Today's SaaS Pulse
Salesforce Launches AgentExchange, a Unified AI Marketplace with $50M Builder Fund
Salesforce has merged its three app and AI stores into a single AgentExchange marketplace, offering over 13,000 ready‑made apps, AI agents, and automation components. The platform features intent‑aware search, one‑click buying, and instant activation within Salesforce or Slack, and includes a $50 million builder fund to encourage partner development.
Also developing:
By the numbers: Loop raises $95M to scale its supply‑chain AI platform
ChatGPT Apps Are About to Be the Next Big Distribution Channel: Here’s How to Build One
In this episode, Colin Matthews explains how ChatGPT‑native apps are emerging as a new distribution channel, with discovery shifting to contextual interactions inside the chat interface. He outlines the three UI modes, the "one widget per message" constraint, and how tools, widgets, and the MCP framework fit together. Matthews also walks listeners through two fast‑track build paths—using Replit and the Chippy platform—to get a ChatGPT app from idea to deployment quickly.
French Accounting Software Platform Pennylane Raises $200M
French fintech Pennylane secured $200 million in a Series E round led by TCV, with participation from Blackstone Growth, Sequoia, DST Global and Alphabet’s Capital G. The financing values the accounting platform at roughly $4.25 billion, though the figure remains unverified. Pennylane, founded in...
GeneralMind Raises $12M to Build AI Autopilot for Operational Workflows
Berlin‑based GeneralMind closed a $12 million equity round led by Lakestar, Leo Capital and other investors to fund its AI Autopilot for supply‑chain operational workflows. The platform connects email, spreadsheets and ERP systems to automate repetitive handover tasks, reducing manual coordination....
QMD - Quick Markdown Search
QMD is an on‑device hybrid search engine that indexes markdown notes, meeting transcripts, and documentation, offering BM25 keyword, vector semantic, and LLM‑re‑ranked queries—all executed locally via node‑llama‑cpp with GGUF models. The tool provides a CLI for collection management, embedding generation,...
Stilla Emerges From Stealth with $5M to Address Collaboration Challenges in AI-Driven Companies
Stilla, a Stockholm‑based startup, announced its emergence from stealth with a $5 million pre‑seed round led by General Catalyst. The company offers an infrastructure layer that connects core workplace tools—Slack, Linear, GitHub, Notion—to create a shared, real‑time context for both humans...
Seeing Customers Everywhere Reinforces Our Digital Impact
POV: "running through the city and realizing your customers are everywhere" As a SaaS founder, I'm digital first. That's how we started, and how we keep building. Meetings, demos, closing customers. Often remotely. Always online. So it's still surreal to...
Atradius Updates Credit-IQ Software to Boost Accounts Receivable Services Automation, Tighten Data Security for SMEs
Atradius Collections has released a major update to its Credit‑IQ.com accounts‑receivable platform, adding real‑time dashboards, plug‑and‑play ERP integration and support for eight languages. The upgrade also tightens data‑security with GDPR‑aligned EU data‑centers and ISO 27001 certification. Pricing stays at a flat...
CEOs Doubt Static Processes; SaaS Must Evolve Faster
A key question in the "future of software" debate entails understanding how durable enterprise business processes will be in the future. In the old world, companies could go so far as to assume their inventory management processes, for example, would be...
Turn
if Indiana can go from losingest team in NCAA history to undefeated and CFP champion in two years, you can get to 3x DPI on the late stage SaaS portfolio you invested at 97x ARR in 2021
Just-in-Time (JIT) Provisioning: How Automated User Provisioning Works in SSO
Just‑in‑Time (JIT) provisioning automates user account creation the moment a worker logs in via SSO, using SAML or OIDC claims. The approach eliminates manual onboarding steps, cuts admin time, and reduces typo‑related security gaps. However, JIT only creates accounts; it...
Top 10 HIPAA Compliance Software Solutions
The article ranks the ten leading HIPAA compliance software platforms, emphasizing a shift from periodic checklists to continuous, automated compliance operations. It highlights that 2025 healthcare breaches averaged $7.42 million per incident, prompting regulators to add MFA, full‑encryption, and annual audits....
Process Street: Systemize Your Business and Ensure Compliance
Process Street introduces an AI‑driven compliance operations platform that turns static policies into live, auditable workflows. The solution centralizes governance, offers multi‑stage approvals, real‑time visibility, and mobile access, supporting standards such as ISO 9001, SOC 2, SOX and FDA. Customers report over...
Six Essential Steps to Close an M&A Deal
What are the basic phases of a process (M&A or capital raise)? 1. Pre-marketing Complete the marketing materials (information packet and buyer list) and get your house in order. 2. Marketing Reach out to buyers, execute NDAs, and share marketing...
AI SEO: The Must‑Invest Play at $1M ARR
I just spoke to Godard Abel - UNICORN Founder of G2 - about the ONE THING he would invest in if he were at $1m ARR. His answer... AI SEO. I was so confused about the details and whether or...
This Week in SaaS - Jan 13 - 19, 2026
This week’s SaaS landscape saw a wave of large VC rounds, with AI‑focused platforms like Parloa and Deepgram raising $350 M and $130 M respectively, while supply‑chain and sustainability players also secured sizable funding. Major M&A activity included CrowdStrike’s $740 M acquisition of...
ERP Isn't Dead yet – but Most Execs Are Planning the Wake
A new Censuswide survey of 4,295 C‑suite leaders shows 70 percent believe traditional ERP’s heyday is over, yet opinions diverge on the next evolution. Thirty‑six percent favor a composable, API‑driven, best‑of‑breed model, while 33 percent back an AI‑agentic ERP that embeds autonomous...
Building Reliable AI Requires a New Empirical Playbook
I had a wide ranging chat with Eléonore about Intercom , Fin , and a variety of topics * Why did we need to drop everything and run to AI immediately, and do so regardless of the cost. * Building...
Silent AI Agents Drive $2.5M Pipeline by Listening
My AI agents sent zero messages last month. They helped me close $2.5M in pipeline anyway. Here's what everyone gets wrong about AI on LinkedIn: Most people use AI agents to send more messages. More connection requests. More follow-ups. More...
Show HN: Pipenet – A Modern Alternative to Localtunnel
Pipenet is a modern, self‑hostable alternative to Localtunnel, offering bundled client and server packages for exposing local services to the internet. It supports custom subdomains, multiple domains, TypeScript, ES modules, and single‑port cloud deployment. Users can connect to a public...
Stop Adding Features: Focus on Core Value in 2026
Why ‘more features’ is the worst GTM mistake you can make in 2026. I see this pattern with almost every ambitious AI and SaaS Founder I work with: the moment growth stalls, their instinct is to build more features, fast....
Context‑Driven AI Agents: Avoid Costly GTM Noise
AI agents in GTM without the right context are expensive noise.
How to Create Lookalike Ads on Meta, Google, and LinkedIn
The post explains how to build lookalike audiences on Meta, LinkedIn, and Google by starting with a high‑value seed list and expanding via each platform’s targeting engine. It walks through Meta’s 1 % lookalike setup, LinkedIn’s Predictive Audiences sizing, and Google’s...
Early Traction ≠ Market Acceptance in GenAI
Early traction does not equal market acceptance. That distinction matters even more with GenAI. Join me on Jan 27, 2026, 1:00 PM PT in this discussion focusing on how pragmatist buyers evaluate new technology, why the chasm still applies, and...
Aboard Boosts Community Health Impact with AI-Powered Platform
Aboard announced a partnership with a leading national community‑health organization to deliver a secure, HIPAA‑compliant data platform powered by its AI‑accelerated development methodology. The shared platform will replace fragmented data processes for hundreds of health and social service providers, enabling...
DriveCentric and Dealer Pay Announce Strategic Partnership to Enable Payments Within the CRM
DriveCentric, a dealership‑focused CRM, announced a strategic partnership with Dealer Pay to embed compliant payment collection directly within its platform. The integration will allow dealers to move from customer conversation to revenue without leaving the CRM, supporting both mobile and...
Focus on Five Key Lead Metrics for Predictable Growth
- “Should we focus on cost per lead or conversion rate?” - “More lead volume or better quality?” - “How do we know if our pipeline is predictable?” Here’s what I often tell teams: It’s not about tracking the most...
Cleaning up "AI Workslop" Is Costing Businesses Hundreds of Hours a Week
Businesses are spending significant time cleaning up low‑quality AI‑generated content, a phenomenon dubbed “AI workslop.” Zapier’s research shows 58% of workers revise AI output for more than three hours each week, with 35% spending over five hours. Only 2% of...
Indirect Prompt Injection in Google Gemini Enabled Unauthorized Access to Meeting Data
Miggo Security uncovered an indirect prompt‑injection flaw in Google Gemini that leveraged calendar invite descriptions to bypass privacy controls and exfiltrate meeting data. By embedding a benign‑looking instruction, attackers could trigger Gemini to create a new event containing summaries of...
Scalefusion Achieves Zebra Technologies Validation for Unified Management Platform
Scalefusion, a unified endpoint management (UEM) provider, has earned Zebra Technologies validation after completing the company’s Enterprise Testing Program. The certification confirms seamless interoperability with Zebra’s thermal printers and other devices, meeting stringent performance and security benchmarks. As a result,...
Clovity Adds Former CoreTrust CEO Mahesh Shah as Operating Advisor
Clovity, a Platinum Atlassian Solution Partner, announced that former CoreTrust CEO Mahesh Shah has joined as an Operating Advisor. Shah will work with leadership to sharpen go‑to‑market execution, accelerate AI‑enabled Atlassian solutions, and scale operations in regulated, mission‑critical environments. His...
Ads Must Align With Real‑Time User Intent
For decades, digital advertising has trained marketers to optimize for interruption. You buy attention, compress a message into a few characters, and hope the click carries enough intent to survive the landing page. That model works when discovery and evaluation...
Buyers Ready to Pay for Real
A good business in a bad market often sells for nothing. A great business in a strong market can sell for something that actually changes your life. That’s where we are right now. > Strategic buyers are buying tech to move faster. >...
AI’s Cost Crisis; Backboard.io Introduces Predictable, Usage-Based Pricing to Tackle Cost Control
Backboard.io unveiled a new pricing structure aimed at taming AI cost volatility, introducing a $9‑per‑month subscription plus transparent usage‑based fees. The model adds a free tier with credits for memory reads, writes, stored memories, and tokens, allowing teams to evaluate...
AI Redefines SEO: CMOs Must Revamp Playbooks
[This week] I'm hosting a conversation on AI and SEO with three marketing leaders that have actual receipts from the past year. Details below. Each month we host Exit Five Live sessions (don't you dare call it a webinar) open...
Only Two Days Left to Secure Super Early Bird Tickets for the Tech.eu Summit London 2026
The Tech.eu Summit London 2026, scheduled for 21–22 April at the Queen Elizabeth II Centre, is offering Super Early Bird tickets for just £375 + VAT. These discounted tickets expire on 21 January 2026, after which the price rises to £400 + VAT. Group rates...
CloudOffix and Prospera Form Strategic Partnership to Unify Front-Office Operations for Egyptian Enterprises
CloudOffix and Prospera announced a strategic partnership to deliver an AI‑native unified front‑office platform to Egyptian enterprises. The solution consolidates CRM, sales, marketing, help desk, projects, HR and e‑commerce into a single low‑code environment, eliminating data silos and reducing integration...
IBM’s Newest Consulting Service Pairs Human Experts with Digital Workers to Scale Enterprise AI
IBM announced a new consulting offering called IBM Enterprise Advantage, extending its internal AI‑powered delivery platform to external enterprises. The service pairs IBM’s seasoned consultants with a library of AI agents, generative models, and industry‑specific starter kits, enabling clients to...
Show HN: Kacet – a Freelancer Marketplace with Crypto-Native Payments
Kacet launches a crypto‑native freelance marketplace that connects blockchain developers, auditors, AI builders, and other web3 talent with clients seeking on‑chain expertise. The platform charges a flat 5 % fee and uses Solana smart‑contract escrow to lock payments until work is...
The Top 6 Project Management Mistakes — and What to Do Instead
The article outlines six common project‑management mistakes that keep initiatives stuck in execution mode and away from delivering real business value. It argues that traditional training focuses on task tracking, scope control and status reporting rather than solving the underlying...
Google Brings AI Videomaker ‘Flow’ to All Workspace Users
Google has integrated its AI video‑creation tool Flow into Google Workspace, making it available to all Workspace customers rather than only AI Pro and Ultra subscribers. The service lets users generate high‑definition videos from natural‑language prompts, leveraging Google’s Veo 3.1 video...
Show HN: AskUCP – UCP Protocol Explorer Showing All Products on Shopify
AskUCP, launched on January 11 2026, is a global AI shopping search built on the Universal Commerce Protocol (UCP). UCP, an open standard co‑created by Google and Shopify, lets applications query product data across e‑commerce platforms without traditional APIs or integrations. At...
Outsourcing IT Support: Benefits, Risks, and Smart Next Steps
The episode outlines how fast‑growing SaaS companies can outsource IT support by contracting for clear outcomes, defining precise scopes, and applying zero‑trust controls. It emphasizes data‑driven metrics such as First Contact Resolution, MTTR, and CSAT to justify the move, while...
Genesco Announces Strategic Transformation of IT Operations
Genesco, the owner of Schuh, announced a strategic overhaul of its IT operating model to boost speed, scalability and AI‑enabled innovation. The transformation is designed to align technology capabilities with the retailer’s new business model and support long‑term growth. Genesco...
Bytebase: Open-Source Database DevOps Tool
Bytebase is an open‑source DevOps platform that streamlines database schema and data changes through a structured change‑request workflow. It lets teams submit SQL changes, run automated reviews, and track executions across development, staging, and production environments. The tool includes built‑in...
Hiring at India’s Big Four Outsourcers Stalls, as AI Seemingly Makes an Impact
India’s four largest IT outsourcers – HCL, Infosys, TCS and Wipro – have essentially halted hiring in the latest quarter, adding only 3,910 staff year‑to‑date, a stark contrast to their usual 10,000‑plus quarterly hires. Revenue growth remains modest, with HCL...
B2B Shifts to 70% AI, Old GTM Obsolete
The best B2B companies are now running with 30% humans and 70% AI agents. Or even higher. The old GTM playbook is dead. At SaaStr AI 2026, we're going deep on what the new playbook actually is. And what really...
Adalore: Turn Your Shopify Thank-You Page Into A Profit Engine
Adalore is an AI‑powered platform that converts Shopify thank‑you pages into a monetization channel by displaying curated, non‑competing offers from partner brands. The solution automates partner selection, offers performance‑based pricing, and provides real‑time analytics, allowing merchants to earn commissions without...