SaaStr

OCTOBER 27, 2024

. “How To Perfectly Pitch Your Seed Stage Startup With Y Combinator’s Michael Seibel” #2. State of the Cloud 2024: The Cloud AI Era with Bessemer Venture Partners #5. “What’s New at WordPress with Matt Mullenweg, CEO of Automattic and Co-Founder of WordPress” #3.

AI 292

AI Cloud Startup SaaS 292

SaaStr

OCTOBER 10, 2024

And what you can see is there is really almost no liquidity for startups and scale-ups in SaaS and Cloud at the moment. Public SaaS and Cloud companies, and AI leaders like NVidia, have still generated a lot of cash for shares. He summarized the M&A (acquisitions) of The Top 10 Software Acquirers. Epic times. years or so.

SaaS 312

SaaS Acquisition Cloud AI 312

Clouded Judgement

OCTOBER 11, 2024

Every week I’ll provide updates on the latest trends in cloud software companies. Coming out of that, every company from the largest enterprise to the smallest startup started thinking very critically about cost optimizations. Subscribe now Share Clouded Judgement Leave a comment Follow along to stay up to date!

Cloud 167

Cloud Cost optimization & reporting GCP(Google Cloud Platform) Software Review 167

SaaStr

FEBRUARY 3, 2025

Jean Dwit (Chief Business Officer at Stripe) and Lindsay Scrace (COO at Checker) have done it multiple times at companies like Google Cloud, Stripe, and Checker. They came to SaaStr Annual to share what theyve learned about making the move to go more enterprise actually work.

Scale 272

Scale SMB Enterprise Enterprise readiness 272

SaaStr

DECEMBER 14, 2023

In the latest installment of SaaStr’s What’s New series – where we sit down with the leaders in SaaS and Cloud for the inside scoop on what’s top of mind and what’s new, SaaStr CEO and Jason Lemkin chats with the CMO of Google Cloud, Alison Wagonfeld.

Cloud 309

Cloud Scale AWS AI 309

Tom Tunguz

NOVEMBER 14, 2022

My laptop is faster than your cloud. Instead of requiring a scale-out database in the sky, most analyses are faster with an optimized database on your computer that can leverage the cloud when needed. Because of these advantages, MotherDuck is the best place for startups to build their first Modern Data Stack.

Cloud 356

Cloud AWS Data Analysis Benchmarks 356

SaaStr

JANUARY 16, 2023

To convert an idea into a successful venture, startups need to be equipped to scale. Hiring a reliable team is an all-encompassing issue where startups dive in head-first but fail to optimize it for success. . Hiring a reliable team is an all-encompassing issue where startups dive in head-first but fail to optimize it for success. .

Scale 259

Scale CTO Hire Cloud Scaling 259

SaaStr

AUGUST 19, 2020

These are the Best of Time in Cloud and SaaS, as odd as that still seems. Not some tiny startup that might take years to get to material revenue or market share. With Cloud stocks at unprecedented valuations, M&A is going to heat up even more. I expect more mega-mergers: $2b-$10b+ deals. You buy that growth.

Acquisition 342

Acquisition Cloud SaaS Pricing 342

SaaStr

AUGUST 18, 2024

Many, many folks in SaaS and Cloud are still growing like a weed. And because SaaS and Cloud overall is still growing a stunning +20% a year, that means tons of jobs are still being created. I love this summary from Adam Schoenfeld at Keyplay enriching the Cloud 100 list: Net net, hiring is way up in the Cloud 100.

Cloud 324

Cloud Scale Startup SaaS 324

SaaStr

NOVEMBER 18, 2023

SaaS products and services like Pilot track the finances of 1,000s of SaaS and other startup so they’re an interesting source of hard data. Something that’s both not surprising but also pretty impactful: 57% of venture-backed startups will have to go “back to market” in 2024 to raise more capital. Carpe Diem.

Startup 357

Startup Venture Capital Azure AWS 357

SaaStr

DECEMBER 2, 2023

Many Cloud leaders stock prices are way, way up in 2023, the Cloud platform leaders have re-accelerated, and leaders like Shopify are having close-to-record years. But for many startups, the hangover from the Excesses of 2021 is a real and tough one. Startups shutting down are up 238% this year — already.

Startup 318

Startup Cloud Pricing Data 318

SaaStr

MAY 28, 2022

They predict public Cloud spending to rise 20% next year to $500 Billion. And that’s the key driver of overall Cloud spend. Some of your customers in B2C and that are startups may be under pressure and cutting back. But overall — things are still growing like crazy in SaaS and Cloud. The latest is good news.

Cloud 358

Cloud B2C SaaS Enterprise 358

SaaStr

SEPTEMBER 5, 2022

The top Cloud and SaaS leaders are growing faster than ever. So even more than usual, VCs have to decide what to do with their struggling startups. The thing is VCs know 3 almost conflicting things: The best startups just grow at an insane rate, at least most of the time. Things are still very good in SaaS. Not all, but most.

Startup 354

Startup Sales Hiring Venture Capital Cloud 354

SaaStr

OCTOBER 24, 2023

And yet, overall Cloud spend continues to grow to record levels. Their Cloud business is on fire. SAP expects to close the year out with their Cloud and SaaS businesses at a $15 Billion run-rate. And even at that scale, Cloud sales are growing a stunning 16% (!). Fairly far away from a lot of apps startups sell.

Cloud 284

Cloud Sales Hiring Scale Business 284

Clouded Judgement

AUGUST 30, 2024

Every week I’ll provide updates on the latest trends in cloud software companies. In a world without venture capital (or other sources of external financing for startups), each company would have to grow solely based on the merits of their product and sales. An example of a platform shift is the creation of the cloud.

Cloud 274

Cloud Venture Capital AI Startup 274

SaaStr

MAY 3, 2021

It can be hard to tell from the media and Twitter just what’s happening in SaaS and Cloud startups these days. We see hot earlier-stage startups out of top incubators getting funded at record valuations. So net net, a ton more capital went into later-stage deals, but often into startups that did even better during Covid.

Startup 347

Startup Cloud SaaS Data 347

SaaStr

APRIL 27, 2023

Startups are solving the world’s important challenges with agility, innovative technology, and determination. So whether you’re starting out, building your startup, or scaling up to meet the needs of consumers, business, and society, we connect you with the right people, products, and best practices to help you thrive and grow.

Cloud 260

Cloud Scale Startup Sales Hiring 260

SaaStr

JULY 29, 2022

The best of the best in SaaS and Cloud, truly the fastest growing and most iconic SaaS companies, from Snowflake to Datadog and more are way, way down. But what about startups? Most VC funds “carry” startup investments at their last round price, unless their value has been materially impaired. The public markets are down 50%+.

Startup 329

Startup Venture Capital SaaS Cloud 329

Tom Tunguz

JULY 28, 2022

AWS’s growth rate is the slowest of the three largest public infrastructure clouds. Results from these clouds suggest the market isn’t as soft as the 30% estimate - at least not yet. With about 39% market share, AWS reigns supreme as the largest provider. GCP reported 37% growth & Microsoft 40%. Q/Q Growth Rate Change.

GCP(Google Cloud Platform) 322

GCP(Google Cloud Platform) AWS Startup Azure 322

SaaStr

OCTOBER 11, 2020

Almost, at any price in Cloud / SaaS. The post My Top 8 Mistakes Investing in SaaS Startups appeared first on SaaStr. OK every investor can tell you this story. But not investing at $300m and seeing it worth $3b just a few years later … every investor has this story. You have to invest in your winners.

Investment 363

Investment Startup SaaS Pricing 363

SaaStr

APRIL 2, 2021

Jamin Bell of Altimeter Capital has a great Substack looking a lot of SaaS and Cloud metrics. I thought I’d pull out one set of data and focus on what it means for startup valuations. The anchor growth rate for a SaaS startup remains, roughly, the Triple Triple Double Double. The post What’s Your SaaS Startup Worth?

Startup 330

Startup Revenue SaaS Cloud 330

SaaStr

AUGUST 11, 2024

750k-$4m checks for SaaS, Cloud and B2B startups at from $10k-$200k MRR. Algolia and Legacy Investment Talkdesk in BVP Cloud 100! More on SaaStr Fund here : The post This Week at SaaStr Fund: Algolia in Cloud 100, RevenueCat Launches App Growth Conference, AI Fuels Growth At Gorgias appeared first on SaaStr.

Cloud 300

Cloud AI Generative AI CTO 300

SaaStr

SEPTEMBER 20, 2023

Discover Bessemer Venture Partners’s annual State of the Cloud report, going through trends, benchmarks, and metrics that underpin the Cloud economy. The past twelve months have been relatively turbulent for Cloud founders. What does this mean for Cloud companies? What does this mean for Cloud companies?

Cloud 306

Cloud Payments Software Review Payment Solutions 306

SaaStr

SEPTEMBER 23, 2022

In this informative SaaStr Annual session, Bessemer Partners Sameer Dholakia, Mary D’Onofrio, and Elliott Robinson present the State of Cloud report, a look at the latest in SaaS trends, predictions, and cloud economics. Cloud Stocks Impacted by Macro Environment. Reminder: Cloud Fundamentals Are Still Strong.

Cloud 304

Cloud Benchmarks Trends Business Model 304

Tom Tunguz

JANUARY 18, 2023

In the first two decades of cloud, Parker argues startups built superior point solutions to compete against the distribution might of on-prem incumbents. Today, new startups have to compete with a cloud-native incumbency. Today, new startups have to compete with a cloud-native incumbency.

Startup 303

Startup Strategy Scale Cloud 303

SaaStr

DECEMBER 6, 2021

SaaS and Cloud have been on an incredible tear the last decade, and especially the last 5 years, like we’ve never seen before. When Cloud leaders are valued at 17x revenue instead of say 34x, it’s just harder for your startup to ask for a crazy premium. But: Cloud stocks are still up 1064% over the past 8 years.

Cloud 284

Cloud SaaS Enterprise Startup 284

Tom Tunguz

OCTOBER 22, 2022

Last week, David Heinemeier Hansson explained why his company, Basecamp, is leaving the cloud. For a hypothetical startup, a 60% reduction in infrastructure costs boosts sales efficiency by 11% & net income margin by at least 12%. Basecamp’s 60% reduction in cloud COGS isn’t anomalous.

Sales Hiring 266

Sales Hiring Cloud AWS Sales 266

SaaStr

OCTOBER 16, 2024

So yes, while it’s true that challenges are real for those in the right-hand column above – overall cloud spend is still up 20%. Google Cloud , Azure, and GitLab, all tied directly or indirectly to AI, are seeing massive acceleration. But Google Cloud, Azure, and GitLab are all benefiting and on fire.

Sales Hiring 317

Sales Hiring Scale AI SaaS 317

SaaStr

OCTOBER 16, 2022

Dear SaaStr: What Percentage of Startups That Are Acquired Remain Successful? In fact, Salesfeorce’s mutiple Clouds today are really built on top of its biggest acqusitions. The post Dear SaaStr: What Percentage of Startups That Are Acquired Remain Successful? So we grew impressively. appeared first on SaaStr.

Startup 312

Startup Acquisition Cloud Engineering 312

Clouded Judgement

JUNE 19, 2024

Q1 earnings season for cloud businesses is now behind us. My hope is that this analysis can provide startup entrepreneurs with a framework for how to manage their businesses around SaaS metrics (e.g., These charts clearly show the ZIRP pull forward, the ensuing cloud cost optimizations, and then the recovery.

Cloud 318

Cloud GCP(Google Cloud Platform) Software Azure 318

SaaStr

MARCH 18, 2025

Joselyn Goldfein , Managing Director at Zeta Venture Partners, which invests in AI and data infrastructure-focused startups from inception through seed stage And see everyone at 2025 SaaStr Annual, May 13-15 in SF Bay!! What VCs Are Funding in AI Today The AI funding landscape has evolved rapidly in 2023-2024. The actual tech stack matters.

Technical Review 189

Technical Review Artificial Intelligence AI Marketplace as a Service 189

SaaStr

OCTOBER 24, 2022

And one of the most confusing thing is that: Many of the best SaaS and Cloud companies. The post The Simple Reason Startups That Just Raised $100s of Millions Are Doing Layoffs appeared first on SaaStr. But I thought it was worth writing up, because what’s happening on Twitter and the internet these days is confusing on many levels.

Startup 343

Startup Banking Cloud B2B 343

SaaStr

FEBRUARY 16, 2024

And for many in SaaS, especially those that sell mainly to startups and tech, it’s often been a rough 2 years. Well, the best in SaaS and venture and Cloud are not just still growing at epic rates, but they’re acquiring so much funding … they can still run the 2021 playbook. So can you pay less these days?

Startup 317

Startup Social Media AI Cloud 317

SaaStr

JANUARY 2, 2024

ARR, Zendesk today gets 14% of new business from startups. On top of that, if you look at their top accounts globally, 33 of the top 50 customers by ARR are startups. This is where they started, but startups weren’t adopting the product as much with a discount, and there was a lot of conflict with the sales team. A free term.

Startup 262

Startup Scale Underperforming Technical Team AWS 262

Tom Tunguz

FEBRUARY 13, 2023

I’m watching public company earnings to identify early trends in the software market to inform startups’ plans for 2023. The surge in pipeline is notable given the uncertainty in the market but the close rates are low & sales cycles slow : another confirmatory data point for startups to plan cautiously in 2023.

Cloud 235

Cloud Azure Headcount Software Review 235

SaaStr

JULY 9, 2021

A quick look at the equity stakes and number of founders in leading Cloud companies here: The post YCombinator: Only 4% Of Our Top 100 Startups Don’t Have a Co-Founder appeared first on SaaStr. And carries a material amount of the burden. The burden of making it great.

Startup 300

Startup Cloud SaaS 300

SaaStr

MARCH 31, 2022

Jessica Alexander, Senior Director Cloud Technology & OEM Partnerships, Crowdstrike. So for the audience, cloud giants are turbocharging startup sales, and the predominant reason for this is because they’re fundamentally changing IT budgets at the customers that we’re all selling to. Rico Mallozzi, Sr.

Scale 259

Scale Marketplace as a Service Cloud SaaS Payments 259