When someone like Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella says AI is killing software and SaaS, it’s natural for alarm bells to go off. But for SaaS unicorn LeadSquared and its CEO Nilesh Patel, AI is not a disruption, it’s another opportunity to unlock more value.

Nadella’s podcast went viral but even before that the software-as-a-service (SaaS) ecosystem has had to adapt to the AI reality. But Patel claims, “Instead of AI replacing SaaS solutions, we should be saying that SaaS companies will innovate and embed AI into their products that enterprises can adapt.”

LeadSquared, founded in 2011 by Patel, Prashant Singh and Sudhakar Gorti, currently employs more than 900 people and naturally, the rise of AI agents and GenAI has become a focal point for the SaaS unicorn. .

LeadSquared’s SaaS suite helps enterprises and startups optimise their sales operations, generate sales leads faster and automate marketing operations.

The Bengaluru-based company has raised $204 Mn in funding from the likes of Westbridge Capital, IFC, besides among numerous investors.

In FY24, LeadSquared posted revenue of INR 279.3 Cr, around 10% higher than the INR 255.9 Cr of FY23, but its net loss deepened to INR 162.2 Cr from INR 161 Cr. The company is yet to file its financials for FY25, but Patel claimed the company is on track to become cash-flow positive and reach $100 Mn ARR soon.

The founder told us that LeadSquared has a rapidly growing customer base of over 1,800 clients across diverse industries and geographies, with India and the US being the strongest markets. “In India, we have a strong footprint in the BFSI,........

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