Exciting VC Funded SaaS Startups to Watch In 2022
Author: Cory Maki
Many SaaS companies have entered the market in the past few years, even going back through the last decade. These companies offer all sorts of disruptive software services spanning every industry. Because of that, venture capital firms are partial to investing in SaaS startups, with each one looking for the next big thing.
The investments have paid off for many of the firms, leading to further interest. In fact, many of the largest firms are focusing on SaaS companies. If you want to learn about some of the up-and-coming SaaS startups that have received VC funding, keep reading.
Erudit AI
Erudit AI is a startup out of Miami, Florida, that uses the latest technologies to provide companies with valuable analytics. Namely, the company uses AI to deliver People Analytics about a workforce. It makes it easy for a company to track the well-being of their workforce, focusing on metrics such as:
Burnout Risk
Engagement
Turnover Risk
Moreover, the software is capable of detecting trends and giving insights into what is causing issues within the workforce. The true value is in how quickly the platform picks up the data and analyzes it. Using Erudit AI, companies can know what issues they need to reach out about and even which require extra care.
Erudit AI also plugs into work productivity tools, such as Google Workspace, Slack, Zoom, and Microsoft Teams. Not only is it easy to set up, but it is highly effective. The company also has strict data and privacy protection, keeping individual information and metrics anonymous, ensuring the data is only used to understand the overall concerns.
While the company is still in the seed funding stage, many groups are paying attention to it. Two such groups are Encomenda VC and Draper B1, two venture capital firms. The total amount of funding received since its founding in September 2019 is around $5 million, with $3.5 million invested in January 2022.
Linktree
In a world where effective marketing relies on exposure on multiple platforms, Linktree provides a valuable service. With Linktree, people, influencers, and companies can use a single link for all of their social media platforms. Moreover, the link leads to a customizable page that includes some useful analytics to track clicks and more.
Linktree offers four tiers, starting with its free tier, which gives unlimited access to the basics forever. There are also starter, pro, and premium packages, which are $5, $9, and $24 per month. They also get cheaper if you buy a yearly plan. Each comes with its own advantage:
Free: Gives access to unlimited links and basic customization
Starter: Offers more control and customization of the page to drive traffic
Pro: Embedding, email and phone number collection, and more analytics
Premium: Superior monetization, data export, and a custom success manager
The packages are targeted at different needs. Someone just looking to get their links in one place can use the free package. Pro is ideal for influences or those who want to add their own flavor to their page. Finally, pro and premium are targeted at those looking to strengthen their brand or monetize their business.
Linktree operates out of Australia and has undergone two rounds of funding. Its latest round of funding occurred in 2021, where it raised $45 million from various groups. Investors included Insight Partners and Index Ventures.
ClickUp
Productivity is key in any workplace, and ClickUp is a tool that offers just that. Founded in 2017, the company offers a customizable workplace productivity platform. It can take care of everything necessary to boost performance across multiple departments. Some of what ClickUp allows its users to do includes:
Plan, track, and manage work using the flexible platform
Utilize its built-in chat as individuals and groups to work more efficiently
Set and track various goals that progress in real-time
Work with various views to get a more customizable experience
The different functions of the platform can take the place of various other applications, allowing productivity to be condensed into one place. Moreover, with powerful dashboards, whiteboards, and documents, it becomes easy to pick a style that works for a specific team or project.
ClickUp also makes it easy for clients to import from other sources, work on any device, and integrate with other platforms. There is even a built-in automation feature. And the best part is that there is a plan suitable for any team size, even if you only need a productivity tool for yourself.
ClickUp’s latest round of funding occurred in October 2021, and it included venture capital firms like Meritech Capital Partners and Lightspeed Venture Partners. In total, ClickUp has received over $530 million in funding since its founding.
Klaviyo
One of the most important tools in marketing is email, while SMS is quickly growing in popularity as well. Klaviyo takes care of both of those things, automating marketing for ecommerce. While it might not be the youngest startup on the list, it certainly stands out. The company’s software helps clients by:
Offering automation and personalization to SMS and email marketing
Assisting them in targeting the right people to help them grow
Turning data into tailor-made experiences for customers
Providing easy-to-use APIs to improve integration
Klaviyo prices its software based on the needs of individual clients. For those who only need something small, a free option is available. While it is limited in terms of contacts and messages per month, it is a great way to see how it works. For everyone else, there is a tool on their website that estimates the cost per month.
The company allows clients to utilize their services for email, SMS, or both. While there are no discounts for packing them together, they can be monitored using a single interface. It also makes it easy to control how you contact customers based on their preferences.
Founded in 2012, Klaviyo is still growing quickly. In fact, over the past five years, it received a sizable increase in online searches. Moreover, investments have continued to flow in for the startup. In May 2021, Klaviyo received its most recent round of funding, receiving investments from Sands Capital, Lone Pine Capital, and more.
airfocus
Founded in 2018, airfocus provides a unique modular product management platform that is customizable to fit a company’s needs. It allows users to build, run, and scale their workflow. More than that, they can do all of it on a single platform designed to be easy to use and very effective.
Roadmapping is one of the primary uses of the platform. It is set up to allow users to build dynamic roadmaps that focus on outcomes and team objectives. Multiple roadmaps can even be consolidated into a portfolio view to get an overall picture of where things are at.
Additionally, airfocus makes it easy to prioritize outcomes and objectives on the platform. It even provides a space to centralize feedback, making it a one-stop-shop for gathering everything you need to do and think about. Overall, it is a flexible platform that adapts to your needs and prevents you from needing multiple solutions.
The company relies on monthly payments to make money on their software, offering a variety of packages from $15 a month to custom enterprise options. The different levels increase the features included, while the enterprise level adds advanced security to ensure everything runs smoothly.
While airfocus is relatively young, investors have already shown interest. The most recent investments came in 2021 when XAnge and Nauta Capital invested a collective $5 million into the company during the Series A round.
Passbase
There are a variety of services out there, but few tackle as important a problem as Passbase. Passbase provides security solutions for brands who want an easy way to verify their customer’s identities. The verification is done with automated identity checks that access over 6000 types of identity documents from more than 190 countries.
Passbase’s software also allows for quick authentication for returning customers. It does this using selfies, not requiring a password to verify the user. Moreover, the advanced security measures are available on multiple platforms through:
iOS SDKs
Android SDKs
An API
Webhooks
Additionally, Passbase’s facial recognition goes above and beyond to prevent fraud. It starts with incredible NIST face comparison technology that builds 3D face matches. Passbase also utilizes liveness detection to ensure users are physically present during the verification process. It is even possible to build in further checks as needed.
Founded in 2018, Passbase is located in Berlin, Germany. The company has already seen a decent amount of success, including pulling in almost $18 million in four rounds of funding. The latest round saw various venture capital firms investing in Passbase, including Cowboy Ventures and Costanoa Ventures.
lemlist
Another SaaS solution to email marketing is lemlist, which claims to be an all-in-one outbound solution. What that means is that lemlist is designed to solve outreach automation challenges for any size company. Moreover, they do while providing valuable features such as:
Personalized emails that increase reply rates with every prospect
Automated follow-ups that do not feel generic and create opportunities
A sales engagement platform to reach out through multiple channels
Increased open rates and fewer messages in spam due to lemwarm
The platform is fantastic for building a healthy, effective communication system that customers appreciate. It also integrates with email providers and customer relationship management tools. Moreover, email verification tools, Google Sheets, Calendly, and more work with lemlist.
Included in the service are templates. There are more than 100 high-quality templates that come from in-depth analysis of what works. There are multiple packages to choose from, with even the most basic choice helping users stay out of spam folders and increase their open rates.
Although founded in 2018, this SaaS startup only received its first round of public funding in 2021. The investor, Expedition Growth Capital, put $30 million into the company. It is definitely one to keep an eye out in a world eager for SaaS startups.
Mighty Networks
This Palo Alto, California startup looks to provide community-building software to help creators nurture their followers. However, it is not limited to creators and influencers, with the platform making it simple for people or companies to power their business with their community. Some of the things people can accomplish with a Might Network are:
Building a community around an event or course
Bringing social media followers to a unique space
Hosting regular events or meetings
Livestreaming on the platform
Moreover, using the platform, users can charge others who wish to participate in these things. That makes it easy to build a course or host a paid event without the hassle of going through a bunch of hoops. With Might Networks, everything is put together in one user-friendly place.
Additionally, the higher-tiered plans include in-depth analytics. It will allow users to get useful information, especially when it comes to building communities or creating courses and other content. Therefore, users can focus on the content and nurturing the community when using the platform.
Mighty Networks started its operation in 2017, and since then, it has raised around $66 million in funding. The most recent round of funding occurred in 2021, where investors like Owl Ventures and Great Oaks Venture Capital contributed. Mighty Networks is a powerful SaaS startup expected to grow in 2022.