AI, Venture Capital, and the Future of SaaS: What Startup Founders Need to Know

What does AI really mean for SaaS companies and startup founders? And why has venture capital suddenly cooled on SaaS funding?In this episode of Bootstrapped: The Lighter Side, Melissa Widner speaks with Marc Verissimo, Chair of Lighter Capital and former Chief Risk Officer at Silicon Valley Bank, about the economic forces shaping the future of SaaS, startup funding, and venture capital.Marc explains how he analyzes the economy—from 10-year bond yields and labor participation to productivity growth and political risk—and what founders should actually pay attention to when planning for the next few years. The discussion explores how AI will change the SaaS ecosystem, why SaaS companies remain foundational because they generate the data AI relies on, and why recent venture capital pullbacks from SaaS may be cyclical rather than permanent. They also discuss tariffs, geopolitical shifts, and regulatory volatility, and how these factors impact startup growth, funding availability, and long-term economic outlook.If you're building a SaaS company or navigating today’s startup funding environment, this episode offers practical insights on risk management, capital strategy, and economic trends every founder should understand.