SaaStr 835: AI + B2B in 2026: Find the Tailwinds or Get Left Behind with SaaStr CEO and Founder Jason Lemkin

About this episode

SaaStr 835: AI + B2B in 2026: Find the Tailwinds or Get Left Behind with SaaStr CEO and Founder Jason Lemkin

Software spend is set to hit record levels in 2026, but you're not getting any of it unless you change.

SaaStr CEO and Founder Jason Lemkin breaks down the paradox facing B2B companies right now: It's never been easier to scale to $100M (for a select few), while everyone else struggles. Half of all VC dollars are going into just 4 deals. IPOs ended the year with a whimper.

And that AI copilot you built? It doesn't count.

In this session, Jason shares the data on what's actually happening and what you need to do to capture your share of the hundreds of billions flowing into software.

Key insights:

• Why "seed is for suckers" in today's VC environment
• The 3 types of AI products that unlock budget (and the one that doesn't)
• Why 30% of new IT budget is going to AI and how to steal it
• The TAM expansion math behind Cursor, Gamma, and AI SDR tools
• Why copilots and AI features alone won't save you
• The efficiency metrics every founder needs to track in 2026

If you didn't reaccelerate growth in 2025, you get a D. You can't get a D in 2026.

🎤 Recorded at SaaStr London AI Summit | December 2025

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This episode is Sponsored in part by HappyFox:

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