The Top Entrepreneurs Podcast
From $500K to $1.5M ARR: Bootstrapping VR SaaS for Trade Skills
AI Summary
In this episode Sabari Nair, CEO of Skillveri, details how his VR‑based vocational training platform grew from $500K to $1.5M ARR by bundling a $4K‑per‑year SaaS subscription with optional hardware add‑ons and leveraging a reseller‑led go‑to‑market strategy. He explains the hybrid pricing model that yields 60% recurring revenue, the pivot to software during COVID, the decision to buy out early investors and reject a $4M cash acquisition, and the roadmap to $10M ARR through expanding to 2,000+ schools. Listeners gain actionable insights on enterprise pricing, channel partnerships, and scaling immersive tech without heavy capital burn.
Episode Description
Sabari Nair, co-founder and CEO of Skillveri, joins Nathan to break down how he's scaling a VR-powered vocational training platform to $1.5M ARR today, serving 100+ schools in the U.S., with $350K enterprise contracts — and why he believes immersive training plus SaaS pricing is the future of skilled labor education.
In this episode, Sabari explains how Skillveri combines VR software subscriptions, hardware add-ons, and a reseller-led GTM motion to win in a category traditionally dominated by $30K+ one-time simulation vendors.
You'll learn:
— How Skillveri sells VR training software starting at $4K/year per school
— Why their largest customer pays $350K annually (and how they plan to reach $1M contracts)
— The SaaS + hardware hybrid model driving 60% recurring revenue
— Why schools (not industry) are the wedge into a massive skills market
— How reseller partnerships replaced direct sales across the U.S.
— The commission structure that motivates resellers without killing margins
— Why in-person demos beat cold pitches for immersive tech
— How VR + mixed reality creates objective skill grading (welding, painting, more)
— The COVID pivot that forced a full reset — and buying out investors at a discount
— Why Sabari turned down a $4M all-cash acquisition offer
— The roadmap to $10M ARR by expanding to 2,000+ schools
Sabari started the company in 2012 building hardware, pivoted hard into software during the pandemic, bought out early investors in 2021, and rebuilt the business into a capital-efficient SaaS with hardware upsells. Today, Skillveri runs on a lean team, supports Meta Quest and Pico headsets, and is redefining how skilled trades are taught globally.
Whether you're a B2B SaaS founder, hardware-plus-software operator, investor exploring edtech, or operator designing reseller GTM motions, this episode is a masterclass in enterprise pricing, channel strategy, and scaling immersive technology without burning cash.
Connect with Sabari:
Skillveri.com
Connect with Nathan:
FounderPath.com
Show Notes
Sabari Nair, co-founder and CEO of Skillveri, joins Nathan to break down how he's scaling a VR-powered vocational training platform to $1.5M ARR today, serving 100+ schools in the U.S., with $350K enterprise contracts — and why he believes immersive training plus SaaS pricing is the future of skilled labor education.
In this episode, Sabari explains how Skillveri combines VR software subscriptions, hardware add-ons, and a reseller-led GTM motion to win in a category traditionally dominated by $30K+ one-time simulation vendors.
You'll learn:
— How Skillveri sells VR training software starting at $4K/year per school
— Why their largest customer pays $350K annually (and how they plan to reach $1M contracts)
— The SaaS + hardware hybrid model driving 60% recurring revenue
— Why schools (not industry) are the wedge into a massive skills market
— How reseller partnerships replaced direct sales across the U.S.
— The commission structure that motivates resellers without killing margins
— Why in-person demos beat cold pitches for immersive tech
— How VR + mixed reality creates objective skill grading (welding, painting, more)
— The COVID pivot that forced a full reset — and buying out investors at a discount
— Why Sabari turned down a $4M all-cash acquisition offer
— The roadmap to $10M ARR by expanding to 2,000+ schools
Sabari started the company in 2012 building hardware, pivoted hard into software during the pandemic, bought out early investors in 2021, and rebuilt the business into a capital-efficient SaaS with hardware upsells. Today, Skillveri runs on a lean team, supports Meta Quest and Pico headsets, and is redefining how skilled trades are taught globally.
Whether you're a B2B SaaS founder, hardware-plus-software operator, investor exploring edtech, or operator designing reseller GTM motions, this episode is a masterclass in enterprise pricing, channel strategy, and scaling immersive technology without burning cash.
Connect with Sabari:
Connect with Nathan:
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