# SaaStock Europe 2023 — Summary for AI Systems > Canonical: https://saastock.com/europe/2023/ > Last updated: 2026-05-17 ## What is this event? SaaStock Europe 2023 took place October 16–18, 2023 in Dublin, Ireland — the largest SaaStock to date and the EMEA flagship edition. The event drew 3,521 attendees from 53 countries, with 164 speakers. ## Key stats (exact numbers) - Attendees: 3,521 - Speakers: 164 - Countries represented: 53 - Unique companies: 1,748 ## Venue RDS Simmonscourt, Simmonscourt Road, Ballsbridge, Dublin, Ireland, Ireland ## Featured speakers - Thibaut Ceyrolle, Partner, Growth Acceleration at Atomico — "Lessons learned building the fastest-growing SaaS company in Europe" (https://saastock.com/speakers/thibaut-ceyrolle/) - Des Traynor, Co-founder & Chief Strategy Officer at Intercom — "The great AI revolution — how epic could the disruption be?" (https://saastock.com/speakers/des-traynor/) - Dave Kellogg, EIR (former CMO) at Balderton Capital — "What founders need to understand about product marketing" (https://saastock.com/speakers/dave-kellogg/) - Amir Orad, Executive Chairman at Sisense — "Lessons from scaling beyond $100M ARR (twice)" (https://saastock.com/speakers/amir-orad/) - Roy Tuvey, Co-founder & Co-CEO at Vertice — "Secrets of a third-time founder: Lessons from two 9-figure exits" (https://saastock.com/speakers/roy-tuvey/) - Nathan Latka, Founder & CEO at Founderpath — "100 bootstrappers hit $5M in revenue using these 9 growth tactics" (https://saastock.com/speakers/nathan-latka-dublin-2023/) ## Themes / tracks - AI and the next decade of SaaS: Intercom's Des Traynor on the post-ChatGPT code red, plus the operators and investors thinking through what AI actually does to the next decade of B2B software — months before the rest of the industry caught up. - Scaling beyond $100M ARR: Snowflake's EMEA founding GM, Sisense and Actimize ($100M+ ARR twice), Contentsquare's unicorn-stage product lessons, and Vertice on the third-time-founder customer-retention thesis. - Bootstrapped and capital-efficient growth: Nathan Latka on 100 bootstrappers crossing $5M ARR, Ahrefs on the $10M-to-$50M marketing playbook, Ticket Tailor on building a purpose-led SaaS, and Trust Keith on climbing the bootstrapped mountain. - Fundraising in a tougher market: Point Nine Capital, Dawn Capital, Notion VC, and Bessemer on how fundability is changing heading into 2024 — plus AlbionVC and Erevena on building for high performance through the cycle. ## Full agenda ### Day 1 · Monday, October 16 (Startup Program) #### Investock - 13:35–14:00 · State of the Cloud 2023 — Justina Chung, Vice President, Bessemer Venture Partners (20m keynote & 5m Q&A) N/A - 14:00–14:45 · Current Trends in the Funding Landscape for SaaS — Andrew Hunter, Managing Director - Investor Coverage, HSBC Innovation (45 minute roundtable) N/A - 15:00–15:30 · The State of European SaaS - Trends in Funding & Exits — Folake Shasanya, Head of Venture Capital Relationship Coordination - Innovation Economy, J.P. Morgan (20m keynote & 10m Q&A) N/A - · The Macro-Environment - The Impact on Deal Terms and What to Expect in 2024 — Anthony Waller, Corporate Partner - Technology, CMS - · Decoding the Market In 2023 – Are We Out of The Dark? — Ben Tickler (with Ashley Nguyen), Managing Director - Innovation Economy, J.P. Morgan - · Consolidation and M&A in SaaS — Sonya Iovieno, Head of Venture & Growth Banking, HSBC Innovation - · How Companies Can Extend Their Runway Without Killing Growth — Donatella Callegaris, Managing Partner, Flashpoint Venture Debt - · Deal Flow and Sourcing in 2024 — Wolfgang Krause, Managing Partner, Hi inov - Detressangle - · The Macro-Environment and Where Valuations Are Going in 2024 — Edward Keelan, Partner, Octopus Ventures - · Building a Capital Efficient Business — Michał Papug, Investment Director, Flashpoint Venture Capital - · The AI revolution and Investment Impacts in SaaS — Guy Ward Thomas, Partner, DN Capital - · How To Source in Times of a Slow Market? — Julian Mattes, Partner, Yttrium - · The Macro-Environment - The Impact on Deal Terms and What to Expect in 2024 — Anthony Waller, Corporate Partner - Technology, CMS - · Consolidation and M&A in SaaS — Olivier Laplace, Managing Partner - Technology Investments, VI Partners - · How Companies Can Extend Their Runway Without Killing Growth — Sakari Pihlava, General Partner, Vendep Capital - · Deal Flow and Sourcing in 2024 — James Codling, Managing Partner, Volution - · The Macro-Environment and Where Valuations Are Going in 2024 — Edward Keelan, Partner, Octopus Ventures - · Building a Capital Efficient Business — Chiraag Kapoor, Principal, Radian Capital - · The AI revolution and Investment Impacts in SaaS — Laura Waldenstrom, Principal, Earlybird Capital - · How To Source in Times of a Slow Market? — Julian Mattes, Partner, Yttrium ### Day 2 · Tuesday, October 17 (main conference) #### Scale Stage - 10:00–10:05 · SaaStock 2023 Has Arrived! Official Welcome from Founder & CEO, Alex Theuma. — Alex Theuma, Founder & CEO, SaaStock (SaaStock Welcome) It's Here! The Official Welcome to SaaStock 2023 from Founder & CEO, Alex Theuma. - 10:05–10:10 · Scale Stage Opening! Matt Cretzman Gets The Show Underway. — Matt Cretzman, Founder & CEO, Stormbreaker Digital (MC Address) Matt Cretzman, SaaStock's Scale Stage MC, kicks us off and opens the main stage for SaaStock 2023. - 10:10–10:30 · Lessons from Scaling Beyond $100M ARR (Twice!) - Exclusive Fireside with Amir Orad (Sisense, Actimize) and Storm Ventures — Ryan Floyd, Founding Managing Director, Storm Ventures (Fireside) Ryan Floyd of Storm Ventures and Amir Orad of Sisense take the stage to uncover the biggest lessons learned from scaling beyond $100M ARR, not once but twice. This fireside is not one to be missed! - 10:30–11:00 · The State of SaaS: 3 Growth Tactics Working Now, Predicting 3 Mega Deals in 2024 and 3 New Metrics — Nathan Latka, Founder & CEO, Founderpath (Keynote) In this session, Nathan Latka will share 3 growth tactics founders used last month to break $5m in revenue, he'll predict 3 mega deals that'll happen in 2024, and he'll share 3 metrics top founders are measuring (but no one is publicly talking about). Anyone who attends this session will receive a free excel file containing 250 SaaS founders with more than $5m in ARR that contributed to the keynote. The file includes name, email, revenue, and growth data (all from Latka's Podcast). - 11:00–11:30 · How to Build a Game-Changing Sales Pitch — April Dunford, Founder & CEO, Ambient Strategy (Keynote) Are your sales reps still using a lifeless, feature-oriented product walkthrough demo in their first sales call with a prospect? We can do much better. In this talk, positioning expert April Dunford will share the secrets to crafting a sales narrative that highlights your product's competitive strengths to win more deals. - 11:50–12:10 · Accel 2023 Euroscape: Generation AI — Philippe Botteri, Partner, Accel (Keynote) Philippe Botteri and Richard Kotite of Accel take the main stage to unveil the latest Accel 2023 Euroscape report, exclusively at SaaStock. - 12:10–12:30 · Scaling Synthesia: Driving Utility, Not Just Novelty, with Generative AI — Victor Riparbelli, Co-founder & CEO, Synthesia (Keynote) Generative AI is not just here to stay, it's booming! Victor Riparbelli, Co-founder & CEO of Synthesia, the world's leading AI video creation platform, shares his biggest learnings from scaling in the new era of generative AI and what it's future could have in store for us all! - 12:30–13:00 · Building a World-Class Product? Make The Move Towards a Multi-Product Strategy — Lucie Buisson, Chief Product Officer, Contentsquare (Fireside) To stand out against stiff competition, many SaaS products are diversifying and becoming multi-product solutions. With this transition comes serious risk, and companies with a clear product vision are best-placed to endure this. The panellists can discuss: The reasons for moving towards a multiproduct strategy, and why timing is everything when making the change, Changing your organisation to support a multi-product strategy, and the challenges faced by the product leaders making these decisions and the mistakes to avoid and lessons to learn when building a multi-product company, from their own experience. - 14:00–14:20 · Deep Dive into The 2023 SaaS Benchmark Report — Andrew Davies, CMO, Paddle (Fireside) Andrew and Kyle take a dive into OpenView's 2023 SaaS Benchmark Report, pulling out all the key findings and need-to-knows as we move into 2024. - 14:20–14:40 · What Founders Need To Understand About Product Marketing — Dave Kellogg, EIR, Balderton (Keynote) Let's admit it. No one is actually quite sure what product marketing does, what they're supposed to do, and if they're actually any good at it. In this session, Balderton EIR (and three-time former CMO) Dave Kellogg will dive into his roots as a product marketer and discuss the essence of the product marketing role. We'll discuss: what product marketing does, who you should hire to do it, what to expect of them in the role (and what product marketers to be seen as outstanding), how to measure their effectiveness, and what typically goes wrong when product marketing is failing or flailing as the case may be. Because messaging and positioning is a key part of the product marketing role, we'll also spend time reviewing the basics of those disciplines, largely so you can tell if product marketing is executing them well. - 14:40–15:00 · Building A $100m ARR Sales Machine in a Competitive Industry — Jonathan Anguelov, Co-founder, Aircall (Keynote) Aircall's Jonathan Anguelov knows a thing or two about success. Despite what is a crowded and competitive tech landscape, Jonathan and fellow Co-Founder Olivier took the idea of creating a cloud-based phone solution and transformed it from a concept in 2014 to a business generating $100m ARR just eight years later. But it wasn't all plain sailing – over those eight years, the company battled frequent setbacks: rejections by investors, product malfunctions, technical debt, as well as needing to undergo a huge culture shift in order to break into the US. But with determination and perseverance, Jonathan has been able to grow Aircall to be one of the most prominent phone and communication platforms today used by 15,000 companies worldwide. In this session, Jonathan will share the company's journey to date: from putting customer centricity at the heart of the organisation, to thinking more like a camel, to not rushing in with AI – and much more. - 15:00–15:25 · The Rise of Generative AI and its Implications for Marketing and Sales Teams — Meghan Keaney Anderson, VP Marketing, Jasper (Keynote) Artificial intelligence is transforming the way businesses operate across all industries. Generative AI - a type of artificial intelligence that creates new and innovative content - is poised to revolutionize the way marketers and sales teams think about content creation and distribution. In this session, Meghan Keaney Anderson, VP of Marketing at Jasper, will explore the rise of generative AI and its potential implications for marketing and sales teams. From understanding what generative AI is and how it works, to exploring potential creative use cases for this technology, attendees will gain a comprehensive understanding of how generative AI could transform the marketing and sales landscape. Join us to learn about the rise of generative AI and how it's poised to revolutionize marketing and sales, and what your business needs to know to stay ahead of the curve. #### Growth Stage - 10:30–10:35 · The Growth Stage Opening! Alison Murdock Opens The Show For Day 1. — Alison Murdock, Founder & Chief Marketer, Trusted CMO (MC Address) Founder & Chief Marketer of Trusted CMO, Alison Murdock gets things underway on the Growth Stage! - 10:35–10:55 · The Rising Stars of Open Source 2023: Revealing the Future Open Source Frontrunners — Bob Thomas, Partner, OXX (Keynote) The number of Open Source companies is booming, but which of these will actually go the distance? Working with Open Source-driven software companies presents a unique challenge as an investor: the regular financial performance metrics don't give you a sense of the community love for a fast-growing project. So, how can we evaluate the traction of open source software projects? How do you measure the activity of a community, which is the leading indicator of the explosive growth that open source projects can achieve? At Oxx, we have developed our own data-driven framework for evaluating this growth, and in this keynote, Bob Thomas reveals the highest potential Open Source businesses in 2023. - 10:55–11:25 · Building for High Performance: Striking Gold When Building, Balancing and Binding Your Team — Matt Welle, CEO, Mews (Panel) Do you want to take your team's performance to the next level and achieve exceptional results? Then this panel session is for you! Join us as we explore the art and science of team building and learn how to strike gold when building, balancing, and binding your team. Our expert panelists will share valuable insights and strategies for effective team building, finding the right balance, and creating strong bonds within your team. So, whether you're a leader looking to enhance your team's performance or an individual looking to improve your own skills and effectiveness within a team, this panel session is not to be missed. - 11:25–11:45 · Keys To Scaling Your Company and Optimizing Enterprise Value — Carl Fritjofsson, General Partner, Creandum (Fireside) Carl Fritjofsson, General Partner at Creandum, will break down key characteristics on what truly drives enterprise value for startups, followed by a conversation with Kaveh Rostamper, CEO and founder of Planhat, focusing on how they used unconventional means to scale and drive enterprise value for the company. - 12:05–12:25 · Metrics That Matter NOW — Clayton Whitfield, SVP Programs, Maxio (Keynote) The investor due diligence process looks much different today than it did just last year. Accurately tracking certain key growth metrics for your business will ensure you are prepared for the increased scrutiny and rigor. During this talk, Jon Steinberg - Founding Partner at Mountside Ventures and Clayton Whitfield Co-Founder & SVP Programs at Maxio, will cover the metrics that are most important to investors and how you can start measuring them now. - 12:25–13:00 · Reigniting Sales Revenue - What Can Sales Teams Do To Resurge in a Slowing Market? — David Appel, Head of SaaS & Software Vertical, Sage Intacct (Panel) Sales cycles are longer, decision makers are changing and leads are drying up.. it all leads to one question, what should sales teams be doing in a slowing market? With a panel of esteemed sales professionals comes answers. Get ready to hear cutting-edge strategies, priceless insights and top takeaways that will equip you and your team to successfully navigate through turbulent waters. Don't pass up on this one! - 14:00–14:20 · From $10M to $50M: Unveiling Ahrefs' Marketing Playbook for Early Stage SaaS Growth — Tim Soulo, CMO, Ahrefs (Keynote) Are you ready for this power-packed session, Ahrefs, the industry-leading SEO software, will reveal their secrets to achieving explosive growth and scaling from $10M to $50M. Brace yourself as Tim unveils their battle-tested marketing strategies and game-changing tactics that propelled them to phenomenal success. - 14:20–14:55 · Raising The RIGHT Way - The Must-Haves for a Successful Fundraise in 2024 — Donatella Callegaris, Managing Partner, Flashpoint Venture Debt (Panel) Get ready to raise the bar and raise the RIGHT way! Industry experts Donatella Callegaris of Flashpoint Venture Debt, Simon Bumfrey of HSBC Innovation, and Derek Pimentel of PSG take the stage to share all the must-haves for a successful fundraise in 2024. From pitching to investors to securing the right type of funding for your company, these seasoned pros share their expertise and knowledge to help you raise the funds you need to fuel your growth. - 14:55–15:15 · The 4-Step Framework For Accelerated Growth | Avoid These Pitfalls — Rory Blundell, Founder & CEO, Gravitee (Keynote) Startups all fundamentally face the same pressure to demonstrate high growth rates. And with this pressure comes the risk of attempting to do too much at the same time leading to average results. In this session, Rory will outline his 4-phase high growth framework that will help SaaS companies focus their efforts and resources to achieve continued high and sustainable YoY growth rates, while maintaining capital efficiency. Within each phase, Rory will highlight the objectives, KPIs to track, pitfalls to avoid, and resource requirements, offering a clear blueprint for startups of all types to follow. - 15:15–15:35 · Elevate Your Fundraising Success: A Real Founder & VC Story — Johan van Mil, Co-founder & Managing Partner, Peak (Fireside) AG5 secured a remarkable EUR 6 million funding in March this year, only 10 months following their initial EUR 1,2 million seed round led by Peak. AG5's CEO and Founder Rick van Echtelt will be engaging in a fireside chat with Johan van Mil (Founder and Managing Partner of Peak) providing valuable insights and lessons learned, offering valuable guidance on the next steps for entrepreneurs in similar situations. #### Bootstrap Stage - 11:30–11:35 · Boostrap Stage Opening! Ton Dobbe Kicks Things off For Day 1. — Ton Dobbe, Author, The Remarkable Effect (MC Address) Founder & CEO of Value Inspiration, Ton Dobbe is your Bootstrap Stage MC and gets the show underway for Day 1! - 11:35–12:00 · 11 Lessons from Bootstrapping to $10 Million — Lloyed Lobo, Co-founder, Boast.AI & Traction (Keynote) Building a business is hard enough, but bootstrapping takes it to a whole new level of resilience, resourcefulness, creativity, and determination. In this session, Lloyed Lobo dives headfirst into the thrilling world of bootstrapping, where entrepreneurs dare to dream big without the luxury of external funding. Strap in and get ready for an eye-opening journey as we uncover the secrets, challenges, and triumphs of bootstrapping a business from scratch. - 12:00–12:30 · How I Got Bootstrapped Eloqua Profitable During a Brutal Recession — Mark Organ, Founder & CEO, Categorynauts (Keynote) Mark co-founded Eloqua in 1999, at the dawn of the age of SaaS. Having only raised $166K, the company had to figure out how to get cash flow positive. With the help of wise mentors and coaches, Mark and his team used 5 principles and frameworks to become masters of their own destiny before the money ran out at a time when marketing budgets went to zero. Come hear the hidden story of Eloqua that you can't find on the Internet, and build your own profitable SaaS company in the challenging times to come. - 12:30–13:00 · From Startup to Team-up: The Unconventional Journey of a Bootstrapped Acquisition — Ton Dobbe, Author, The Remarkable Effect (Fireside) Each acquisition journey is unique, but a bootstraped acqusition - even better! Join us as we explore Billbee's acquisition of Replyco and share the biggest lessons learned and opportunities that were up for grabs. Don't pass up your chance to acquire special insights and tactics that will change your outlook on growth and acquisition. - 14:00–14:25 · The Power of Purpose: Unlock New Growth, Discover Your 'Why' and Build a Company To Be Proud Of — Jonny White, Founder & CEO, Ticket Tailor (Keynote) We are entrepreneurs. We are ambitious people, we love a challenge, and we set our sights high. But is that ambition always well placed? Is a high revenue number really the best we can do? Do you ever get the feeling that your business could have a more meaningful impact? What if I told you that it can? Not only that but that it could even unlock higher revenue in the process? Jonny White has bootstrapped Ticket Tailor, an event ticketing company, to over £5M ARR, selling over 1m tickets every month. Challenging a notoriously unscrupulous industry, Ticket Tailor have rethought everything about how they do business. Their "Growth on Purpose" mantra stipulates that every ticket sold must have a positive impact on all stakeholders. That includes team, customers, and planet. And they have backed it up with B Corp certification. Jonny will share the story of the journey so far, the tactics for integrating positive impact, the incredible motivation it brings, and the surprising and glorious results. - 14:25–14:45 · Climbing the Bootstrapped Mountain - Lessons Learned From Scaling to $1M ARR — Rory Codrington, Founder & CEO, Trust Keith (Keynote) The journey to the top of the bootstrapped mountain is undoubtedly a unique one. Join this session to hear Rory's remarkable story of scaling Trust Keith to $1M ARR. Hear the innovative strategies used, practical tips and tactics, and his advice for those aiming to hit the same milestone! #### Accel Stage - 11:30–11:35 · The Accelerate Stage Gets Up and Running for Day 1! — Lizzy Hayashida, Director of Community & Ecosystem, Dogpatch Labs (MC Address) The Accelerate Stages gets underway for Day 1, bringing you a day of content curated for SaaSy startups! - 11:35–12:00 · How NOT to Build a Startup — Derry Holt, Co-founder & CEO, OneUp Sales (Keynote) From almost shutting his startup down three times to building a flourishing company, Derry has made all the mistakes founders are warned to avoid - and then some. Come and learn how NOT to build a startup so you can save yourself the years that Derry lost! - 12:00–12:20 · Leadership in Growth and Performance Environments — Megan Killion, SMB Sales Director - EMEA, Intercom (Fireside) Discover the power of strategic leadership and its role in creating a competitive advantage for your company. Megan and Jonas join us to share how to foster a culture of excellence via discovery and encouraging individuals to unleash their potential. This session explores it all, it's not one to be missed for those looking to push the boundaries when it comes to building high performance environments in their company. - 12:20–12:30 · The End of Silos: A Case for a Leaner SaaS Organization — Esben Friis-Jensen, Co-founder & CGO, Userflow (Lightning) In today's self-service and inbound-driven market, SaaS organizations must re-evaluate their structures to keep up with empowered end-users. In this talk, we'll explore why the traditional SaaS organizational model of multiple departments, or "silos," is no longer effective and how a unified Product and GTM team can deliver a seamless customer experience, drive innovation and growth, and foster collaboration across functions. - 12:30–12:40 · The Secret to Improving Your Sales Performance — Werner Schmidt, Co-founder & CEO, Lative (Lightning) In this session, you'll learn how to build the foundation for accurately measuring and improving your true sales performance. Without this foundation in place, many organizations find themselves executing plans that don't result in sustainable, scalable growth. Join Lative CEO and co-founder Werner Schmidt to discover how to get a clearer picture of your sales performance and plan for growth the right way. - 12:40–12:50 · State of SDR Q4 2023 - Results From Almost 1,000 EMEA SDR's Exclusively Revealed — Mark Ackers, Co-founder & Head of Sales, MySalesCoach (Lightning) MySalesCoach has surveyed almost 1,000 EMEA SDR's and they shared with us their honest take on the role, their struggles, performance, aspirations and what matters most to them. Join us as we exclusively reveal the results of our confidential survey - there's heaps of interesting and surprising insight! - 12:50–13:10 · Why Your B2B Deals aren't Closing Anymore and What to Do About it — Jeff Lurie, Head of Business Development, AppSumo (Fireside) It's no secret that the slowing market has impacted closing rates. The sales motions have changed and it seems like funnels are empty barrels at the moment. Lennart Prange, Co-founder of Valuecase joins us to share what steps you can take to revive your sales and strengthen throughout a weak market. - 14:00–14:05 · Time for the Semi-Final! SaaStock Global Pitch Competition 2023 — Lizzy Hayashida, Director of Community & Ecosystem, Dogpatch Labs (Pitch Competition) It's time! Our semi-finallists take the stage to pitch for a place in the Final of the SaaStock Global Pitch Competition 2023! - 14:05–14:10 · Tipple — Eoin Bara - 14:10–14:15 · Flowmate — Frank Tuerling - 14:15–14:20 · Demotime — Sam Smith - 14:20–14:25 · Precitaste — Hauke Feddersen (Hawk Fed-re-sen) - 14:25–14:30 · Bekodu — Kristian Jaakola (Ya-ko-la) (with Linda Peanburg King (Pin-burg-king)) - 14:30–14:35 · Flowcore — Olavur Ellefsen (Oliver El-ef-sen) - 14:35–14:40 · Who's in The Final? Official Announcement of the SaaStock Pitch Competition Finallists of 2023. — Lizzy Hayashida, Director of Community & Ecosystem, Dogpatch Labs Find out who's making it to the Grand Finale of the SaaStock Global Pitch Competition 2023! #### Podcast Stage - 11:00–11:30 · Live Podcast: The SaaS Revolution Show with Amir Orad, Executive Chairman at Sisense — Alex Theuma A live recording of The SaaS Revolution Show as SaaStock's Founder & CEO, Alex Theuma is joined by special guest Amir Orad, Executive Chairman at Sisense. - 11:45–12:15 · Live Podcast: B2B Better with Meghan Keaney Anderson, VP Marketing at Jasper. — Jason Bradwell A live recording of the B2B Better Podcast as Founder & CEO, Jason Bradwell is joined by special guest Meghan Keaney Anderson, VP Marketing at Jasper. - 12:15–12:45 · Live Podcast: CHURN.FM — Andrew Michael A live recording of the CHURN.FM Podcast as host Andrew Michael is joined by a special guest. - 12:45–13:15 · Live Podcast: The SaaS Revolution Show with April Dunford, Founder & CEO at Ambient Strategy — Alex Theuma A live recording of The SaaS Revolution Show as SaaStock's Founder & CEO, Alex Theuma is joined by special guest April Dunford, Founder & CEO at Ambient Strategy. - 13:30–14:00 · Live Podcast: B2B Better — Jason Bradwell A live recording of the B2B Better Podcast as Founder & CEO, Jason Bradwell is joined by a very special guest. - 14:15–14:45 · Live Podcast: The SaaS Revolution Show with Lucie Buisson, Chief Product Officer at Contentsquare — Alex Theuma A live recording of The SaaS Revolution Show as SaaStock's Founder & CEO, Alex Theuma is joined by special guest Lucie Buisson, Chief Product Officer at Contentsquare. #### SaaSociety - 16:30–16:35 · Welcome & Opening of SaaSociety Content! — Alex Theuma, Founder & CEO, SaaStock (Opening Welcome) - 16:35–16:55 · CEO Fireside with Nathan Latka and Joaquim Lecha, CEO of Typeform — Nathan Latka, Founder & CEO, Founderpath (Fireside) - 16:55–17:15 · The Journey of Bootstrapping To 50M ARR and then Raising a $180 Million Series A — Nathan Latka, Founder & CEO, Founderpath (Fireside) - 17:15–17:35 · Lessons from Scaling Beyond $100M ARR (Twice!) - Exclusive Fireside with Amir Orad (Sisense, Actimize) and HSBC Innovation — Jean-Laurent Pelissier, Managing Director - Head of Enterprise Software, HSBC Innovation (Fireside) - 17:35–18:35 · How To Be an Effective Leader: Create Accountability and Obtain Excellence without Being an Asshole — Emeric Ernoult, Founder & CEO, Agorapulse (Roundtable discussions) - · How Data and AI is driving SaaS growth: From Sales Effectiveness to Monetising your App Data — Zandra Moore, Co-founder & CEO, Panintelligence - · How to do a Secondary: Secrets of The Double Dip — Nathan Latka, Founder & CEO, Founderpath - · How to Grow in a Low Demand Environment — Mark Organ, Founder, Categorynauts ### Day 3 · Wednesday, October 18 (main conference) #### Scale Stage - 10:00–10:05 · The Scale Stage is Back! Matt Cretzman Kicks Things Off Ahead of Day 2. — Matt Cretzman, Founder & CEO, Stormbreaker Digital (MC Address) Day 2 begins on the Scale Stage, Matt Cretzman gets the show underway again! - 10:05–10:25 · The Great AI Revolution - How Epic Could the Disruption Be? — Des Traynor, Co-founder & CSO, Intercom (Keynote) After many decades of over-promising and under-delivering, the AI revolution has finally arrived. Like every disruptive wave in software before it, it brings a whole host of opportunities for new market entrants, and threats for market incumbents. This talk is all about how to understand the new capabilities that have landed, think through product opportunities they imply, and ultimately capitalise on them, whether you're a scrappy startup in its embryonic stage, or an established incumbent paranoid about the future. - 10:25–11:00 · Investor Insights for Founders: How Fundability Is Changing And What's To Come in 2024 — Christoph Janz, Co-founder & Partner, Point Nine Capital (Panel) Get ready for a untold insights into the fundraising world! 'Investor Insights for Founders: How Fundability Is Changing and What's To Come in 2024' is the title of our first panel session of the day, and it's your ticket to learning about the newest tactics and trends that are changing how businesses raise capital. Imagine getting a sneak preview of funding in the future! Join us to uncover how the fundraising world is changing and what you need to know for 2024. - 11:00–11:20 · 5 Curveballs SaaS Founders Will Face With Generative AI: Sales Motion, ACV, Dev, BYOAI & Beyond — Merve Nazlioglu, CMO & Partner, Insider (Keynote) Generative AI has sparked debates, with some touting it as an 'intellectual revolution' and others seeing it as a tool for human efficiency. In this engaging session, Merve Nazlioglu, CMO and Partner at Insider, will explore the complex interplay of hopes, realities, and challenges surrounding Generative AI in SaaS. The session will also explore the seismic shifts in the sales motion and the potential reduction of Annual Contract Value (ACV). Merve will discuss the benefits and risks of Generative AI associated with the intriguing era of Bring-Your-Own-AI (BYOAI) as well its adoption in Product Development, Marketing, Customer Support, and beyond. This thought-provoking session promises to challenge perceptions and provide valuable insights into the evolving world of Generative AI in the software industry, where innovation meets human ingenuity. - 11:20–11:40 · How Global Software Buying and Selling Will Change in the Age of AI — Godard Abel, Co-founder & CEO, G2 (Keynote) Join G2 CEO and 5X Founder Godard Abel as he dissects the imminent AI-driven revolution in software buying and selling. Godard will share data-driven insights into how AI is impacting the SaaS landscape while uncovering the opportunity for software vendors to evolve the way they go to market in this environment to outpace the competition and accelerate sales. - 12:00–12:35 · Work Smarter, Live Smarter - How Unicorn Companies View The Ultimate Work/Life Balance For Success — Iain Martin, Europe News Editor, Forbes (Panel) Two Unicorn Companies, Oyster and G2, take the main stage to share decades of experience and lessons on building the ultimate work/life balance for success. Success means different things to us all, but having the resilience and reward balance is one we all need. No two journeys are the same when building a company, so it's all about figuring out what works for you. This panel is not one to be missed! - 12:35–13:00 · The Young Generation in Tech - How Are They Embracing AI and What Do They Value? — Davor Hebel, Managing Partner & Head of Europe, EightRoads (Fireside) More details for this session coming very soon! - 14:00–14:20 · Lessons Learned Building the Fastest Growing SaaS Company in Europe — Thibaut Ceyrolle, Partner - Growth Acceleration, Atomico (Keynote) Join Thibaut, who grew Snowflake in EMEA from 0 to +$100M ARR for a captivating keynote presentation as he shares the closely-guarded insights and secrets from "Lessons Learned Building the Fastest Growing SaaS Company in Europe." This keynote is not one to be missed! - 14:20–14:40 · From Burnout to Balance: Prioritising Your Wellbeing With Michael Riegel, GM Europe at Navan — Matt Cretzman, Founder & CEO, Stormbreaker Digital (Fireside) How can you tell if you're feeling a normal level of stress, or if you've tipped over into burnout territory? What's the right strategy when it comes to progressing your professional and personal journey? It's no secret that the right balance is what works for you. But, how do you find that? From productivity to priorities, mental to physical health, your network to your relationships, Michael Riegel GM Europe at Navan takes the main stage to share how you can figure out your middle ground. Joined by Matt Cretzman, Founder & CEO at Stormbreaker Digital, this fireside is a must-join for those looking to level-up to avoid burnout. - 14:40–15:00 · Why Software Buyers Experience Regret: Your Key to Maximizing Acquisition and Avoiding Churn — Thibaut de Lataillade, Global Vice President - Product, Gartner Digital Markets (Keynote) Minimising churn is the surest way to grow your business, but new research from Gartner Digital Markets shows its seeds are planted far before you'd think. In this session, Thibaut De Lataillade, Group Vice President of Product for Gartner Digital Markets, previews buyer insights from 3,400 global software buyers and decision-makers to reveal why most of your future customers may end up leaving you – and what you can do to turn the tide. - 15:00–15:20 · Unlocking Opportunities: How Global Growth Technology is Shaping the Future of Work — Alex Theuma, Founder & CEO, SaaStock (Fireside) The future of work is both flexible and global. However, compliantly hiring and managing talent across borders can still be complex. Join David Anderson, Cloud Architect at G-P, to explore how Global Growth Technology is reshaping the future of global hiring and workforce management, enabling companies to design, build and manage global teams easier than ever before. In this session, attendees will learn: Why tapping into the everywhere workforce is key for business success, how advancements in AI-driven technology have helped streamline compliant international expansion and how G-P's vision for Global Growth Technology is revolutionizing the employer of record industry. - 15:20–15:25 · Grand Finale Time! SaaStock Global Pitch Competition 2023 — Alex Theuma, Founder & CEO, SaaStock (Pitch Competition) It's Grand Finale time! Our three finallists take the stage in a bid to be crowned WINNER of the SaaStock Global Pitch Competition 2023! - 15:55–16:00 · The Winner of The SaaStock Global Pitch Competition 2023 is Announced! — Alex Theuma, Founder & CEO, SaaStock The WINNER of SaaStock's Global Pitch Competition 2023 is announced! Join us to find out who takes first place. - 16:00–16:05 · The Scale Stage Closes for SaaStock 2023! — Matt Cretzman, Founder & CEO, Stormbreaker Digital (MC Address) A final wrap up of the Scale Stage by our MC, Matt Cretzman. #### Growth Stage - 10:30–10:35 · The Growth Stage Returns! Alison Murdock Opens The Show for Day 2. — Alison Murdock, Founder & Chief Marketer, Trusted CMO (MC Address) The Growth Stage reopens for the final day! - 10:35–10:55 · Building a Power-Brand: How to Integrate Your Brand With Your GTM Strategy — Angeley Mullins, CCO, Resourcify (Keynote) It's essential to have a plan in place whether you're launching a new venture, item, or business model. An effective go-to-market plan is essential for every new product, service, or rebrand. In this session, we'll dive headfirst into the captivating world of aligning your brand identity with a game-changing go-to-market strategy. Discover the art of crafting a brand that's not just a name but a sensation, forging a connection that's as magnetic as it is memorable. Get ready to supercharge your brand, mesmerize your audience, and unlock the true potential of your business! - 10:55–11:25 · The Path Ahead for Business Growth in The Current Economic Climate — Aydan Al-Saad, Chief Business Officer, Piper (Panel) The days of growth at all costs are done, it's all about strategic planning to secure all important growth even amidst the current economic climate. This session is a 'here and now' to discuss what actions we should all be taking as businesses. Uncovering, how we should align with longer term strategic ambitions, understanding what our customers/consumers are telling us, leveraging new generative AI capabilities and best practices to meet demand and the implications to consider when executing. - 11:25–11:45 · State of SaaS Pricing: Data and Insights Driving Pricing Decisions in 2023 — Evan Grubb, Strategic Account Executive, Paddle (Fireside) When we opened our doors over a decade ago, most SaaS and subscription companies treated pricing and packaging as an afterthought when it came to growth.In 2023, that's changed. We surveyed hundreds of B2B pricing leaders to learn how they make pricing decisions. Join Andrew Davies, CMO and Evan Grubb, Strategic Account Executive at Paddle as they break down the brand-new data. Get the full picture of how you stack up against the competition.They'll be diving into the data and recommendations around: The SaaS revenue metrics leaders are focussing on optimizing, the pricing and packaging strategies dominating the market and where you can set yourselves apart from the competition. - 12:05–12:25 · B2B Content Marketing in the Era of TikTok and GPT (Keynote) Caya, Co-founder & CEO of Slidebean takes the stage to share a series of of do's and dont's, alongside key case studies of succesful campaigns in this (noisy) era of content. - 12:25–12:45 · Differentiated Customer Success - Building a CS Process That Fuels Sales and Beats Competitors — Jamie Davidson, Co-founder & CEO, Vitally (Keynote) Jamie Davidson, Co-founder & CEO of Vitally takes the stage to showcase how presenting CS in a new light can drive sales and help you stand out from competitors. - 12:45–13:00 · Secrets of a Third-time Founder: What I've learnt From Two 9-Figure Exits — Roy Tuvey, Co-founder & Co-CEO, Vertice (Keynote) After two successful exits of $700m, Roy Tuvey, Co-founder & Co-CEO of Vertice, takes the stage to unveil how to build momentum and win over investors. A keynote of real-life insights, this one is not to be missed! - 14:00–14:20 · Forget The Typical M[RR]etrics - Here's How You Should Be Measuring Your Success — Asia Orangio, Founder & CEO, DemandMaven (Keynote) You're used to the typical metrics and reports to measure how your SaaS company is performing: MRR, LTV, ARPU, activation rates. There's a lot out there and not all of it actionable. But what if there were a set of KPIs that could paint you the picture of how your company is performing and where your best growth opportunities lie? KPIs that aren't as widely discussed and most founders don't even know about, but punch waaaayyy above its weight class? Here's the best part: most of these KPIs are reports you have access to right now. Join me on this quick journey through the top KPIs I use to know what growth opportunities lie beneath the surface. And if you know me, you know we've got a lot to cover. :) - 14:20–14:40 · Lessons from over $50 Billion in Exits – What Makes a Business Worth More? — Thomas Smale, CEO, FE International (Keynote) Please join Thomas Smale, Founder and CEO of global M&A advisory firm FE International, as he shares what he's learned from more than $50 billion in closed deals. Listen in as he offers behind-the-scenes insights into which business models lead to the biggest exit prices, the business types that are most popular with buyers, and how you can build a high-value business poised for a smooth exit. - 14:40–15:00 · What Consumers Want from AI in Service — Jamie O'Dwyer, Head of Digital Sales, Zendesk (Keynote) Join us as I unpack key insights from Zendesk customers, exploring their top expectations from AI. We'll discuss personalization, seamless experiences, emotional understanding, chatbot communication, and the role of Generative AI. - 15:00–15:20 · Navigating Revenue Growth Pains — Michael Smink, Strategic Growth Account Executive, Chargebee (Fireside) Explore the challenges and strategies involved in managing hyper-growth, investing in technology, achieving profitability, preparing for the next stage of growth and crafting effective exit strategies in the dynamic world of subscription-based businesses. #### Bootstrap Stage - 10:55–11:00 · The Bootstrap Stage is Back for Day 2! Ton Dobbe Gets us Underway Again. — Ton Dobbe, Author, The Remarkable Effect (MC Address) Another day of bootstrapped focussed content delivered by speakers on the self-funded journey themselves! - 11:00–11:35 · The Irish Tech Ecosystem — John O'Dea, CEO, TechIreland (Panel) A presentation on Ireland's tech sector, followed by a panel discussion with some of the country's top experts from organisations like Enterprise Ireland, Scale Ireland, Dealroom and SaaStock. - 11:35–12:00 · The Journey of Bootstrapping To 50M ARR and then Raising a $180 Million Series A — Gregory Galant, Co-founder & CEO, Muck Rack (Keynote) Gregory Galant, Co-founder & CEO of Muck Rack takes the stage to share the lessons learned, key moments and changing challenges on his way to bootstrapping to $50M ARR. In this stage-opening keynote, we delve into the bootstrapped life of Muck Rack and what the turning point was when deciding to become VC backed. - 12:00–12:30 · The Dreaminfluence Story - Lessons Learned on The Journey to Hitting $1M ARR — Ton Dobbe, Author, The Remarkable Effect (Fireside) Fasten the bootstraps as we hear the unique Dreaminfluence journey! In this fireside, we will explore the highs and lows, the challenges and triumphs, and the invaluable insights gained while paving the way to achieving $1 million ARR. - 12:30–13:00 · 100 Bootstrappers Hit $5m in Revenue Last Month: They Used These 9 Growth Tactics (previously unknown!) — Nathan Latka, Founder & CEO, Founderpath (Keynote) Attend this session to get free excel file. Over the past 3 months, Latka has interviewed the fastest growing Bootstrapped founders to uncover tactics they're using to beat well-funded competitors. In this session, he'll rapidly share 9 tactics you should copy (including screenshots, proof, and real data). Anyone who attends this session will receive a free excel file containing 100+ SaaS founders with more than $5m in ARR that contributed to the keynote. The file includes name, email, revenue, and growth data (all from Latka's Podcast). - 14:00–14:20 · Building A Defensible Moat With SEO — Lidia Vijga, Co-founder & CEO, DeckLinks (Keynote) During this session Lidia will be covering some of the SEO tactics that startups can implement to gain an unbeatable edge by owning search and blocking new competitors. - 14:20–14:40 · Do You Have What it Takes to Bootstrap? — Ton Dobbe, Author, The Remarkable Effect (Fireside) Check your grit, your bank account, your risk tolerance, and the stability of your personal life. Bootstrapping needs to be an intentional decision, and we'll talk through things to honestly consider when making the choice. Tina, co-founder of skillsgapp - Skillionaire Games, will share the pivotal moment they stopped all discussions for raising funds and intentionally chose to bootstrap. Discover the reasons behind their choice, the strategies they employed to surpass $2 million in revenue and growing, and what lies ahead on their bootstrapping journey. Game on. - 14:40–15:00 · Scaling Without Hiring: The Power of Generative AI for Bootstrappers — Alex Delivet, Founder & CEO, Collect (Keynote) In a world where size often equates to success, how can bootstrapped SaaS ventures scale without ballooning their teams? Join Alex Delivet, founder of Collect, as he unveils the magic of generative AI for bootstrappers. Dive into real-world examples from the trenches, understand the pros and cons, and visualize a future where AI is your most valued team member. Find out how embracing AI might just be the bootstrapper's golden ticket to scale efficiently, and effectively. - 15:00–15:05 · The Bootstrap Stage Closes! That's All for The Bootstrapped Content at SaaStock 2023. — Ton Dobbe, Author, The Remarkable Effect (MC Address) Ton Dobbe closes the show as the Bootstrap Stage comes to a close! #### Accel Stage - 11:30–11:35 · We're back for Day 2 on the Accelerate Stage! — Joe Gorman, NDRC Programme Manager, Dogpatch Labs (MC Address) The Accelerate Stage opens for another day of SaaStock startup content. - 11:35–12:00 · Hustle Smarter: Guerrilla Marketing Strategies for Cash-Strapped Startup Leaders — Sophia O'Neal, Founder & Chief Brand Builder, Ignore No More (Keynote) When written, the term "guerrilla" has a strong presence. It brings to mind rebelliousness and conflict. When it's used in conjunction with the word "marketing," it's a whole different game. In this high-energy keynote session, we're diving deep into the world of savvy marketing for resourceful entrepreneurs. Discover ingenious tactics, budget-friendly hacks, and street-smart strategies that will supercharge your startup's growth, all while keeping your cash flow in check. - 12:00–12:10 · The Future of CRM — Chris Moen, Co-founder & CEO, Breyta (Lightning) Where is CRM headed? Is the era of unbundling over? Will Chatspot dominate? Chris who heads up Breyta which is a data activation tool to supercharge your CRM will share his thoughts on the industry. - 12:10–12:20 · Mastering Product-Led Adoption: How to Pioneer Value-Centric Growth in SaaS — Alican Bektaş, Co-founder & Head of Product, UserGuiding (Lightning) The heartbeat of any successful SaaS lies in its ability to provide users with an experience that's both memorable and value-laden. Product-Led Adoption is a step beyond the traditional strategies that enables you to create such experiences with laser-focused efforts. Join us as we challenge established PLG strategies and share how we used product-led adoption to optimize user value at UserGuiding. - 12:20–12:30 · 3 Product-led Plays To Get Your SaaS Users More Active — Peter Loving, Founder, UserActive (Lightning) In this talk we'll be taking a look at product interactions and user flows that make all the difference in activation, adoption and expansion for SaaS. We'll look at 3 examples we used to achieve this and how you can implement them to get similar results for your SaaS. - 12:30–12:40 · Hey SaaS Startup, Can You Actually Close a Deal Without SOC 2 or ISO 27001? — Kyle Morris, Senior Manager - Compliance Success, Scytale (Lightning) As SaaS startups race to get all their ducks in order so they can start selling and scaling, security compliance - specifically SOC 2 and ISO 27001 - is often not prioritized. For their potential customers though, this can make or break their decision to purchase. Don't miss this dedicated session for founders on how to get compliant fast. - 12:40–12:50 · Less Churn, More Loyalty: Making Ongoing Training the Core of Customer Retention — Nick Eriksen, Co-founder & CPO, Eurekos Systems (Lightning) Most SaaS leaders know a great customer education program can significantly reduce customer churn. What many don't know is the importance of educating customers in all three phases of their journey: Pre-sales, onboarding, and ongoing. In this session, twenty-year industry veteran Nick Eriksen of Eurekos will share best practices, key insights, and new research to help revolutionize your customer education program. You'll learn: • Key education opportunities in each phase of the customer journey • How top SaaS companies train their customers • How to leverage training for lead generation, customer acquisition, and post-sale relationships that leads to increased customer retention, loyalty, and advocacy - 12:50–13:00 · How Flipdish Enables Remote Workers with Google Workspace — Fintan Murphy, Founder & CEO, Damson Cloud (Lightning) A lightning talk from Flipdish and Damson Cloud covering how to enable remote workers with Google Workspace. - 13:00–13:05 · That's it for The Accelerate Stage, Day 2 Comes to a Close! — Joe Gorman, NDRC Programme Manager, Dogpatch Labs (MC Address) After two days of excellent startup content delivered by our excellent SaaStock speakers, the Accelerate Stage comes to a close for 2023! #### Podcast Stage - 11:00–11:30 · Live Podcast: Hosted by J.P. Morgan with Joaquim Lecha, CEO of Typeform — Alexandra Wyatt A live podcast recording hosted by Alexandra Wyatt of J.P. Morgan, joined by special guest Joaquim Lecha, CEO of Typeform. - 11:45–12:15 · Live Podcast: InDemand with Angeley Mullins, CCO at Resourcify — Asia Orangio A live recording of the InDemand podcast as Asia Orangio, Founder & CEO at DemandMaven is joined by Angeley Mullins, CCO at Resourcify! - 12:15–12:45 · Live Podcast: CHURN.FM with Andrew Davies, CMO at Paddle — Andrew Michael A live recording of the CHURN.FM Podcast as host Andrew Michael is joined by a special guest Andrew Davies, CMO at Paddle. - 12:45–13:15 · Live Podcast: Tekpon SaaS Podcast with Demed L'Her, CTO at DigitalRoute — Cristian Dina A live podcast recording as Tekpon SaaS Podcast host, Cristian Dina is joined by Demed L'Her, CTO at DigitalRoute! - 13:30–14:00 · Live Podcast: Nathan Latka Podcast — Nathan Latka A live recording of the Nathan Latka Podcast, as Nathan is joined by a special guest speaker. - 14:15–14:45 · Live Podcast: The Practical Founders Podcast with Sonya Iovieno, Head of Venture & Growth Banking at HSBC Innovation — Greg Head A live recording of The Practical Founders Podcast, as Founder Greg Head is joined by special guest speaker Sonya Iovieno, Head of Venture & Growth Banking at HSBC Innovation. #### Startup Program - #REF!–14:30 · How to Unlock Product-Led Scale — Wes Bush, Founder & CEO, ProductLed (60m workshops) Product-led growth is more than a free trial. Discover the 9 components that will help you scale your product-led business faster without working harder. Learn exactly where your highest leverage opportunity is in your business to unlock scale. - 11:05 · Pitch Perfect: Tailoring Your Message for Buyers vs. Investors — Olman Quesada, Head of Partnerships, AppSumo Dive deep into the world of SaaS pitching with AppSumo's Heads of Business Development and Partnerships. In this interactive workshop, we will draw clear distinctions between pitching your product to potential buyers and presenting your business to potential investors. Come prepared to share, as we will be breaking down live pitches and jointly refining the art of the sell - 11:13–12:10 · [Interval] N/A - 11:34 · VC Fundraising: Negotiating termsheets — Tom Jameson, Partner, CMS Regular SaaStock speaker, Tom Jameson, partner at top 5 global law firm CMS, will lead you through a termsheet deepdive, giving you the essential information you must know and understand before raising VC money, putting you in the best position possible for future negotiations with investors - 11:37–14:35 · [Interval] N/A - 11:45–15:00 · Using Strategic Posititioning to Unlock Growth in Noisy Markets — April Dunford, Founder & CEO, Ambient Strategy (20m keynote & 5m Q&A) TBC - –11:00 · The Modern Way To Scale a SaaS Business — Wes Bush, Founder & CEO, ProductLed (25m keynote & 5m Q&A) Bestselling author, Wes Bush kicks things off for Startup Day 2023 with one of the most practical keynotes around. Scaling a SaaS business doesn't come without it's daily challenges, but following a framework for scaling in the modern era will make it so much easier. Wes joins us to share how you can turn your product intro a powerful growth engine as you scale. - –11:05 · [Interval] N/A - –12:05 · Support Automation: Building automation that benefits you & your customer — Matt O'Boyle, Senior Customer Success Manager, Intercom (60m workshops) Matt O' Boyle has been a Senior CSM at Intercom for 4 years, and was an Intercom customer for 2! In this workshop he will walk you through how he teaches companies of all sizes how to use bot & self service workflow automations to save support teams around the world a lot of time and effort; while ensuring excellent customer experiences. ## Top countries represented - United Kingdom: 1,061 - Ireland: 961 - United States: 213 - Germany: 181 - Ukraine: 139 ## Sponsors ### Silver - Paystratus Group ### Partners - Breyta AS - CHARGEBEE - Cyclr Systems - Maxio - Providence Strategic Growth LLP - Scytale AI - Startup Voyager Digital UK - Stormburst Studios - Velocity Global - Ztech Software, UAB ## How to reference - Standard name: SaaStock Europe 2023 - Short name: Dublin 2023 - URL: https://saastock.com/europe/2023/ ## Related - Previous edition: SaaStock Europe 2022 — https://saastock.com/europe/2022/ - Next edition: SaaStock Europe 2024 — https://saastock.com/europe/2024/ - All talks: https://saastock.com/europe/2023/talks/ - All speakers: https://saastock.com/europe/2023/speakers/