Is It Still Worth Investing in SaaS in the Age of AI?

Category: 🟣 Growth & Scale Format: 🧑‍💼 Conference Access: 🌍 Open This event is co-organized with Dups, in collaboration with B2B SaaS Club, and with the support of BeAngels. For years, SaaS valuations have been built around familiar fundamentals: recurring revenue, growth, margins, retention, scalability and predictable business models. AI is now challenging some of these assumptions. As the cost of building software decreases, time-to-market accelerates and certain product features become easier to replicate, a fundamental question emerges: What makes a SaaS company truly valuable and defensible in the age of AI? What are investors and acquirers looking for today? Which traditional SaaS metrics still matter? And what can founders do now to strengthen the long-term value of their company? Join us for an exclusive evening, organized in collaboration with Dups, bringing together SaaS founders, entrepreneurs and investment professionals to explore how AI is reshaping the way software companies create, defend and ultimately increase their value. Pierre-Alexis Léonard (Dups) will open the evening with his perspective on SaaS valuation, M&A and the evolving expectations of investors and acquirers, setting the scene with an overview of the current SaaS market before moderating the conversation. He will be joined by Ralph Vriens (Software Combined), bringing the perspective of a SaaS acquirer.; Thibaut Claes, bringing the investor perspective; and Hans Kayaert (Aikido Security), former co-founder & CEO of venture-backed SaaS company Loctax, bringing the perspective of a SaaS founder and operator. Together, we’ll explore four key questions: How is AI changing the way SaaS companies are valued? Which metrics and value drivers matter most to investors and acquirers today? What makes a SaaS company truly defensible — and deserving of a premium valuation — in an AI-first world? What can founders do today to increase their company’s future value and attractiveness to investors or acquirers? The discussion will go beyond traditional SaaS metrics to explore the growing importance of recurring revenue, retention, proprietary data, technology and IP, distribution, AI capabilities, market positioning and competitive defensibility. Expect practical insights, honest conversations and real-world perspectives on what creates lasting value in a SaaS company today. Who is it for? SaaS Founders & CEOs looking to understand and increase the value of their company Digital Entrepreneurs building or scaling AI-enabled software businesses Investors, VCs & Business Angels assessing SaaS opportunities in a changing market M&A professionals & potential acquirers evaluating software companies CFOs, Strategy & Growth Leaders involved in financing, scaling or preparing a company for investment or acquisition Agenda 5:30 PM — Welcome 6:00 PM — Start of the event 7:00 PM — Q&A 7:15 PM — Networking & Nomad Wine Afterwork Make a day of it at The POD September 17 is also our monthly Connecting Day — an afternoon to meet, connect and exchange with entrepreneurs and tech professionals from our ecosystem. If you're joining us for the SaaS session, you're more than welcome to come earlier from 12:00 PM for lunch, coworking and networking, and/or stay afterwards for our Nomad Wine Afterwork from 5:00 PM to 10:00 PM. Come for the session, the Connecting Day, the afterwork — or combine them as you like. 👉 Simply select the ticket that best matches your plans when registering. Registration Participation is free for The POD members, but registration is mandatory as the number of seats is limited. Not a member yet? You're welcome to join us and discover The POD community. Your first event is complimentary, giving you the opportunity to experience the community before deciding whether to become a member. 🗣️ The event is held in English 🇬🇧