Guest: Amit Pande, AI GTM & Product Advisor

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AI is putting pressure on SaaS companies from both below and above, and PE firms need a sharper way to assess which portfolio companies still have durable value.

In this episode of ProPEllant, we talk with Amit Pande about how private equity and growth equity operating partners should stress test SaaS companies in the AI era. Amit argues that horizontal SaaS is getting squeezed by foundation models on one side and data platform companies on the other.

The value that remains is often deeper than the product demo. It lives in proprietary data, embedded workflows, customer relationships, and the ability to help enterprise buyers make better decisions inside messy real-world operating environments.

We also explore why AI copilots have created buyer fatigue, why “coworker” may be a better metaphor for enterprise AI, and how PE-backed companies should rethink GTM, marketing org design, professional services, and customer-backward product strategy.

Key takeaways:

• SaaS companies need to be stress tested for workflow ownership and proprietary data.
• AI is changing how PE firms should think about IT spend and human capital.
• Copilot-style AI may not be enough to create enterprise value.
• Forward-deployed services can become a product feedback loop, not just a margin drag.
• Customer-backward strategy may matter more than technology-forward positioning.