcast!

Highlights:

[00:01:13] Early engineering career led to big data. Sold and built systems, worked with Griff. Specialized in complex IT systems for media companies. Expanded to work with Disney, AT&T, Liberty. Used basic tools like IBM, WebSphere, Oracle.

[00:04:32] Usage based pricing pain points inspired Meta.

[00:06:48] M3ter helps CFOs control pricing decisions, billing, and revenue through their platform, which consolidates data sources and provides real-time billing and revenue information.

[00:13:29] Billing is difficult, revenue leakage is common, customer experience and continuous pricing are important. 00:15:47 Pricing agility and automation saves time, money.

[00:20:15] M3ter excels at complexity, billing, and usage-based models. Ideal customers are mid-sized software companies. Key decision-makers are CFOs or product leaders. Primarily focused on North America and Western Europe. Rapidly expanding customer base in APAC.

[00:24:34] Seed stage company, not established product-market fit.

[00:28:40] Easier the second time around for founders.

[00:29:34] Choose partners carefully; UK and US VCs helpful.

[00:33:29] Customer case studies showing platform impact.

Links:

Griff Parry’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/griffinparry/ Founder and CEO 
John Griffin’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/johnpgriffin/ Founder and CRO 
m3ter’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/m3ter/  
m3ter’s Website: https://www.m3ter.com/ 
SaaS Fundraising Stories: https://www.thesaasnews.com/news/m3ter-raises-17-5-million-in-seed-round 
Ben’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/benrmurray/ 

Welcome to The SaaS CFO Podcast! In this episode, we have the pleasure of speaking with Janis Vavere, the co-founder of Trace Space. Janis shares his journey from starting as a Sales Development Representative to becoming a sales leader and eventually starting his own company.

He discusses Trace Space's mission to empower and support innovators in the field of systems engineering. Janis explains the importance of requirements management in building complex products and how Trace Space aims to provide a purpose-built solution for engineers and innovators.

We dive into the industries that Trace Space focuses on, their team size, and their recent pre-seed funding round. Join us as we learn from Janis's experiences and dive deeper into the world of SaaS and engineering solutions. It's an episode you don't want to miss!

Highlights:

[00:00:18] Typical background, promoted, managed accounts, scaled company. Empowering innovators at Trace Space.

[00:03:32] Managing large accounts for systems engineering products; organizing user conferences; passionate about the founder persona; working with companies building future products to improve efficiency.

[00:09:11] Validating need, building team, obtaining practitioner validation.

[00:11:31] Early validation, luck, and market analysis key.

[00:15:42] LinkedIn is the best place to learn.

Links:

Saas Fundraising Stories: https://www.thesaasnews.com/news/trace-space-raises-1-5-million-in-pre-seed-round 
Janis Vavere’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/b2bsaas/ 
Trace Space LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/trace-space/ 
Trace Space Website: https://trace.space/ 
Ben’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/benrmurray/ 

Welcome to another episode of The SaaS CFO Podcast! In today's episode, our host Ben is joined by Luba Chudnovets, the co-founder and CEO of Cordless. Luba shares her background, including her experience at a bank, and how it led her to start Cordless. Cordless is a telephony platform that combines AI-driven conversation intelligence for customer support teams.

Luba explains how Cordless helps companies analyze support conversations, provide sentiment analysis, and automate call categorization. She also discusses the importance of 100% visibility in support conversations and the future of voice support analysis.

Tune in to learn more about Cordless' journey, their target market, and their unique approach to pricing. Let's dive in!

Highlights:

[00:01:42] Cordless is a telephony platform with AI-driven conversation intelligence for customer support. It helps companies analyze support conversations, providing sentiment analysis, automatic categorization of calls, call summaries, and enables teams to make outbound calls. The platform is focused on being user-friendly for agents and offering in-depth analysis of support interactions.

[00:03:10] Voice support company industry agnostic, but fintech and insurance resonate most. Compliance and customer support important for regulated businesses. Predicts all companies will use conversation analysis in future. Allows 100% visibility and quick reaction. Embracing Chat GPT technology.

[00:08:18] Multiple channels: outbound, trade shows, marketplaces integration, content marketing. Promising leads and website visits, but conversion is not yet strong.

[00:11:36] Raising funds is harder than expected, need different strategies for investors and customers, don't raise over summer.

[00:15:23] Feeling positive about mission, competitive product, hiring business development managers, working on Chat GPT technology, will change computer interactions.

[00:17:03] Check out Cordless.IO or email Luba at luba@cordless.io. Luba shared insights and experience today.

Links 

Saas Fundraising Stores: https://www.thesaasnews.com/news/cordless-raises-2-3-million-in-seed-round 
Luba Chudnovets’ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lubachudnovets/ 
Cordless LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/cordless/ 
Cordless Website: https://cordless.io/ 
Ben’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/benrmurray/ 

Welcome to another episode of The SaaS CFO Podcast! In today's episode, we have the pleasure of hosting Ratnesh Verma, founder and CEO of Pidge. Ratnesh shares his diverse background, which includes working in seven different countries and holding prominent positions at companies like Whitbread and Hyatt.  
 
Despite not having a tech background, Ratnesh ventured into the world of SaaS startups and founded Pidge. He discusses the timing and opportunity that led him to start the company in India's booming ecommerce ecosystem. Ratnesh also delves into the state of SaaS in India, highlighting the low digital adoption and legacy systems prevalent in the market. 

He then provides an in-depth look at the unique products and services Pidge offers, emphasizing its end-to-end logistics solution with a focus on cash on delivery, customer experience, and demand aggregation. We learn about Pidge's self-serve and low code approach, as well as its pay-as-you-go pricing model.  
 
Lastly, Ratnesh reveals that Pidge caters to anyone who delivers, regardless of the channel or industry, making it a versatile solution for various businesses. Stay tuned as we dive into the world of SaaS and logistics with Ratnesh Verma on this exciting episode of The SaaS CFO Podcast! 
 
Show Notes:
 
[00:02:12] Timing and opportunity fueled explosive growth in Indian ecommerce. It will reach a trillion by the end of the decade. The delivery ecosystem is fragmented and unorganized, which our solution is digitizing. 

[00:04:32] Pidge offers unique end-to-end logistics solution. 

[00:09:00] Keep it simple and understood by all. 

[00:13:16] Raise enough capital for successful deployment; continue rapid growth; launch additional services; expand nationally. 

[00:14:27] Fundraising is challenging, time-consuming, but rewarding. 

[00:18:05] Pidge In: One-stop source for all things 

Links:  
 
Saas Fundrasing Stories: https://www.thesaasnews.com/news/pidge-raises-3-million-in-funding 
Ratnesh Verma’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ratnesh-verma-8418a1a3/ 
Pidge LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/pidge-mobility/ 
Pidge Website: https://pidge.in/ 
Follow Ben on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/benrmurray/ 

In this episode of The SaaS CFO Podcast, I have the pleasure of hosting Max Brentzel, co-founder and CEO at Spoke AI. Max, hailing from Germany and now based in Berlin, shares his journey in the tech scene and how the city's startup ecosystem has evolved over the years.  
 
With a background in economics and international expansion, Max brings a unique perspective to the table. Tune in as he discusses Spoke AI's privacy-first AI products that help users streamline and prioritize their communication across various tools, ultimately saving time and increasing efficiency.  

Discover how Spoke AI's standalone app within Slack and web app cater to the needs of product managers, summarizing and organizing their busy channels and threads.  
 
Max also delves into the importance of user control and the future plans for Spoke AI's premium tier.  

Don't miss this insightful episode packed with valuable insights for SaaS founders and tech enthusiasts alike. 
 
Show Notes  

[00:01:54] AI products prioritize and summarize communication. 

[00:03:53] User controls communication data processing for privacy. 

[00:08:22] Limited company onboarding to ensure reliable Summarization. 

[00:10:13] Early core team, AI expertise = success. 

[00:15:27] Launching new product, enclosed beta in May. Exciting features coming to Slack app. 

Links 
 
SaaS Fundraising Story: https://www.thesaasnews.com/news/spoke-ai-raises-2-million-in-pre-seed-round 
Max Brenssell’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/max-brenssell/ 
Spoke.ai’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/spoke-ai/ 
Spoke.ai’s Website: https://www.spoke.ai/ 
Ben’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/benrmurray/ 

Welcome to The SaaS CFO Podcast! In today's episode, we have the pleasure of speaking with Paul Foster, founder and CEO of OnePlan. With a background in crowd science, Paul has extensive experience in managing large-scale events, including the Olympics. 
 
Frustrated with the traditional methods of event planning, Paul embarked on a mission to revolutionize the industry with OnePlan. This innovative platform offers 2D and 3D mapping technology that not only streamlines the planning process but also optimizes risk management and enhances operational efficiency.  
 
Join us as we dive into the world of event planning and discover how OnePlan is transforming the way we think about mapping and simulation. 
 
Show Notes 
 
00:01:36 Paralympic journey led to managing diverse events. 

00:05:25 3D models used in operational planning, security, and commercialization. 

00:08:56 Subscription model for event site plans. 

00:11:55 Startup partner of Olympic Games, advertising methods. 

00:14:12 Sustainable fundraising strategy, milestone-based growth, experienced investors. 

00:17:06 Lessons learned in fundraising and investor strategy. 

00:20:31 Focusing on target markets for progress and success. 

Links 
 
SaaS Fundraising Stories: https://www.thesaasnews.com/news/oneplan-raises-5-3-million-in-funding 
OnePlan LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/one-plan-events/ 
OnePlan Website: https://www.oneplanevents.com/ 
Paul Foster’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/fosteroneplan/ 
Ben’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/benrmurray/ 

Welcome to another episode of The SaaS CFO Podcast! In today's episode, I have the pleasure of hosting Charles Brecque, founder and CEO of Legislate. Charles shares his insights on the inefficiencies of dealing with contracts and the need for a better solution.  

He explains how Legislate's contract creation and management platform is aimed at people operations and finance, rather than legal teams. Charles also discusses their unique approach of using Knowledge Graph technology to track and analyze contract data.  

We delve into the challenges CFOs face with contract management and the value that Legislate brings to the table. So, join us as we dive into this fascinating conversation with Charles Brecque on The SaaS CFO Podcast! 
 
Show Notes 
 
[00:01:52] We offer a contract management platform for people operations and finance. Our key differentiators are user-friendly features and accurate contract tracking using Knowledge Graph technology. 

[00:05:53] Early stage company pivoting to focus on larger clients and empower businesses to create contracts without legal involvement. 

[00:08:45] Impressive growth, novel approach using knowledge graph, securing patents, ready for market after funding rounds. 

[00:11:13] Fundraising is distracting and stressful for founders, but it's important to minimize distractions and focus on investors who understand the business. 

[00:14:11] Contact us at legislate.AI for more information. 

Links: 
 
SaaS Fundraising Story: https://www.thesaasnews.com/news/legislate-secures-3-6-million-in-funding 
Charles Brecque’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/charles-brecque/ 
Legislate LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/legislate/ 
Legislate Website: https://legislate.ai/ 
Ben’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/benrmurray/ 

Welcome to The SaaS CFO Podcast! In today's episode, I have the pleasure of interviewing Denis Chernobaev, CEO and co-founder of Getplace.io. Denis shares his background in the fast-growing food tech industry and how it led him to the creation of Getplace.io.

He explains how Getplace.io helps small and medium businesses make informed decisions about their future locations by providing affordable access to valuable data. Through their subscription-based service, businesses can analyze footfall, vehicle traffic, demographic insights, spending data, and competitor analysis, all at a fraction of the cost typically associated with such tools.

Denis also discusses different use cases and patterns of usage among their current clients. Don't miss this insightful conversation on leveraging data for strategic decision-making. Stay tuned for more on The SaaS CFO Podcast!  

Show Notes 
 
[00:01:49] Affordable tool helps businesses choose ideal locations. 

[00:04:04] Choose locations wisely based on research. 

[00:06:55] Limited data, ongoing improvements attract and retain clients. 

[00:10:51] Product launched in February, attracting paying customers. 

[00:15:36] Co-founder experience, MVP delay, remote market. 

[00:19:03] Plans to expand into Netherlands with more complex products and negotiate with partners; considering raising funds for future expansion.

Links:
 
SaaS Fundraising Stories: https://www.thesaasnews.com/news/getplace-io-raises-pre-seed-round 
Getplace.io's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/getplace-io/ 
Getplace.io's Website: https://getplace.io/
Denis Chernobaev’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/denis-chernobaev/ 

To know more about Ben check the links below:

Subscribe to Ben’s SaaS newsletter: https://mailchi.mp/df1db6bf8bca/the-saas-cfo-sign-up-landing-page
SaaS Metrics courses here: https://www.thesaasacademy.com/
Join Ben’s SaaS community here: https://www.thesaasacademy.com/offers/ivNjwYDx/checkout
Follow Ben on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/benrmurray

#saas #thesaascfo #podcast #saasmetrics #saasmetricsschool #benmurray

Welcome to The SaaS CFO Podcast! In today's episode, we have an exciting guest joining us, Toni Holbein, CEO and co-founder at Growblocks.  
 
Toni shares his extensive background in the SaaS industry, specifically in revenue operations, and how it led him to launching Growblocks. We dive into the products and services that Growblocks offers, which focus on helping businesses become more data-driven in their go-to-market strategies.  
 
Tune in to learn more about how Growblocks is revolutionizing revenue modeling and empowering CFOs and commercial leaders to make informed decisions for their organizations. 
 
Show Notes 
 
[00:02:18] Data-driven go-to-market relies on different tools: Excel spreadsheets, BI, slides. FP&A solves finance, not revenue modeling. Massive market potential for revenue solutions. 

[00:04:38] Revenue operations and strategy overlap with finance, but commercial leaders prefer tools other than spreadsheets. This communication gap affects revenue potential. 

[00:08:10] Bottom-up revenue planning using strong data-driven approach. Clear tracking of progress, immediate course correction. Improves efficiency and helps hit revenue targets. 

[00:12:37] Generating demand without relying on Google Ads. 

[00:14:49] Starting with early sales, organization proved value. Next step: achieve product market fit. Seeking funding for product development and growth. Plan to focus on US market expansion. 

[00:17:55] Funding raised in June, market conditions uncertain. 

[00:21:34] Exciting revenue operations progress, adding analytics layer. 

 
Links 
 
SaaS Fundraising Stories: https://www.thesaasnews.com/news/growblocks-raises-6-million-in-seed-round 
Growblocks LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/growblocks/ 
Growblock’s Website: https://growblocks.com/ 
Toni Hohlbein’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tonihohlbein/ 
Follow Ben on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/benrmurray/ 

Welcome to another episode of The SaaS CFO Podcast. In today's episode, we have a special guest, Ben Williams, CEO and co-founder of Loopin. Ben shares his fascinating background, starting from his time in the British Royal Marines Commandos to working with high-profile football clubs, and eventually finding his way into the business world.  

He explains how the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic prompted him to pivot and create a SaaS technology solution to address the disconnect between managers and employees. Ben gives us an inside look into Loopin's innovative approach, leveraging generative AI and personalized data to improve employee engagement, morale, and upskilling.  

Join us as we dive deeper into the world of Loopin and explore the ways this technology is revolutionizing organizations' approach to creating high-performing teams. Stay tuned for an insightful conversation with Ben Williams on this episode of The SaaS CFO Podcast. 
 
Show Notes 
 
[00:00:15] Military background led to creating SaaS tech. 

[00:03:03] Uncertainty during the pandemic led to change. 

[00:09:08] Product captures and learns about users' experiences. Encourages effective leadership and teamwork. 

[00:11:26] Challenges in multiple markets, especially burnout. 

[00:15:46] Tech world budget cuts, HR as buyers 

[00:18:09] Funding journey for a start-up during recession. 

[00:23:59] SaaS win with Oxford University, revolutionizing technology. 

[00:25:55] Loopin offers coaching and connections. 
 
Links 

Saas Fundraising Stories: https://www.thesaasnews.com/news/loopin-raises-1-6-million-in-seed-round 
Loopin LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/lets-loopin/ 
Loopin Website: https://www.letsloopin.com/ 
Ben Williams’ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ben-williams-vgs/ 

To know more about Ben check the links below:

Subscribe to Ben’s SaaS newsletter: https://mailchi.mp/df1db6bf8bca/the-saas-cfo-sign-up-landing-page
SaaS Metrics courses here: https://www.thesaasacademy.com/
Join Ben’s SaaS community here: https://www.thesaasacademy.com/offers/ivNjwYDx/checkout
Follow Ben on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/benrmurray

Welcome to The SaaS CFO Podcast! In today's episode, our host Ben sits down with Matt Welsh, CEO and co-founder of Fixie AI. Matt shares his fascinating journey, starting from academia to Google and eventually venturing into the world of startups.  
 
As a technical expert, Matt dives into the products and services offered by Fixie, highlighting their mission to simplify the integration of large language models into various applications. With a strong founding team, Fixie is making strides in the AI realm, and Matt discusses their growth plans and the challenges of harnessing the team's expertise.  
 
Join us as we learn more about Fixie's path towards product-market fit and revenue generation. Tune in now! 
 

Show Notes 

[00:01:35] Simplifying language models integration with Fixie. 

[00:05:49] Four founders, Zach Cook, Justin Uberti, Hassan Bagharinazad. 

[00:09:26] Dual approach: devs and companies seeking AI integration. 

[00:10:49] Combining blog posts, community, SDK, demos, hackathons, targeting developers. 

[00:14:04] Raised $17 million in seed funding round. 

[00:18:53] My blog post on raising $5M seed: market hot, team backgrounds key. Expectations higher for founders without resumes. Learned VC firms are partners, not just cash. 

[00:20:45] Early indications of product market fit; Series A; ARR benchmark; developer platform metrics; proxies for traction and revenue. 

 
Links 

SaaS Fundraising Stories: https://www.thesaasnews.com/news/fixie-raises-17-million-in-seed-round 
Fixie.ai LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/fixie-ai/ 
Fixie.ai Website: https://www.fixie.ai/ 
Matt Welsh’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/welsh-matt/ 
 

To know more about Ben check the links below:

Subscribe to Ben’s SaaS newsletter: https://mailchi.mp/df1db6bf8bca/the-saas-cfo-sign-up-landing-page

SaaS Metrics courses here: https://www.thesaasacademy.com/

Join Ben’s SaaS community here: https://www.thesaasacademy.com/offers/ivNjwYDx/checkout

Follow Ben on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/benrmurray

Welcome back to The SaaS CFO Podcast! In today's episode, we have a special guest, Sandeep Jain, co-founder and CEO of Monetize Now. Sandeep has a unique background in engineering, product, and sales, which has given him a fresh perspective in the tech industry. He shares his journey, from working in various industries to starting his own companies, including his current venture, Monetize Now.  
 
Sandeep dives into the problem he encountered in the podcast distribution space and how it led him to the realization that billing systems for B2B SaaS companies lacked efficiency. This realization sparked the creation of Monetize Now, a revenue operations platform that aims to solve the complex billing challenges faced by B2B SaaS companies.  
 
Sandeep also discusses the market size considerations for startups, the importance of understanding the problem you're solving, and the key focus of Monetize Now in assisting companies with revenues ranging from zero to 100 million dollars. Stay tuned for an insightful conversation about the future of revenue operations and the impact it has on scaling SaaS businesses. 
 
Show Notes:  
 
[00:00:16] Engineering, product, sales mix led to unique perspectives. 

[00:03:14] MonetizeNow builds revenue operations platform for SaaS companies. 

[00:08:58] Revenue operations hindered by tooling limitations. Vendors overlooked SaaS requirements for integration. 

[00:12:46] Early stages, twelve+ customers, replacing Zuora, best architecture. 

[00:15:33] Risks faced, but success in funding rounds. 

[00:18:55] CEOs with engineering backgrounds need sales skills. 

[00:21:52] Signed deals, competitive replacements, exciting revenue growth. 

 
Links: 
 
SaaS Fundraising Stories: https://www.monetizenow.io/blog/announcing-3m| 
Sandeep Jain’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sandeeja/ 
Monetize Now’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/monetizenow/ 

To know more about Ben check out the links below:

Subscribe to Ben’s daily metrics newsletter: https://saasmetricsschool.beehiiv.com/subscribe

Subscribe to Ben’s SaaS newsletter: https://mailchi.mp/df1db6bf8bca/the-saas-cfo-sign-up-landing-page

SaaS Metrics courses here: https://www.thesaasacademy.com/

Join Ben’s SaaS community here: https://www.thesaasacademy.com/offers/ivNjwYDx/checkout

Follow Ben on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/benrmurray

Welcome to The SaaS CFO Podcast, where we delve into the world of finance and accounting in the software-as-a-service industry. In today's episode, we have a special guest, Tal Kirschenbaum, the co-founder and CEO of Ledge, a leading automated finance operations platform.  
 
Tal shares his extensive background in finance, venture capital, and payments, which ultimately led him to found Ledge. He explains how Ledge helps finance teams with their day-to-day tasks, particularly in payment reconciliation and treasury management. Tal also reveals how Ledge addresses the pain points that arise from managing high volumes of payments and the significant losses that can occur when these processes are not properly automated.  
 
Join us as we explore how Ledge is revolutionizing back-office finance for mid-market and enterprise tech companies across various industries. Stay tuned for an insightful conversation with Tal Kirschenbaum on today's episode of The SaaS CFO Podcast 
 
Show Notes 
 
[00:00:21] Finance and business background, venture capital, consulting, M&A, fintech. Founded Ledge a year ago. 

[00:03:15] Developed own solution to handle payments. Ledge helps companies with finance issues. 

[00:07:23] Reconciliation is unsexy, time-consuming, and costly. 

[00:12:57] Outbound sales, partnerships, and inbound channels summary. 

[00:16:06] Vision, plan, investors - crucial for success. 

[00:18:43] Access and familiarity aided successful fundraising process. 

[00:22:07] Exploring opportunities to expand product in finance. 

Links: 

SaaS Fundraising Stories: https://www.thesaasnews.com/news/ledge-raises-9-million-in-seed-round
Tal Kirschenbaum’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tal-k/ 
Ledge’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/ledge-finance/ 
Ledge’s Website: https://www.ledge.co/ 
 

To know more about Ben check out the links below:

Subscribe to Ben’s daily metrics newsletter: https://saasmetricsschool.beehiiv.com/subscribe

Subscribe to Ben’s SaaS newsletter: https://mailchi.mp/df1db6bf8bca/the-saas-cfo-sign-up-landing-page

SaaS Metrics courses here: https://www.thesaasacademy.com/

Join Ben’s SaaS community here: https://www.thesaasacademy.com/offers/ivNjwYDx/checkout

Follow Ben on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/benrmurray

In today's episode of The SaaS CFO Podcast, our host Ben welcomes special guest Paul Martin, an IT entrepreneur and founder of "equipment." Paul shares his insights on the importance of frictionless processes in today's business landscape, where failures cannot be fixed immediately.  
 
With his expertise in IT outsourcing and managing SaaS for mid-sized companies, Paul discusses the challenges faced by both clients and service providers in managing processes efficiently. He also sheds light on the growing significance of outsourcing services, devices, and software for businesses seeking cash flow flexibility and dealing with an expert shortage.  
 
Join us as we delve into Paul's journey, his vision for "equipment," and how they are building a global operating system for the subscription economy in B2B. 
 
Show Notes:  
 
[00:01:29] Outsourcing IT operations: a growing necessity. 

[00:04:14] Digital platform targeting IT and telecommunication industries. 

[00:09:21] Amazon-like marketplace connects customers and service providers. 

[00:13:24] Failed fundraising, pause sales, warm intros, potential in uncertain times. 

[00:15:38] Building global provider network for global companies. 
 

Links:  

SaaS Fundraising Stories: https://www.thesaasnews.com/news/equipme-raises-3-8-million-in-seed-round  
Paul Martin’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paul-martin-525433117/ 
Equip Me’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/equip-me/ 

To know more about Ben check out the links below:

Subscribe to Ben’s daily metrics newsletter: https://saasmetricsschool.beehiiv.com/subscribe

Subscribe to Ben’s SaaS newsletter: https://mailchi.mp/df1db6bf8bca/the-saas-cfo-sign-up-landing-page

SaaS Metrics courses here: https://www.thesaasacademy.com/

Join Ben’s SaaS community here: https://www.thesaasacademy.com/offers/ivNjwYDx/checkout

Follow Ben on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/benrmurray

#saas #thesaascfo #podcast #saasmetrics #saasmetricsschool #benmurray

Welcome to The SaaS CFO Podcast! In today's episode, we have a special guest, Tony Smith, CEO and co-founder of Restaurant 365. Tony shares his journey from software consulting to founding a SaaS company and explains how his experience in the industry shaped his approach.  

He takes us through the inception of Restaurant 365, its product offerings, and the diverse range of restaurants they serve. Tony also discusses the challenges and milestones along the way, including the importance of self-funding and the dedication required to build a successful company.  

Join us as we dive into the fascinating story of Restaurant 365 and gain insights into their go-to-market strategy. Let's get started! 
 
Show Notes:  
[00:01:09] Resold Microsoft software, specialized in customization. Transitioned to focus on restaurant industry. 

[00:05:34] Balancing day job, self-funding, and risks. 

[00:08:22] Product evolved, different sales models for customers. 

[00:11:40] Regular pricing assessment, underprice early, add value. 

[00:14:57] Company reached crossroads, chose to seek funding. 

[00:19:25] Value your story, connections, and support. 

[00:22:11] Gross and net retention important for growth. 

Links: 
 
SaaS Fundraising Stories: https://www.thesaasnews.com/news/restaurant365-raises-135-million-in-funding 

Tony Smith’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tony-t-smith/ 

Restaurant 365’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/restaurant365-cloud-erp-for-restaurants/ 
 

To know more about Ben check out the links below:

Subscribe to Ben’s daily metrics newsletter: https://saasmetricsschool.beehiiv.com/subscribe

Subscribe to Ben’s SaaS newsletter: https://mailchi.mp/df1db6bf8bca/the-saas-cfo-sign-up-landing-page

SaaS Metrics courses here: https://www.thesaasacademy.com/

Join Ben’s SaaS community here: https://www.thesaasacademy.com/offers/ivNjwYDx/checkout

Follow Ben on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/benrmurray

Welcome to The SaaS CFO Podcast! In this episode, our host Ben is joined by special guest Peter Tilbrook, founder and CEO of Loro Insuretech. Peter shares his background in the insurance industry and how his frustrations with existing solutions led him to start his own company.  

They discuss the products and services that Loro offers, including their ambitious goal of taking any insurance product online immediately. Peter also dives into their unique pricing model and ideal customer profile.  

Tune in to learn more about the innovative world of Loro and the vision of democratizing access to insurance. 
 
Show Notes 

[00:03:13] Ambitious insurance platform connecting global markets. 

[00:06:25] Pricing model debate: fixed cost, tiered rates. 

[00:12:03] Small team, regular catch-ups, easy onboarding. 

[00:14:17] Startup journey: learning, feedback, networking, digital marketing. 

[00:17:48] Belief and support led to investment success. 

[00:20:04] Learn, speak, advise, reach out, invest, execute. 

[00:22:30] Website showcases pricing and company updates. Networking on LinkedIn encouraged. 
 
Links: 
 
SaaS Fundraising Stories: https://www.thesaasnews.com/news/loro-insuretech-secures-750-000-in-seed-round  
Peter Tillbrook’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/peter-tilbrook-50832336/ 
Loro Insurtech Inc. LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/loro-insurtech/ 

To know more about Ben check out the links below:

Subscribe to Ben’s daily metrics newsletter: https://saasmetricsschool.beehiiv.com/subscribe

Subscribe to Ben’s SaaS newsletter: https://mailchi.mp/df1db6bf8bca/the-saas-cfo-sign-up-landing-page

SaaS Metrics courses here: https://www.thesaasacademy.com/

Join Ben’s SaaS community here: https://www.thesaasacademy.com/offers/ivNjwYDx/checkout

Follow Ben on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/benrmurray

Welcome to The SaaS CFO Podcast! In this episode, our host Ben is joined by the esteemed Jim Williams, a seasoned expert in software M&A and the Managing Director of GLC Advisors. They delve into the current landscape of private equity deals, the changing dynamics of valuations, and the importance of understanding the true business model in SaaS companies. 

Jim sheds light on the cautious approach private equity sponsors are taking, with lenders becoming more conservative on leverage. They discuss how discipline has increased among sponsors, who now prioritize investing in higher-quality assets and businesses with stronger growth potential. Valuations have shifted, and Jim provides insights into the factors driving these changes.  

The conversation then turns to the significance of understanding revenue streams and profitability in SaaS companies. Jim emphasizes the need for a clear delineation of business models and revenue streams, as well as the importance of showing gross margins by business line. They also explore the difference between platform and add-on acquisitions, with Jim explaining how each contributes to scaling a business. 

Valuations, growth rates, and profitability remain key considerations for investors, with a focus on financial discipline and sound fundamentals. Jim examines the "rule of 40" and the changing mindset towards the growth at all cost models. They delve into the current state of the software M&A market, discussing deal volume, valuations, and deal structures. 

As the episode draws to a close, Jim offers insights into the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead for software entrepreneurs. He predicts a potential pickup in software M&A activity in 2024 and encourages business owners to seek advice and carefully consider their timing. Jim's expertise and outlook provide valuable guidance for navigating the ever-evolving software industry. 

Stay tuned for an informative and thought-provoking discussion on The SaaS CFO Podcast! 
 
Show Notes: 
 
00:01:30 New normal: stable, consistent decline in deals. 

00:04:33 Stabilized deals, new normal in rate environment. 

00:08:30 Lenders getting more conservative, making deals harder. 

00:11:24 Disciplined firms invest in better assets. 

00:14:21 Good companies getting fair multiples, longer diligence. 

00:17:28 Buyers lack urgency to close deals. 

00:20:02 Deal volume steady, quality plays important role. 

00:22:43 Look forward in financials, focus on ARR. 

00:26:22 Metrics, gross and net revenue retention focus. 

00:29:27 GR important metric, Mr. Schedule, data consistency, diligence, renewal rates, data preparation, metrics 

00:34:22 Importance of understanding SaaS business model. 

00:36:22 Clearly explain business model and revenue streams. 

00:40:49 Platform: bigger, confident sponsor with strong belief. 

00:43:24 Hurdle for businesses to reach Ten X. 

00:47:38 Steady Eddie businesses for potential add-ons. 

00:50:34 2024 outlook positive, potential delay in progress. 

00:52:51 Offering software quarterly report for Ben's notes. 
 
Links:  
 
James Williams LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/james-williams-5754953/ 

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Welcome to The SaaS CFO Podcast! In today's episode, our host Ben sits down with special guest Dharmendra Mohan, co-founder and CEO of Sonet.IO. Dharmendra shares his background in R&D, including his experience at Symantec and Bluecode Systems before embarking on the journey of starting Sonnet.  
 
He explains the tipping point that led him to realize the potential of the cloud and the need for a better solution to connect remote workers to applications securely and hassle-free. Dharmendra dives deep into the products and services offered by Sonet, highlighting their remote work platform and how it benefits various industries, particularly in the tech and services sectors.  
 
He also discusses the company's go-to-market strategy, recent funding round, and plans for expansion. Tune in to this insightful episode to learn more about the innovative work being done at Sonet.IO. 
 
Show Notes: 
 
[00:02:18] Sonnet: Remote work platform, secure connection. 

[00:04:07] Securing and monitoring data for maximum protection. 

[00:07:28] Dual strategy: content creation and outreach methods. 

[00:10:11] Critical to have right product-market fit, cash-efficient, profitable, sustainable business. Prototype, customer feedback, execution important. 

[00:13:38] Constantly upgrading platform with secure, mobile accessibility. 
 
Links:
SaaS Fundraising Stories: https://www.thesaasnews.com/news/sonet-io-raises-6-million-in-seed-round 
Dharmendra Mohan’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dharmendra-mohan/ 
Sonet.IO’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/sonet-io/ 

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Follow Ben on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/benrmurray

Welcome to another episode of The SaaS CFO Podcast! In this episode, our host Ben sits down with Amr Awadallah, the founder and CEO of Vectara. Amr shares his impressive background as a seasoned entrepreneur, from being the VP of Developer Relations at Cloud to founding and serving as CTO of Cloudera, and his time at Yahoo.  
 
He also discusses his journey from wanting to be a professor to being drawn into the world of entrepreneurship at Stanford. Amr dives into the details of Vectara, a company that offers a powerful AI tool that allows users to leverage their own data for tasks like brainstorming and customer support.  
 
The conversation explores the simplicity and accessibility of Vectara’s API, the target customer profiles, and the consumption-based pricing model. Join us as we unravel the fascinating story and insights of Amr Awadallah on this episode of The SaaS CFO Podcast. 
 
Show Notes: 

 
[00:01:36] Stanford taught entrepreneurship, changed my teaching mission. 

[00:03:28] Collaborate on brainstorming with an intern using data. 

[00:07:26] Charges based on consumption, 50 MB data free. 

[00:10:46] Consumption-based model, land and expand. Goal: acquire customers even with minimum $1.0.25 payment. Grow customer data and API usage. Hybrid approach: product-led growth and premium offering. 

[00:16:23] Raise capital for expansion, sales, and competition. 

[00:18:37] Startup success rates are only 10%. Extending lifespan is crucial for success. 

[00:22:19] Massive opportunity proven by Chat GPT success. 

 
Links: 

SaaS Fundraising Stories: https://www.thesaasnews.com/news/vectara-raises-20-million-in-seed-round 

Amr Awadallah’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/awadallah/ 

Vectara’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/vectara/ 

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Follow Ben on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/benrmurray

Welcome to The SaaS CFO Podcast! In this episode, our host, Ben, sits down with Alexander Hagerup, the co-founder and CEO of VIC AI. Alexander shares his background growing up in Norway with parents who were small business owners, and how his fascination with accounting and finance led him to start several successful companies.  

He then dives into the products and services offered by VIC AI, which focuses on revolutionizing the accounting process through autonomous algorithms and AI technology. The main focus currently is on the accounts payable process, with plans to expand into other areas of accounting in the future.  

Alexander also discusses the state of AI in accounting and the importance of accuracy and scalability in making AI solutions work effectively in real-life scenarios. Join us as we explore the world of AI-powered accounting with Alexander Hagerup. Let's get started! 
 
Show notes:
 
[00:01:50] The speaker observed accounting at scale, realizing its global similarity and the need for efficient transaction processing. 

[00:03:34] Vic AI aims to create autonomous accounting processes, with AI capable of working independently and seeking human help when needed. It also focuses on providing financial insights from accounting data, starting with the accounts payable process. 

[00:10:10] Company focuses on accounts payable but aims to expand to broader AI applications; foresee AI-run business functions emerging in the future. 

[00:13:27] We work with large companies for greater AI benefits, ROI. 

[00:17:20] GGB supports our future vision, building capital-intensive software and AI business, with high value for customers. 

[00:20:27] Attracting experienced talent and maintaining a solid balance sheet are important for growth and customer confidence. 

[00:21:55] Finding investors aligned with long-term strategy is crucial. A shared mission and vision fosters belief in the future despite challenges. 

[00:26:23] Excited about AI-based purchase order matching, launching bill pay, expanding AI-based accounts payable process, and broadening to adjacent accounting processes. 

Links:

SaaS Fundraising Stories: https://www.thesaasnews.com/news/vic-ai-raises-50-million-in-series-b 

Alexander Hagerup’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexanderhagerup/ 

Vic.ai’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/vic.ai/ 

Vic.ai’s Website: https://www.vic.ai/ 

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Welcome to The SaaS CFO Podcast! In today's episode, we have a special guest, Ben York, the CEO of Genetica. Ben shares his fascinating background, starting in finance and later transitioning into the world of SaaS and investment.  

Genetica, founded in late 2020, is at the forefront of modernizing the cannabis and CBD retail experience through their AI platform. Ben delves into the products and services offered by Genetica, such as Flora Match, which analyzes data points and individual biochemistry to provide personalized recommendations, and Flora OS, which optimizes operations for retailers.  

He also discusses the challenges and opportunities in the cannabis tech industry, including regulatory hurdles and the potential for consolidation. Stay tuned to learn more about the exciting developments in the cannabis tech space with Ben York on The SaaS CFO Podcast. 
 
Show Notes:
 
[00:02:11] Genetica modernizes cannabis retail with AI. 

[00:04:06] Industry tests products, provides certificates, reduces liability. 

[00:07:32] Challenges in raising capital, consolidation and mergers. 

[00:12:05] Targeting retailers with advisors and partners. 

[00:13:32] Twitter advertising bypasses restrictions to gain visibility. 

[00:16:57] Always take conversations, even seemingly random ones. 

[00:21:11] Ahead of schedule, product predicts employee's resignation. 

Links:
 
SaaS Fundraising Stories: https://www.thesaasnews.com/news/genetica-raises-500-000-seed-round 
Ben York’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/robert-ben-york/ 
Genetica’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/getgenetica/ 
Genetica’s Website: https://www.getgenetica.com/ 

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Welcome to The SaaS CFO Podcast. In this episode, we dive deep into the world of SaaS spend management with Sven Lackinger, co-founder and CEO of Sastrify. Sven shares his journey from founding a company in the parking technology market, which was later acquired, to launching Sastrify, a company focused on managing the lifecycle of SaaS within organizations.  

He discusses the products and services offered by Sastrify and provides insights into their pricing model and customer base. Sven also shares valuable lessons learned from his extensive fundraising experience, as Sastrify secured rounds of investment ranging from seed to Series B.  

Join us as Sven gives us a glimpse into the future plans for Sastrify and shares his valuable insights for other founders in the SaaS industry. 

Show Notes: 
 
00:00 Sastrify co-founder Max's overspending on SaaS licenses led to creating a company managing SaaS lifecycle and costs. 

03:38 SaaS companies increasing usage-based pricing due to analytics and AI impact. 

09:02 Sales growth fueled by intangible ROI, centralized SaaS stack reduces spend waste, works with finance teams and procurement over 500 FTEs. 

11:27 Received early funding, formed partnership, strong growth, successful B round fundraising. 

13:05 Expanding products, global markets, innovation, finance focus. 

16:33 Focus on mid-market customers, aiming to grow into higher-end market. 

Links: 
 
SaaS Fundraising Stories 

Aug 2021 https://www.thesaasnews.com/news/sastrify-raises-7-million-in-seed-round 

Jan 2022 https://www.thesaasnews.com/news/sastrify-raises-15-million-in-series-a 

May 2023 https://www.thesaasnews.com/news/sastrify-raises-32-million-in-series-b 

Sven Lackinger’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/svenlackinger/ 

Sastrify’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/sastrify/ 

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Welcome to The SaaS CFO Podcast! In this episode, we dive into the world of Financial Planning and Analysis (FP&A) with Taimur Abdaal, the founder and CEO of Causal.  
 
Taimur shares his background in mathematics and programming, and how that led him to start Causal, a number crunching tool that simplifies financial modeling and planning. He talks about the journey of building Causal, from its early days to raising funding and scaling the business. Taimur also discusses the company's approach to go-to-market strategy, product development, and the key metrics they focus on.  
 
If you're interested in the intersection of tech, finance, and entrepreneurship, this episode is a must-listen. Stay tuned to gain valuable insights into the world of SaaS and FPA! 

Show Notes: 

00:00 Data scientist at Nested worked on automating financial models, prompted the idea for a better number-crunching tool. Spreadsheets have not evolved much in 40 years. 

04:38 Felt right to quit job, started project, gained interest. 

07:11 Product focuses on easy initial use, scalable complexity, self-serve flow, and product-led growth strategy. 25% revenue from self-serve, majority from higher touch motion. 

10:43 Early investors were found through connections, securing $1 million. 

14:32 Access to networks and warm introductions important for fundraising. Pre-seed and seed stages focus on market size, team strength, and initial traction. Series A requires high growth rate. 

17:29 Next focus is out-of-the-box reporting, easily linked with CRM. 

Links:  
 

SaaS Fundraising Stories: https://www.thesaasnews.com/news/casual-secures-15-million-in-series-a 

Taimur Abdaal’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/taimurabdaal/ 

Causal’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/causalhq/ 

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Follow Ben on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/benrmurray

Welcome to The SaaS CFO Podcast. In this episode, our host Ben sits down with Matt Hicks, VP of Sales and part of the founding team at Vertice, a tech-enabled service provider.  
 
Matt shares his extensive experience in startups and his current role in helping finance and technology leaders deploy capital more efficiently in the realm of technology solutions. They discuss Vertice's specialized services in cloud and SaaS optimization, as well as the company's journey from its founding to its current position as a leader in the market.  
 
Matt also provides insights into the company's go-to-market strategy, its recent capital raise, and the exciting future of the industry. Tune in to gain valuable insights and learn more about the evolving landscape of technology spend optimization. 

Show Notes: 

00:00 Developers creating new services in the cloud can lead to increased costs. FinOps integrates finance and technology to manage and understand cloud expenses. Vertice's CCO product supports cloud cost optimization for finance teams. 

06:13 Amazon introduced AWS in 2006-2007. Tech market faces scrutiny on cost due to job losses. CFOs focus on controlling cloud and SaaS spending. Intermediaries are key in mature markets for efficiency. 

07:23 SaaS and cloud industry selling through intermediaries, Vertiz focuses on buyer's interests, SaaS and cloud industry maturing, potential for increased regulations. 

11:12 Market focus on efficiency, third-party visibility and cost reduction as AI navigates challenges. 

13:57 Target ICP: larger companies, shift to enterprise customers, series B+ companies, growing enterprise customer base. 

19:14 Successful startup with MVP, fundraising based on founder's track record, exceeding targets and generating significant revenue. Plans for significant growth in 2024. 

22:35 Company offers SaaS procurement and cloud cost optimization services. They aim to help customers deploy capital efficiently by using data to make useful recommendations. 

24:00 Underutilization of SaaS and cloud services leads to significant waste. 

Links: 

SaaS Fundraising Stories: https://www.thesaasnews.com/news/vertice-raises-26-million-in-series-a 

Matt Hick’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/matthicks85/ 

Vertice One’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/verticeone/ 

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Welcome to The SaaS CFO Podcast. In this episode, our host Ben sits down with Taylor Lowe, the co-founder and CEO of Metal. Taylor discusses his background in the SaaS industry, including his journey from working in sales to founding Metal with his co-founders.  
 
He delves into the products and services Metal offers, their target industries, and their approach to developing and refining their product offering. Taylor also shares insights into their go-to-market strategy, pricing model, and recent seed funding round.  
 
As they wrap up, he gives a glimpse into what's coming up for Metal and even reveals the interesting story behind the company's name. Stay tuned for an insightful conversation with a SaaS industry leader. 
 
Show Notes: 
 
00:00 Founders with experience in sales and engineering developed enterprise SaaS, inspired by previous work in software and infrastructure. 

03:41 Engineers rely on layers of abstraction for easier work with raw materials, like embeddings in vector databases. This powers applications like chat TPT. 

08:58 Focus on product, new way of building software and data representation, hands-on customer approach. 

09:57 Inbound interest drives learning and product improvement. 

13:16 Capital is important, but experience and customer focus are crucial. Choose investors carefully. 

16:13 Three people like metal, started a company called "pretty metal." 

Links: 

SaaS Fundraising Stories: https://www.thesaasnews.com/news/metal-raises-2-5-million-in-funding 

Taylor Lowe’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/taylorlowe11/ 

Get Metal’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/getmetal/ 

Get Metal’s Website: https://getmetal.io/ 

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SaaS Metrics courses here: https://www.thesaasacademy.com/

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Welcome to The SaaS CFO Podcast. In this episode, our host Ben speaks with Blake Hall, founder and CEO of ID.me. Blake shares his inspiring story of transitioning from military service to founding a company that is streamlining digital identity verification and access.  

He discusses the evolution of ID.me's products and services, the impact of their digital wallet, and the vision for the future of digital identity. From military verification to healthcare access, this episode unveils the revolutionary potential of digital identity and the strategic insights behind scaling a successful SaaS company.  

Tune in for a deep dive into the world of digital identity and the remarkable journey of ID.me. 

Show Notes: 

00:00 Combat experience led to desire for positive impact. Started company based on need for simplifying online security amidst digitization and data breaches. 

04:56 Received grant for privacy tech, worked with major brands for minimal info disclosure, expanded to students, teachers, first responders, nurses, influencers. Aimed to be "PayPal for identity," commerce initiative in 2012. 

06:54 Military ID used for digital access to government services and private sector offers, enhancing privacy and legal identity verification. 

12:56 Having a clear plan, identifying critical assumptions, and being adaptable are vital for a young company's success. 

15:57 Pivotal conversation led to PayPal for identity opportunity, successful launch with 48,000 users. 

19:22 Sales efficiency is crucial to cover costs and focus on the right customers. 

21:05 The business uses sales-led approach with a unique PLG component and 110+ million American users. 

24:51 Person on LinkedIn, Twitter, ID Me. Mention of CMO. 

 Links:

SaaS Fundraising Stories: https://www.thesaasnews.com/news/id-me-raises-132-million-in-series-d 

ID.me’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/id.me/ 

Blake Hall’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hallblake/ 

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Welcome to The SaaS CFO Podcast. In this episode, our host Ben sits down with Brittany Harris, CEO and co-founder of Qualis Flow, a B2B software platform aiming to transform the engineering and construction industry through real-time data capture and analytics.  
 
Brittany discusses her journey from civil engineer to first-time founder, the challenges and opportunities in the construction industry, and the exciting developments at Qualis Flow. From hitting the 1 million ARR mark to raising a 7.2 million euro Series A investment, Brittany shares important insights and lessons learned on scaling a SaaS business in the construction industry.  
Tune in to hear Brittany's inspirational story and learn more about the innovative work happening at Qualus Flow. 

Show Notes: 

00:00 Accidentally entered startup competition, success despite competition. 

03:28 QFlow automates tracking materials, waste, and data capture for construction industry to promote sustainability and efficiency. 

09:12 Challenging construction market with big international players and potential clients in tier two and SMEs. 

11:05 Organizations benefit from cost savings, risk reduction, compliance, sustainability reporting, supply chain management, and procurement through the use of accurate data. 

14:27 Preparation and strict timelines for fundraising round. 

17:25 Focus on UK growth, then move to US exploration next year. Hiring and building capacity. 

Links: 
 
SaaS Fundraising Story: https://www.thesaasnews.com/news/qflow-raises-7-2-million-in-series-a 

Qualis-Flow's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/qualis-flow/ 

Britanny Harris’ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brittanydharris/?originalSubdomain=uk 

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In this episode of The SaaS CFO Podcast, our host Ben welcomes Chris Priebe, the founder of Zelt. Chris shares his background, starting as an investment banker and later becoming a partner at a venture firm. He then delves into the products and services offered by Zelt, focusing on providing companies with a platform for managing HR, IT, and financial operations. 

Ben and Chris discuss the champion of Zelt's product within companies, the various features and use cases, including onboarding and offboarding employees, and the industries Zelt is targeting. They also touch on Zelt's recent seed round and how the company is landing prospects. 

Chris details Zelt's go-to-market strategy and talks about what's coming up next for the company. He offers the audience the opportunity to learn more about Zelt and reach out for any further inquiries. Whether you're interested in the future of HR and finance operations or looking for insights into SaaS product development and fundraising, this episode provides valuable perspectives from Chris Priebe. 

Show Notes: 
 
00:00 Switched from physics to investment banking, then private equity, and venture capital. Started Zelt in 2021. 

03:47 Secure onboarding with comprehensive information capture for payroll and hardware procurement. 

08:13 London-based company serves fintech startups but expanding to tech companies and unexpected sectors like healthcare. 

10:46 Initial customers validated product, reassured investors. 

14:55 Discussion on various metrics to gauge efficiency and profitability, focusing on revenue per FTE and a new metric called the rose metric. 

17:24 Active in multiple channels for lead generation, no magic sauce yet, focus on understanding and solving problems. 

19:56 Request for email regarding pitch deck, fundraising. 

Links: 

SaaS Fundraising Stories: https://www.thesaasnews.com/news/zelt-raises-3-5-million-in-seed-round 

Chris Priebe’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chris365/ 

Zelt’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/zelthq/ 

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SaaS Metrics courses here: https://www.thesaasacademy.com/

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In this episode of The SaaS CFO Podcast, our host Ben invites Farokh Shahabi, co-founder and CEO of Formaloo, to share his entrepreneurial journey and insights into the world of SaaS and no-code application development.  

Farokh discusses his background as a serial entrepreneur and the inception of Formaloo as his third startup, offering a no-code collaboration platform for businesses to create applications without the need for coding. He provides an in-depth look at the product and services offered, the company's rapid growth, its deliberate product-led growth strategy, and the recent fundraising milestone.  

Farokh also shares valuable advice for first-time founders and talks about the future of Formaloo. Join the conversation as Farokh Shahabi provides valuable insights for both startup enthusiasts and seasoned professionals in the SaaS industry. 

Highlights: 

00:00 Over 25,000 businesses use our engagement solutions, popular in US and expanding globally. 

03:44 Flexibility is essential for unique business solutions, as off-the-shelf platforms often limit customization. 

08:51 Promoted transparent publishing for feedback from developers. Created community around Novo developers using different tools for web development. Generated word of mouth for Formaloo. 

11:58 Focused on becoming stable, achieved positive cash flow, now aiming to grow with capital raise. 

14:34 VC lessons: don't raise in summer, show a proven track record, focus on traction, be adaptable to market fluctuations. 

17:34 Critical KPIs: MRI and active business usage on platform. Impactfulness on customer's business. Tracking employee interaction and platform usage. 

19:48 Formaloop implementing new features for easier application creation, incorporating AI and automation for faster business growth. 

22:46 Lesson 3: work with great VCs, avoid bad ones. Money is important, but bad VCs can doom a startup. 

Links: 

SaaS Fundraising Stories: https://www.thesaasnews.com/news/formaloo-raises-2-million-in-seed-round 

Farokh Shahabi’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/farokhshahabi/ 

Formaloo’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/formaloohq/ 

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Welcome to The SaaS CFO Podcast! In this episode, we are excited to feature Sean Trevaskis and Enver Sorkun, the co-founders of Growdash, a company specializing in analytics and business intelligence solutions for restaurants.  
 
Host Ben dives into an in-depth conversation with Sean and Enver to learn about their backgrounds, the products and services Growdash offers, their ideal customer profile, geographic focus, team size, fundraising journey, key metrics, and plans for the future.  
 
Join us as we explore the inspiring journey of Growdash and gain valuable insights into the world of SaaS startups in this engaging and informative episode. 

Show Notes: 

03:12 Grow Dash is a platform for restaurant analytics and business intelligence, helping restaurants use advertising tools to develop growth strategies. They collect data, generate insights, and provide recommendations to optimize marketing campaigns. 

09:17 The company initially bootstrapped its product, then focused on building traction. They balanced product development and sales hiring to manage cash effectively. Also, the company found ways to scale talent by managing tech internally and outsourcing where possible. 

11:53 Advanced cold calling with tools like rocket reach and CRM to generate outbound and inbound opportunities. 

13:52 Discovered product market fit through Excel tool, achieved high advertising return, now expanding product roadmap. 

18:03 Persistence pays off in building relationships and sales. 

21:33 Preparing for seed round, launching in Saudi Arabia, finalizing next year's strategy, targeting Europe and Southeast Asia for expansion. 

Links: 

SaaS Fundraising Stories: https://www.thesaasnews.com/news/growdash-closes-750-000-in-pre-seed-round 

Sean’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sean-trevaskis/ 

Enver’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/emsorkun/?originalSubdomain=ae 

Growdash’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/growdash/ 

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Welcome to The SaaS CFO Podcast! In this episode, our host Ben sits down with Janis Zech, CEO and co-founder of Weflow, to discuss his background and the exciting journey of his company.  
 
Janis shares how Weflow originated from his observation of data quality issues in CRM systems and the challenges sales teams face. He talks about the products and services Weflow offers, as well as their focus on revenue intelligence. The conversation delves into the recent seed round of funding, the importance of go-to-market channels, and valuable insights for SaaS founders navigating the investor landscape.  
 
Join us to discover more about Weflow's journey and the future plans for this innovative revenue intelligence platform. 

Show Notes: 
 
00:00 Flow started at Fiverr to address CRM data quality issues, offering visibility and accurate forecasting for sales teams. 

04:41 Helps companies improve Salesforce data quality, forecasting processes for B2B tech companies, targets revenue teams of at least 5-10 people, emphasizes account executives and customer success roles, focuses on pipeline management, emphasizes sophistication in forecasting process, aims to provide better visibility into team performance and deal signals. 

07:31 Bringing finance and sales together is essential for companies to succeed by resolving conflicts and improving processes. 

10:26 Focused on building user-friendly sales technology product, emphasizing onboarding and usage. 

12:58 Venture partner stresses realistic goals, tactical focus for entrepreneurs seeking investment. 

18:28 Focus on ICP Persona, messaging, unit economics, series A metrics for scaling and financial outlook. 

19:35 Early content and outbound sales are effective for startups, with LinkedIn being an important channel. 

22:15 Expressing gratitude to Sambia. 
 
Links: 

SaaS Fundraising Stories: https://www.thesaasnews.com/news/weflow-raises-3-2-million-in-seed-round 

Janis Zech’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/janiszech/ 

GetWeFlow’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/getweflow/ 

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Welcome to The SaaS CFO Podcast! In this episode, we have the pleasure of speaking with Alisa Patotskaya, founder and CEO of Immersive Fox. Alisa shares her journey as a tech entrepreneur, discussing her background in AI and computer science, as well as her experience with startups.  
 
She highlights the innovative products and services offered by Immersive Fox, which utilizes generative AI technology to personalize video content for customer communication and sales.  
 
Alisa also offers valuable insights into the process of fundraising, the importance of customer metrics, and the future developments at Immersive Fox. Tune in to gain valuable knowledge from Alisa's experiences as a solo founder in the tech industry. 
 
Show Notes: 
 
00:00 Ideal customer uses CRM heavily, wants to improve sales and email campaigns, targets IT sector and SMBs. 

04:21 Customers create personalized content for faster video production, replicating voices in various languages. 

08:13 Raising precede was easier than raising seed due to changing economic conditions and increased expectations for product demonstration. 

11:02 Prepare financially, demonstrate progress metrics, be patient and open to investor feedback. 

14:48 Voice integration, product improvements, video editing, redesigned platform, improved feeder duration, released Fox AI 2.0. 

16:16 The speaker wanted a co-founder but couldn't find one. They see benefits and drawbacks to being a solo founder. 

Links:  

SaaS Fundraising Stories: https://www.thesaasnews.com/news/immersive-fox-secures-3-3-million-in-seed-round 

Alisa Patotskaya’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alisa-patotskaya-01736777/ 

Immersive Fox’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/immersive-fox/ 

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Welcome to The SaaS CFO Podcast, where we explore the intersection of technology, finance, and innovation in the world of software as a service. Today, we have an exciting episode featuring Amber Nigam, the dynamic CEO and co-founder of Basys AI. In this engaging conversation, Amber shares insights into his remarkable journey from a background in computer science and data science to founding BasysAI, a company focused on revolutionizing the healthcare industry. 

Amber delves into the unique products and services offered by Basys AI, including their innovative use of generative AI to automate prior authorization and utilization management processes for insurance companies. He explains how Basys AI's platform eliminates the need for traditional phone calls and faxes, transforming the efficiency and accuracy of healthcare administration through technology and SaaS solutions. 

Throughout the episode, Amber provides valuable perspectives on the challenges and opportunities within the healthcare industry, the strategic approach to raising capital in the current macro environment, and the pivotal metrics his team prioritizes for business growth. 

Join us as we uncover the exciting pilot programs and future initiatives on the horizon for Basys AI, and gain deep insights into the cutting-edge world of healthcare technology from the visionary leader himself. This episode provides a fascinating glimpse into the transformative potential of AI, finance, and technology within the healthcare landscape, and we can't wait for you to hear all about it! 
 
Show Notes: 
 
00:00 Basys provides prior authorization and utilization management services using AI and technology, eliminating the need for phone calls and faxes. 

03:39 Utilization management regulates healthcare services to control costs. 

09:21 Perspective on reaching out to market, involving CMO, CEO, CFO, and other teams for buy-ins. 

12:29 Tech companies struggle in healthcare, but investors see potential in startups focused on improving healthcare outcomes. Eli Lilly and Mayo Clinic invest in a patient-centric, transparent platform. 

15:29 Healthcare challenges, investor discussions, and selling arguments are key learnings in business. 

17:11 Investors vetted product, align tech with healthcare needs for quicker success. 

20:44 Exciting start for health plan pilots after funding raise. 
 
Links: 

SaaS Fundraising Stories: https://www.thesaasnews.com/news/basys-ai-raises-2-4-million-in-pre-seed-round 

Amber Nigam’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/amber-nigam/ 

Basys.ai’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/basysai/ 

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In this episode of The SaaS CFO Podcast, host Ben sits down with Matias Mäenpää, co-founder of Videobot, to discuss his journey in the SaaS world. Matias shares his background starting in sales and eventually becoming a CEO and co-founder of a company that was later acquired.  
 
He then delves into the concept behind Videobot, a platform that offers interactive video solutions for websites. Matias shares the use cases for Videobot and sheds light on their go-to-market strategies and seed round funding.  
 
He also provides valuable insights for SaaS founders looking to raise capital and shares exciting plans for the future of Videobot. Tune in to learn more about Matias's entrepreneurial journey and the innovative world of Videobot. 
 
Show Notes: 
 
00:00 Chatbots familiar, social media shifts to videos, YouTube top search, Google investing in videos, future short form video answers. 

03:35 In 12 months, 200 clients in 15 countries use video for website navigation, product or service landing pages, and customer journey exploration. 

09:12 Early traction shown with enterprise clients, global relevance, real need, learning about ideal customer profile and marketing approach. 

12:22 To succeed in fundraising, think of it as building a pipeline and research investors' track record. 

16:31 Planning to build a unicorn company with revenue-driven approach. 

17:38 Acknowledging need to focus on long-term plans vs. daily tasks; discussion about Videobot. 
 
Links: 

SaaS Fundraising Stories: https://www.thesaasnews.com/news/videobot-raises-2-million-in-seed-round 

Matias’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/matiasmaenpaa/?originalSubdomain=lu 

VideoBot’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/videobot-com/ 

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 Welcome to another episode of The SaaS CFO Podcast, where your host Ben explores the intersections of sports, technology, and finance. Today's guest, Jason Syversen, brings his cyber security acumen to the sports industry with his venture, Sports Physio. Utilizing AI to transform how sports stats and highlights are created, Jason shares his hands-on approach to fundraising and the power of genuine investor relationships. 

In this episode, we dive into his entrepreneurial strategies for achieving substantial Annual Recurring Revenue (ARR), the significance of multi-channel go-to-market tactics, and the dynamic of running a SaaS business without diving into hardware.  

Jason opens up about the early revenue stages of Sports Physio, targeting key decision-makers within sports programs, and the challenges of building a team in a remote work environment. For those interested in connecting with Jason or learning more about Sports Physio, stay tuned as we discuss the best ways to engage. 

Get ready for a compact session brimming with insights on navigating a SaaS startup's growth, capital-raising adventures, and team management tips. Let's kick off this insightful episode of The SaaS CFO Podcast. 
 
Show Notes: 
 
00:00 Former hacker turned cybersecurity entrepreneur, retired after successful exit, now investing and developing AI sports technology. 

05:56 Investor's lesson: CAC and LTV are key for any business. Customer Acquisition Cost (CAC) and Lifetime Value (LTV) determine the success. 

09:07 Staff mostly remote, considering office next year due to growth, cautious on fixed costs, values flexibility and in-person interaction. 

11:50 New company with a growing customer base and positive feedback. 

15:08 Pooling resources for common benefit is preferable. 

19:06 COVID led to remote work realization, cost efficiency and flexibility in hiring. 

19:52 Choosing local talent over hiring from abroad to support American workers and maximize return for shareholders. 

26:10 Focus on ARR growth, metrics include customer engagement, NPS, and conversion rates. Aim for $2-3 million ARR for next round. 

28:06 Discussed PR firm campaign success, raising awareness in crowded market. 

30:10 Expresses gratitude, invites to sportsphysio.com or email, requests LinkedIn connection. 
 
Links: 
 
SaaS Fundraising Stories: https://www.thesaasnews.com/news/sportsvisio-raises-3-million-in-seed-round 
 
Jason Syversen’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jsyversen/ 

Sports Visio’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/sportsvisio/ 

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In this episode of The SaaS CFO Podcast, our host Ben sits down with Mark Chung, co-founder and CEO of Verdigris, to discuss their energy intelligence platform. Mark shares his journey from his background in electrical engineering to founding Verdigris in 2012 and the challenges of balancing a hardware and software business model.  
 
He provides insights into the company's recent $10 million funding, their go-to-market strategy, lessons learned from their journey, and their focus on metrics such as contracted ARR and cash flow.  
 
Mark also sheds light on the company's future plans, including their efforts to expand their customer base and integrate new capabilities with the grid. Tune in to hear about Mark's entrepreneurial journey and Verdigris' mission to make a meaningful impact in the energy industry. 
 
Show Notes: 
 
00:00 Born and raised in Texas, studied electrical engineering at Stanford, worked in semiconductor industry, involved in startups and eventually joined Broadcom. 

03:06 Companies have varied data use for carbon neutrality mandate. 

06:47 The reaction is positive. Legacy providers underserve the market. There's a desire for stable cloud-managed solutions. 

10:09 Founders had credibility from previous success. Initial fundraising was easy due to reputation. Challenge was balancing product development with building a business. determination helped overcome tough times. 

14:44 Biggest lesson: hardware business is tough. Supply chain complexities, capital outlay challenging. 

16:02 Founders must reflect on their purpose and adapt to challenges. 

20:37 Company focusing on aggressive growth, new partnerships, revenue, and hiring. Expanding customer base and building new capabilities. 
 
Links: 
 
SaaS Fundraising Stories: https://www.thesaasnews.com/news/verdigris-raises-10-million-in-funding 
 
Mark’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/markchung/ 

Verdigris’ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/verdigris/ 

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Welcome to another exciting episode of The SaaS CFO Podcast! In this episode, we are thrilled to host Kaj Seeste, the co-founder and CEO, and Greg Milliken, the president of the US business, from Saashop as our guests.  
 
We delve into their journey, discussing topics such as SaaS spend management, international expansion, and strategic fundraising. Get ready to explore how Saashop is revolutionizing software procurement and billing and evolving into a trusted advisor in the industry.  
 
Join us for a captivating conversation about their go-to-market strategy, the pursuit of product-market fit, and so much more. 
 
Show Notes: 
 
00:00 Started SaaS tool marketplace 5+ years ago, now focuses on consolidating spending for larger companies. 

05:18 Describes Finnish culture's influence on business approach. 

06:59 Building Saashop, reaching out to companies, focus on spend management marketplaces. 

11:19 No charge for Saashop; focus on relationships with ISVs for profit; ecosystem-centric approach. 

14:49 We aim to guide and lead with neutrality, offering multiple solutions in each category to benefit ISVs.

16:59 Finnish government supports tech businesses, aiming for series A funding soon. 

23:17 Summary: As we engage more customers, our focus has been on automating procurement and billing rather than deep analysis of spending and usage patterns. However, we are receiving positive feedback. 

24:31 Advising on software, improving service & customer satisfaction. 

Links: 

SaaS Fundraising Stories: https://www.thesaasnews.com/news/saashop-raises-1-2-million-in-seed-round 
 
Saashop’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/saashop/ 

Greg Milliken’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gregmilliken/ 

Kaj Seeste’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kajseeste/ 

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Hello listeners, welcome to The SaaS CFO Podcast. I'm your host, Ben, and today, Dave Campbell, co-founder and CEO of Tropic, is here with us. Dave's eclectic background shaped his understanding of intricate procurement problems, leading to the inception of Tropic, a cutting-edge procurement platform turning heads in the SaaS world. 

In this episode, we dive into how Tropic's keen focus on customer health scores and engagement drives retention and growth. We'll uncover the strategies that have attracted major feature releases, exclusive partnerships, and a noteworthy $65 million in funding—propelling them toward a $100 million ARR goal. 

Dave's going to share a treasure trove of insights, from the importance of storytelling in fundraising to the metrics that matter most for long-term success. With exciting advancements and a unique approach to simplifying software spend management, Tropic is on a mission to reshape the procurement landscape. 
 
Ready for some financial wisdom and operational tips from a true SaaS trailblazer? Stay tuned for a session that promises to enrich your SaaS knowledge! 

Show Notes: 
 
00:00 Read an American novel, had an entrepreneurial revelation, worked in digital marketing with the rise of blogs. 

03:26 Summary: Founder starts at Tropic, worked at Microsoft, realizes big companies are not for him, gains clarity. 

09:03 Make finance approvals easier with automated platform for spend tracking and utilization. 

12:35 Initially capped at 1000, now expanded to 10,000 with new features and target market shift. Planning to expand into other industry verticals. 

15:06 Improved adoption = better spend management. Consumer-grade UX helps with procurement challenges. Tropic aids under-resourced teams. 

17:06 Not a fit for real estate or physical goods, but good for software. Eyeing healthcare and higher ed markets for procurement. 

22:20 Praising insightful and diligent company, aligning with fund for quick series B, facing rigorous assessment. 

26:00 Meet top funds, control access to data room, stage meetings, keep it tight. 

29:09 Customer health scores crucial for business growth and retention. Monitoring through dashboards. 

31:42 Realizing customer needs and product-market fit in business endeavors. 

33:39 Insight partners helped with pricing, packaging, and capacity planning. 
 
Links: 
 
SaaS Fundraising Stories: https://www.thesaasnews.com/news/tropic-raises-40-million-in-series-b 

David Campbell’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidtropic/ 

Tropic’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/tropicapp/ 

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In this episode of The SaaS CFO Podcast, our host Ben sits down with special guest Shai Gabay, the co-founder and CEO of TrustMi. Shai shares the fascinating story of his background, from his early days disassembling electronic devices to his time in the Israeli intelligence corp and his transition into the world of cybersecurity and fintech.  
 
He goes on to discuss the innovative products and services that TrustMi offers, focusing on solving the problem of B2B payment fraud. Shai also delves into the company's journey, from its founding to securing $21 million in funding.  
 
With insights into the challenges of protecting B2B payment flows in the age of AI, this episode offers a captivating look into the intersection of cybersecurity and fintech. 

Show Notes: 
 
00:00 Reported $32 billion B2B payment fraud loss in 2020, prompting further investigation. 

03:41 Spoke to 150 CFOs, 70% SMBs, learned wire transfers are scary, manual controls used, 9 out of 10 suffered loss. 

08:56 SaaS software streamlines B2B payment security with quick deployment. 

10:36 Focused on value, leveraging historical data to show immediate results in payment flow and fault detection. 

16:09 Launching a company requires market validation and understanding customer needs. 

18:26 Founders took time to validate idea before seeking funding, focused on product market fit and customer sales before scaling and marketing. 

21:20 Investors seek solid business evidence, paying customers. 

24:25 Organizations educated on detecting sophisticated cyber threats. 
 
Links: 
 
SaaS Fundraising Stories: https://www.thesaasnews.com/news/trustmi-raises-17-million-in-series-a 

Shai Gabay’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shaigabay/ 

Trustmi’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/trustmi-ai/ 

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In this episode of The SaaS CFO Podcast, host Ben welcomes Adam Weber, CEO and founder at Pestiq. Adam discusses his diverse entrepreneurial background and how he transitioned from owning a pest control business to founding a SaaS company.  
 
He shares insights into the challenges and opportunities of building a performance analytics dashboard for the pest control industry, the decision to raise funding, and the crucial focus on customer feedback and onboarding.  
 
Listeners will gain valuable perspectives on early-stage startup growth, raising capital, and the strategic importance of aligning with the right investors. Tune in to learn about Adam's journey and the exciting prospects for Pestiq in the SaaS industry. 
 
Show Notes: 
 
00:00 Dropped out, started business, non-traditional learning, personal growth and fulfillment. 

04:43 Realized value in automating data collection led to business growth and transition to dedicated venture. 

08:16 They developed a working product, sought feedback from industry contacts. 

13:23 Founder believes in steady growth, eliminating companies. 

14:08 The company aims for 10-15M ARR in pest control and sees potential in expanding to other service industries. 

17:49 Entrepreneurs seek supportive venture capital for profitability in SaaS. 

23:01 Requesting feedback on using Pestiq, emphasizing customer satisfaction. 

24:05 Emphasis on thorough onboarding for accurate data and customer satisfaction. 
 
Links: 
 
SaaS Fundraising Stories: https://www.thesaasnews.com/news/pest-iq-secures-600-000-in-pre-seed-round 

Adam Weber’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adam-weber-go/ 

Driven’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/getpestiq/ 

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In this episode of The SaaS CFO Podcast, our host Ben sits down with Nayrhit Bhattacharya, co-founder of Gushwork. Nayrhit shares his journey in the tech industry, from working with AI at American Express to launching a company focused on reimagining the world of outsourcing post-GPT and AI.  
 
Gushwork offers a platform that combines human and AI capabilities to handle recurring business workflows, particularly in the sales domain. Nayrhit discusses the company's evolution, current team structure, customer acquisition strategies, fundraising journey, and valuable lessons for founders at the concept stage.  
 
He also highlights key metrics and the future direction of Gushwork. Join us for an insightful conversation on the innovative intersection of human intelligence and technology in streamlining business processes. 
 
Show Notes: 

00:00 A platform for combining human and AI/SaaS tools for business workflows, focusing on sales tasks. 

05:30 Started targeting Upwork/Fiverr users, offering SaaS human tool, now moving into SEO, successful on LinkedIn/Twitter. 

07:14 A concept evolved through iteration; launched GPT bot to help business owners with actionable workflows. 

11:00 Key metrics are LTV to CAC, delegated tasks, and financial metrics. 
 
Links: 
 
SaaS Fundraising Stories: https://www.thesaasnews.com/news/gushwork-ai-raises-2-1-million-in-pre-seed-round 

Gushwork’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/gushwork/ 

Nayrhit Bhattacharya’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nayrhit/ 

Gushwork’s Website: https://www.gushwork.ai/ 

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Welcome to The SaaS CFO Podcast, where we dive into the world of SaaS companies and their financial strategies. In this episode, our host Ben sits down with Ravi Sandepudi, co-founder and CEO of Effectiv, a fraud detection software company. Ravi shares his fascinating journey, from his time at Google and the acquisition of his previous startup by PayPal, to the founding of Effectiv.  

Ravi provides valuable insights into the world of fraud detection within mid-sized financial institutions, including credit unions and community banks. He delves into the challenges these institutions face and how Effectiv's platform is designed to address their specific needs. Ravi also discusses the company's go-to-market strategies, funding journey, and future plans for growth and innovation. 

Tune in as Ravi shares his experiences, lessons learned, and his vision for the future of Effectiv. If you're interested in the intersection of finance, technology, and entrepreneurship, you won't want to miss this episode. 

Show Notes: 

00:00 Started career at Google, worked in fraud and risk. Joined startup Simility, acquired by PayPal. Worked in PayPal's risk team, built new products. 

05:39 System integrates with banking, assesses risks and adds friction when necessary. 

08:09 25-person remote team operates real-time fraud platform for 24/7 transactions. 

09:51 We serve mid-sized fintechs and work closely with credit unions and community banks. Initially challenging, now collaborative partnerships. 

13:54 Combining variable and fixed SaaS pricing for predictability and customer budget approval. 

17:16 Company waited for customer commitment before raising money to avoid potential pitfalls. 

22:42 Emphasize discipline, pivot to existing customer upselling, and learn from quick actions. 

23:59 Maintaining controlled burn, aiming for 5 million, considering profitability vs growth. 

27:25 Company presence on LinkedIn and Twitter for fraud platform. Contact Ravi at Effectiv AI. 

Links:  

SaaS Fundraising Stories: https://www.thesaasnews.com/news/effectiv-raises-4-million-in-seed-round 

Ravi Sandepudi’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sandepudi/ 

Effectiv Ai’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/effectivai/ 

To know more about Ben check out the links below:

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SaaS Metrics courses here: https://www.thesaasacademy.com/

Join Ben’s SaaS community here: https://www.thesaasacademy.com/offers/ivNjwYDx/checkout

Follow Ben on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/benrmurray

In this episode of The SaaS CFO Podcast, we're joined by Lauris Rutkis, the co-founder and CEO of Swotzy, a last-mile shipping software company. Lauris shares his journey from studying logistics engineering in the Netherlands to working at companies like Merskline and DPD before founding Swotzy in 2022.  
 
He discusses the company's growth, the services they offer, their ideal customer profile, and their go-to-market strategy. Lauris also delves into their fundraising journey, the metrics they focus on, and the exciting plans for scaling operations and expanding into multiple European countries.  
 
Tune in to hear about the innovative solutions Swotzy is bringing to the shipping industry. 

Show Notes: 

00:00 Last mile shipping software streamlines package delivery, saving time and resources for companies. 

03:51 Customers can ship in 5 minutes, benefit from consolidation and support for small and medium-sized businesses. 

08:01 Focusing on postal shipments. Ideal customers: growing companies sending hundreds of shipments per month. Also targeting large enterprises. Adding value through multi-carrier setup for new markets. 

12:03 Successful use of free media and cold outreach attracting companies and investors. 

15:10 Quickly validate product with customers, secure second investment. 

17:11 Focus on month-on-month increases in shipments, revenue, and net cash burn to maintain steady progress. Tracking shipments is important for revenue growth. 

Links: 

SaaS Fundraising Stories: https://www.thesaasnews.com/news/swotzy-raises-500-000-in-pre-seed-round 

Lauris Rutkis’ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lauris-rutkis/ 

Swotzy’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/swotzy/ 

To know more about Ben check out the links below:

Subscribe to Ben’s daily metrics newsletter: https://saasmetricsschool.beehiiv.com/subscribe

Subscribe to Ben’s SaaS newsletter: https://mailchi.mp/df1db6bf8bca/the-saas-cfo-sign-up-landing-page

SaaS Metrics courses here: https://www.thesaasacademy.com/

Join Ben’s SaaS community here: https://www.thesaasacademy.com/offers/ivNjwYDx/checkout

Follow Ben on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/benrmurray

Hello listeners, and welcome back to The SaaS CFO Podcast. In today's episode, I'm excited to be sitting down with a very special guest—Jason Vego, the dynamic CEO behind Bevz, a company that's revolutionizing how convenience stores sell their products in the digital marketplace. 

We'll be diving into Jason's incredible story of steering Bevz through a complete business model pivot during the height of the pandemic, emerging on the other side with a robust SaaS platform and an impressive 600% annual growth rate. This kind of success doesn't come easy, and Jason will be pulling back the curtain on their path to attracting seed investors and scaling their operations with some smart strategies and a dedicated sales team. 

If you're interested in learning from the challenges and triumphs of an actual SaaS startup, then you're in for a treat. We'll also touch on how Bevz has dealt with the fundamentals of fundraising, growth metrics, and even managing a distributed team. 

So grab your headphones, get comfortable, and let's delve into these topics and more with Jason Vego. Here we go! 

Show Notes: 
 
00:00 Mistaken solution for inventory management software. Shift to B2B SaaS. Emerging need for vertical software. 

05:03 Realizing gaps in dog grooming and finance, sought expertise. 

08:37 Industry move too slow, pandemic sped up change, flipped order of operations for online sales and ROI. 

10:24 Discussion on transitioning bodegas to more restaurant-like. Focus is on non-perishable items. 

16:09 Ops title, CEO pivot in 2021, led inventory management pivot, became CEO, Victor focused on industry partnerships and advertising deals. 

16:52 Focused on launching SaaS, successful pivot, learning experience. 

21:38 In summer 2022, the company secured key integrations and raised a $605,000 round from early investors. 

23:57 Company had ten reps, lost two, now at eight with plans to expand and implement new strategies. 

26:47 Recommendations for raising capital: pre-work, dedication, build relationships, meet investors in person. 

29:56 Improving platform efficiency for increased GMV and store effectiveness. 

34:11 Emphasizing the importance of hiring the right people with unique skill sets and strong personality, and managing internal conflict effectively for success. 

36:12 Visit bevz.com or LinkedIn for more about Jason's work at Bevz. 

Links:  

SaaS Fundraising Stories: https://www.thesaasnews.com/news/bevz-secures-3-1-million-in-funding 

Jason Vego’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jvego/ 

Bevz’ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/bevz/ 

Bevz’ Website: https://www.bevz.com/ 

To know more about Ben check out the links below:

Subscribe to Ben’s daily metrics newsletter: https://saasmetricsschool.beehiiv.com/subscribe

Subscribe to Ben’s SaaS newsletter: https://mailchi.mp/df1db6bf8bca/the-saas-cfo-sign-up-landing-page

SaaS Metrics courses here: https://www.thesaasacademy.com/

Join Ben’s SaaS community here: https://www.thesaasacademy.com/offers/ivNjwYDx/checkout

Follow Ben on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/benrmurray

Welcome to The SaaS CFO Podcast. In this episode, host Ben is joined by Brian Pontarelli, founder and CEO at Fusionauth, a customer identity and access management tool. Brian delves into his coding background, the products and services offered by Fusionauth, and the company's journey from its founding to recent growth equity investment.  
 
He shares insights on their go-to-market strategy, metrics guiding the business, and their focus on product development and boosting their market presence. Don't miss Brian's valuable lessons learned and what's in store for Fusionauth's future. Tune in for an insightful conversation on SaaS growth and evolution. 

Show Notes: 
 
00:00 Login downtime closes cash register. Prioritize customer login ease. 

04:45 Friend and I tried to recreate the web, but switched to a profanity filter which became successful. 

08:02 Focused on content marketing, SEO, and developer-oriented ads using platforms like Google and LinkedIn to reach developers. Ads are creative and provide immediate value with ebooks. 

09:40 Received interest from various firms, pursued growth equity investment. 

13:25 Focusing on real metrics, not just revenue growth. 

16:28 Fusionauth IO website - comprehensive and transparent resource for information without sales pressure. 

Links: 

SaaS Fundraising Stories: https://www.thesaasnews.com/news/fusionauth-secures-65-million-in-funding 

Brian Pontarelli’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/voidmain/ 

Fusion Auth’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/fusionauth/ 

Fusion Auth’s Website: https://fusionauth.io/ 

To know more about Ben check out the links below:

Subscribe to Ben’s daily metrics newsletter: https://saasmetricsschool.beehiiv.com/subscribe

Subscribe to Ben’s SaaS newsletter: https://mailchi.mp/df1db6bf8bca/the-saas-cfo-sign-up-landing-page

SaaS Metrics courses here: https://www.thesaasacademy.com/

Join Ben’s SaaS community here: https://www.thesaasacademy.com/offers/ivNjwYDx/checkout

Follow Ben on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/benrmurray

Welcome to The SaaS CFO Podcast! In this episode, our host Ben sits down with Sudhir Bhojwani, co-founder and CEO of Oro Labs, a procurement software company. Sudhir talks about his background in software engineering, previous entrepreneurial endeavors, and the founding of Oro Labs.  
 
He shares insights into the challenges and nuances of the procurement space and explains the company's mission to "humanize the procurement experience." Sudhir also delves into Oro Labs' pricing structure, go-to-market strategies, fundraising experiences, and the future direction of the company.  
 
Join us as we explore the world of procurement software and entrepreneurial growth with Sudhir Bhojwani. 

Show Notes: 
 
00:00 Ariba is top procurement software. Challenges in business-user friction in procurement. Complex process due to non-commoditized goods. 

05:12 Startup company focusing on life sciences, pharmaceuticals, financial services, manufacturing, and software. 

07:35 Consulting work involves IP sharing and goes through multiple steps, guided by a tool for maximum outcome and speed. 

10:58 Focus on large enterprise and mid-market, using account-based marketing and partner strategy. 

15:16 Series A to B transition: Metrics or major company signings guide valuation strategy. Early stage metrics are complex. 

16:36 Sticking with philosophy, fortunate in procurement software market. 

19:42 Belief in humanized procurement experience, using GPT for problem solving, prioritizing user experience. 

Links: 

SaaS Fundraising Stories: https://www.thesaasnews.com/news/oro-labs-secures-34-million-in-series-b 

Sudhir Bhojwani’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sudhir-bhojwani-43b342/ 

Orolabs’ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/procurewithoro/ 

Orolabs’ Website: https://www.orolabs.ai/ 

To know more about Ben check out the links below:

Subscribe to Ben’s daily metrics newsletter: https://saasmetricsschool.beehiiv.com/subscribe

Subscribe to Ben’s SaaS newsletter: https://mailchi.mp/df1db6bf8bca/the-saas-cfo-sign-up-landing-page

SaaS Metrics courses here: https://www.thesaasacademy.com/

Join Ben’s SaaS community here: https://www.thesaasacademy.com/offers/ivNjwYDx/checkout

Follow Ben on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/benrmurray

In this episode of The SaaS CFO Podcast, we sit down with Husayn Kassai, the CEO and founder of Quench. Husayn shares his journey from starting an eBay business at a young age to co-founding and leading Onfido, a successful startup, before taking on the challenge of launching Quench AI.  
 
He discusses the unique approach Quench takes towards corporate learning, utilizing AI to personalize the learning journey for individuals. Husayn delves into the challenges faced in the learning and development space, the vision for the future of learning, and the cultural shift needed in early-stage companies.  
 
Join us as we explore the innovative approach Quench is taking to revolutionize corporate learning and development. 
 
Show Notes: 
 
00:00 Upskilling, training team, content creation, cost considerations. 

04:11 Applying AI to filter educational video transcripts. 

09:18 Flat fee for platform use, employee access. 

12:42 Team building product; personalized learning, AI models. 

15:39 AI enables personalized learning for business leaders. 

17:12 Udemy and similar platforms are competitors in content. 

21:05 Challenges in showing data driven ROI persist. 

23:25 AI platform, easy sign-up, trial, feedback-driven development. 

Links: 

Husayn Kassai’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/husaynkassai/ 
 
QuenchAI’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/quenchai/ 

To know more about Ben check out the links below:

Subscribe to Ben’s daily metrics newsletter: https://saasmetricsschool.beehiiv.com/subscribe

Subscribe to Ben’s SaaS newsletter: https://mailchi.mp/df1db6bf8bca/the-saas-cfo-sign-up-landing-page

SaaS Metrics courses here: https://www.thesaasacademy.com/

Join Ben’s SaaS community here: https://www.thesaasacademy.com/offers/ivNjwYDx/checkout

Follow Ben on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/benrmurray

Welcome to The SaaS CFO Podcast, I'm your host, Ben, and today we're diving into the financial heartbeat of SaaS companies with a very special guest, Vipul Shah, the co-founder and CEO/CFO at SaaS Works.

In this episode, Vipul will share his unique insights into guiding metrics that are crucial for any recurring revenue business such MRR, ARR, customer retention, and dollar retention, and why these metrics are pivotal for evaluating capital efficiency, customer satisfaction, and product-market fit. 

We'll also explore how Vipul's background in technology and finance has shaped the services offered by SaaSWorks, a company dedicated to enhancing the office of the CFO through data-driven decision-making and automation. Get ready to learn about their innovative approach to quality of revenue, their successful funding rounds, and the lessons they've learned along the way, not to mention the importance of community and customer-led growth. 

Whether you're a CFO, a SaaS entrepreneur, or an investor, this conversation will give you a comprehensive outlook on the value drivers in the SaaS world and the evolving role of finance in the success of a SaaS business.

Remember to check out more about SaasWorks at www.saasworks.com. So, let’s buckle up and get ready for a journey into the metrics that matter, the funding that fuels growth, and the strategies that sustain success in the SaaS industry. 

Show Notes: 
 
00:00 Transitioned from tech to investing, worked extensively. 

06:00 Utilizing digital workers to automate finance tasks. 

07:28 Quality of revenue impacts SaaS business value. 

12:15 Patient investors, proven product, successful growth strategies. 

14:00 CFO board support, strategic investors, $6M rounds. 

16:45 30-year renewal, testimonial, case studies, reaching CFOs, expanding volume. 

23:12 Guidance for fundraising: be balanced and transparent. 

25:30 Efficiency, team quality, growth, and customer retention. 

28:38 Embedding AI, ML, RPA and more into platform for users. 

Links: 

Vipul Shah’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/vpshah/ 

SaaSWorks’ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/saasworksinc/ 

To know more about Ben check out the links below:

Subscribe to Ben’s daily metrics newsletter: https://saasmetricsschool.beehiiv.com/subscribe

Subscribe to Ben’s SaaS newsletter: https://mailchi.mp/df1db6bf8bca/the-saas-cfo-sign-up-landing-page

SaaS Metrics courses here: https://www.thesaasacademy.com/

Join Ben’s SaaS community here: https://www.thesaasacademy.com/offers/ivNjwYDx/checkout

Follow Ben on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/benrmurray

In this episode of The SaaS CFO Podcast, we hear from Jacob Bank, the CEO and founder of Relay. Jacob shares his background, including his journey from AI research at Stanford to founding Relay.app.  
 
He discusses the transition from being a founder to being acquired by a larger company, and the challenges and opportunities that came with it. Jacob also delves into the details of Relay, a workflow automation tool that helps people connect multiple products and create streamlined workflows.  
 
He sheds light on the target customers, go-to-market strategy, fundraising journey, and the key metric guiding the business. Tune in to hear about Jacob's insights, strategies, and what's coming up next for Relay. 

Show Notes: 
 
00:00 Acquired by Google; led product for Gmail. 

04:32 Challenges of team alignment and scaling at Google. 

08:46 People find and use Relay for specific needs. 

10:56 Shared automation, cross-team workflows, and adaptation. 

15:33 Startup secured funding, developed product in timeline. 

17:42 Seize investment opportunity, extend runway, minimize dilution. 

20:54 Plan ahead for low runway, secure capital strategically. 

25:32 Creating targeted how-to guides for automating tasks. 

Links: 

SaaS Fundraising Stories: https://www.thesaasnews.com/news/relay-app-raises-3-1-million-in-funding 

Jacob Bank’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jacobbank/ 

Relay’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/tryrelayapp/ 

To know more about Ben check out the links below:

Subscribe to Ben’s daily metrics newsletter: https://saasmetricsschool.beehiiv.com/subscribe

Subscribe to Ben’s SaaS newsletter: https://mailchi.mp/df1db6bf8bca/the-saas-cfo-sign-up-landing-page

SaaS Metrics courses here: https://www.thesaasacademy.com/

Join Ben’s SaaS community here: https://www.thesaasacademy.com/offers/ivNjwYDx/checkout

Follow Ben on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/benrmurray

In this episode of The SaaS CFO Podcast, our guest Derek Osgood, founder and CEO of Ignition, shares valuable insights into the world of product marketing and go-to-market strategy. Derek discusses his background in running products and marketing teams, as well as the inception and offerings of Ignition, a platform that assists in creating and launching products, features, and campaigns. 

He delves into the industries Ignition serves, the target audience within organizations, and the effectiveness of its product. Derek also reveals key aspects of their go-to-market strategy, including channel partnerships and the lessons he learned from the fundraising process. 

Listeners can expect to gain a deeper understanding of the metrics and pricing model used by Ignition, as well as the future innovations and advancements planned for the company. So join us as Derek Osgood provides a comprehensive look into the world of product development and commercialization in the SaaS industry. 

Show Notes: 

00:00 Platform manages launch process, competitive analysis, roadmapping, go-to-market. 

05:03 Product and product marketing drive app usage. 

09:47 Channel partners incentivized with recurring revenue and involvement. 

12:22 Seed raise focused on usage and value. 

14:56 Dipping toe in fundraising process led to regret. 

18:06 Excited for AI in sales enablement growth. 

20:50 Mark's gone. Thanks, check out havignition.com. 

Links:  

SaaS Fundraising Stories: https://www.thesaasnews.com/news/ignition-raises-8-million-in-seed-round 

Derek Osgood’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/derekosgood3/ 

Ignition’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/haveignition/ 

Ignition’s Website: https://www.haveignition.com/ 

To learn more about Ben, check out the links below:

Subscribe to Ben’s daily metrics newsletter: https://saasmetricsschool.beehiiv.com/subscribe

Subscribe to Ben’s SaaS newsletter: https://mailchi.mp/df1db6bf8bca/the-saas-cfo-sign-up-landing-page

SaaS Metrics courses here: https://www.thesaasacademy.com/

Join Ben’s SaaS community here: https://www.thesaasacademy.com/offers/ivNjwYDx/checkout

Follow Ben on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/benrmurray

Welcome to The SaaS CFO Podcast, where we bring you insightful conversations with SaaS industry leaders. In this episode, our host Ben sits down with Ivan Cossu, the founder and CEO of Deskbird, a B2B SaaS company providing a software solution for managing the complexity of hybrid workplaces.  
 
Ivan shares his entrepreneurial journey, from pivoting from a B2C coworking model to the current B2B SaaS platform. He talks about the challenges and successes of raising capital, the company's growth strategies, and the future of workplace management with AI.  
 
Join us as we dive into Ivan's insights and experiences in scaling a SaaS business and revolutionizing the workplace experience. 

Show Notes: 
 
00:00 Deskbird: Software for managing hybrid workplace complexity. 

03:46 Pivoted from Airbnb for coworking spaces model. 

09:13 Diversified channels including Google for inbound marketing. 

13:12 Efficiency and unit economics crucial for investors. 

16:01 Expect few term sheets, be authentic as founder. 

17:43 OKR meeting: ARR and burn multiple discussed. 

21:06 AI can improve workplace management using data. 

Links: 
 
SaaS Fundraising Stories: https://www.thesaasnews.com/news/deskbird-closes-5-million-in-pre-series-a 

https://www.thesaasnews.com/news/deskbird-secures-13-million-in-series-a 

Ivan Cossu’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ivancossu/ 

Deskbird’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/deskbird/ 

To learn more about Ben check out the links below:

Subscribe to Ben’s daily metrics newsletter: https://saasmetricsschool.beehiiv.com/subscribe

Subscribe to Ben’s SaaS newsletter: https://mailchi.mp/df1db6bf8bca/the-saas-cfo-sign-up-landing-page

SaaS Metrics courses here: https://www.thesaasacademy.com/

Join Ben’s SaaS community here: https://www.thesaasacademy.com/offers/ivNjwYDx/checkout

Follow Ben on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/benrmurray

In this episode of The SaaS CFO Podcast, our host Ben sits down with John Mizzi, founder and CEO of Vero Technologies. John shares his journey from the world of financial services to launching his fintech company.  
 
Vero Technologies offers a platform for wholesale inventory financing, catering to dealers of various manufactured goods. John discusses the unique challenges and opportunities in this space, including the company's pricing model and go-to-market strategy.  

He also dives into the company's recent series A raise and future plans for growth and organizational development. Tune in to hear an insightful conversation about innovation and growth within the world of fintech. 
 
Show Notes: 

00:00 Platform provides financing for dealers' high-value inventory. 

04:39 SaaS platform streams lenders' day-to-day operations. 

08:16 Platform created new opportunities for banks and manufacturers. 

10:45 Validating milestone: banks signed up for platform. 

13:23 Segmenting market approach for new banking landscape. 

17:27 Focusing on scaling organization, evolving niche opportunities. 

20:02 Grateful for insights on company growth strategy. 

Links: 

SaaS Fundraising Stories: https://www.thesaasnews.com/news/vero-technologies-closes-8-5-million-in-series-a 

John Mizzi’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/johnfmizzi/ 

Vero Technologies’ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/vero-technologies/ 

John Mizzi’s Email: john@vero-technologies.com 

To learn more about Ben check out the links below:

Subscribe to Ben’s daily metrics newsletter: https://saasmetricsschool.beehiiv.com/subscribe

Subscribe to Ben’s SaaS newsletter: https://mailchi.mp/df1db6bf8bca/the-saas-cfo-sign-up-landing-page

SaaS Metrics courses here: https://www.thesaasacademy.com/

Join Ben’s SaaS community here: https://www.thesaasacademy.com/offers/ivNjwYDx/checkout

Follow Ben on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/benrmurray

In this episode of The SaaS CFO Podcast, our host, Ben, welcomes Anshul Shrivastava, the co-founder and CEO of Vodex AI. Anshul shares his fascinating journey from being an engineer in India to founding Vodex AI, a company specializing in voicebot technology for phone call automation.  
 
They discussed the company's innovative products and services, its growth and funding journey, and the importance of focusing on one value proposition for success. Anshul also provides a glimpse into the future of Vodex with exciting developments in multilingual capabilities and cognitive ability.  
 
Tune in to learn more about Vodex AI and the exciting advancements in AI technology. 

Show Notes: 

00:00 Interest in voicebots led to freelance work. 

04:39 Bot frustration resolved, improved response accuracy achieved. 

08:00 Instantly receive answers with integrated website API. 

11:57 Global funding challenges, but opportunities in AI. 

15:15 Key lessons: Revenue, technology, team, focus, scale. 

17:05 Vodax offers voicebot with 100+ language capabilities. 

19:25 Ensure country code, YouTube channel, Discord connection. 

Links: 

SaaS Fundraising Stories: https://www.thesaasnews.com/news/vodex-raises-320-000-in-pre-seed-round 

Anshul Shrivastava’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/anshul-shrivastava/ 

Vodex AI’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/vodexai/ 

To learn more about Ben check out the links below:

Subscribe to Ben’s daily metrics newsletter: https://saasmetricsschool.beehiiv.com/subscribe

Subscribe to Ben’s SaaS newsletter: https://mailchi.mp/df1db6bf8bca/the-saas-cfo-sign-up-landing-page

SaaS Metrics courses here: https://www.thesaasacademy.com/

Join Ben’s SaaS community here: https://www.thesaasacademy.com/offers/ivNjwYDx/checkout

Follow Ben on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/benrmurray

Welcome to The SaaS CFO Podcast. In this episode, our host Ben sits down with Paul Prendergast, CEO and co-founder of Kayna, a tech start-up specializing in insurance technology.  
 
Throughout their conversation, Paul discusses his extensive experience in tech startups and the unique approach Kayna is taking to revolutionize the insurance industry. He shares insights on Kayna's focus on vertical SaaS platforms, its go-to-market strategy, and its journey from inception to raising funds.  
 
Join us as we delve into the innovative world of insurance technology with Paul Prendergast. 

Show Notes: 
 
00:00 Early stage Insurtech SaaS for vertical platforms. 

04:30 Platform drives revenue by offering personalized products. 

07:29 18 months ago, started, became regulated entity, funding. 

10:53 Focused vertical SaaS, providing valuable content. 

15:05 Focus on credibility and differentiation as small business. 

17:23 Maximizing value through targeted outreach and collaboration. 
 
Links: 

Paul Prendergast’s LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/paulincork/ 

Kayna Innovation’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/kayna-innovation/ 

To learn more about Ben check out the links below:

Subscribe to Ben’s daily metrics newsletter: https://saasmetricsschool.beehiiv.com/subscribe

Subscribe to Ben’s SaaS newsletter: https://mailchi.mp/df1db6bf8bca/the-saas-cfo-sign-up-landing-page

SaaS Metrics courses here: https://www.thesaasacademy.com/

Join Ben’s SaaS community here: https://www.thesaasacademy.com/offers/ivNjwYDx/checkout

Follow Ben on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/benrmurray

Welcome to The SaaS CFO Podcast! In this episode, our host Ben talks to Jeff Handy, CEO and co-founder of Qualiti AI. Jeff shares how he and his team developed an AI tool to automate the testing process for software development, aiming to revolutionize the way companies approach quality assurance.  
 
He discusses the background of Qualiti AI, its target market, team size, funding, and future plans. Jeff also provides valuable insights and lessons learned from raising capital and finding the right investors.  
 
Tune in to gain a deeper understanding of the fascinating intersection between AI and software testing and to learn more about the journey of Qualiti AI. 
 
Show Notes:  
 
00:00 AI simplifies test code generation and management. 

05:13 Ben can sell our lightweight JavaScript tag. 

08:28 Location in Lehigh, Utah, but distributed teams. 

10:50 Prepare for market, secure capital, lead competition. 

12:33 Venture world: empathy, rejection, finding resonance. 

17:38 Pricing model encourages platform usage and testing. 

19:03 Connect with Jeff Handy on LinkedIn for conversation. 

Links: 

SaaS Fundraising Stories: https://www.thesaasnews.com/news/qualiti-ai-closes-6-5-million-in-seed-round 

Jeff Handy’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeff-handy-3363a347/ 

Qualiti AI’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/qualiti/?viewAsMember=true 

Qualiti AI’s Website: https://qualiti.ai/ 

To learn more about Ben check out the links below:

Subscribe to Ben’s daily metrics newsletter: https://saasmetricsschool.beehiiv.com/subscribe

Subscribe to Ben’s SaaS newsletter: https://mailchi.mp/df1db6bf8bca/the-saas-cfo-sign-up-landing-page

SaaS Metrics courses here: https://www.thesaasacademy.com/

Join Ben’s SaaS community here: https://www.thesaasacademy.com/offers/ivNjwYDx/checkout

Follow Ben on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/benrmurray

In this episode of The SaaS CFO Podcast, host Ben speaks with Itzik Alvas, the co-founder and CEO of Entro Security. Itzik shares his extensive background in cybersecurity, including his experience in offensive and defensive cybersecurity roles at the IDF and Microsoft.  
 
He provides valuable insights into the challenges companies face with securing and managing programmatic access keys, also known as secrets, and how Entro Security offers a complete solution to address this critical issue. Itzik discusses the target market for their solution, their sales cycle, and the lessons learned from their successful seed funding round. 
 
Listeners will gain valuable insight into the world of cybersecurity, entrepreneurship, and the exciting future plans for Entro Security. 

Show Notes: 
 
00:00 IBM and Verizon report on costly cyberattacks. 

03:31 Regenerating keys is essential for security. 

07:10 Co-founder experienced breaches, led to founding security company. 

11:11 Easy SaaS integrations, quick findings and reports. 

16:38 Validate, learn, improve, and go for it. 

17:49 Mainly focused on ARR and CAC metrics. 

Links:  

Itzik Alvas’ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/itzik-alvas/ 

Nirit Icekson’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nirit-icekson-09999a/ 

Entro Security’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/entro-security/ 

Entro Security’s Website: https://entro.security/ 

To learn more about Ben check out the links below:

Subscribe to Ben’s daily metrics newsletter: https://saasmetricsschool.beehiiv.com/subscribe

Subscribe to Ben’s SaaS newsletter: https://mailchi.mp/df1db6bf8bca/the-saas-cfo-sign-up-landing-page

SaaS Metrics courses here: https://www.thesaasacademy.com/

Join Ben’s SaaS community here: https://www.thesaasacademy.com/offers/ivNjwYDx/checkout

Follow Ben on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/benrmurray