The week after an event is always a funny one.
Settling back in, adrenaline wearing off, and reflecting on the week that was.
This year was a big one for us.
We came with a clear purpose: to deliver more value, more connections, and more ROI for everyone in the room.
Over a year in the making, we did the research and made the biggest change to the conference in almost a decade with our new Meetup programme. It was a risk but seeing it come to life last week showed that it was absolutely a move in the right direction.
We also made another big shift, where AI meets ARR.
Over 40% of attendees were AI-first or AI-native companies. This created an opportunity to go deeper than the posts you see on LinkedIn. It opened the floor to meaningful conversations about what’s actually working, how GTM is evolving, and where human interaction fits into all of it.
But enough from me, here are some of your key takeaways from SaaStock Europe 2025.
AI is table stakes
Not surprising, but AI was the thread running through every keynote and conversation. People have been saying it online for months but when you’re in a room with thousands of leaders and everyone has something to say on AI, it’s clear that if you don’t, you’re already behind.
The conversation this year was different from last. It wasn’t AI vs human, it was how we can work better together.
As Aimee Williams (Former VP Enterprise Technology, IDA Ireland) shared: “AI is a strategic enabler not a software add on”
The best companies in the room echoed that sentiment, integrating AI across their GTM and customer engines, not simply adding it on top.
GTM is in flux
GTM is changing fast but core principles like repeatability, processes, and people remain key. Our GTM track brought together global go-to-market leaders who shared what’s driving their growth.
Emma Kennedy (Head of Marketing, Waste Logistics Software) highlighted insights from Wiz AVP UK&I Alice Carlisle: focus on repeatable sales playbooks and use AI to coach, not replace, your team.
Emma also noted Evergrowth CEO JB Daguene’s comments that “AI can’t fix bad process”.
The evolution in GTM also shines new light on customer success and retention as the growth engine in any GTM motion.
Niamh Fahy (B2B SaaS advisor) reminded us that despite innovation, first principles still apply “SaaS only works if customers stay”.
Laura Kightlinger shared key takeaways from her talk with CMO Circle’s Nicola Anderson:
- Company leaders should speak fluently about customer health and retention metrics.
- Be open and honest in cross-functional conversations and make sure Marketing is building relationships directly with customers.
- Focus on customer advocacy to accelerate expansion and new logo acquisition.
It pushes even further the notion that CS isn’t post sales any more, it’s core go-to-market.
Meetup: The value add you wanted
We’re known for world-class content, but we knew there was work to do on connecting people.
Our new event tech meant that thousands of meetings were arranged before the conference even began. On site, Meetup allowed structured time for high-intent meetings with your ICP.
Of course, it was new and we’re processing your feedback on how we can improve but it’s been great to hear some early results too.
- Tekpon CEO Alexandru Stan had 65 meetings in two days. He’s projecting a potential $132,000 in revenue from the contacts he made.
- Nextoria Co-founder and CEO Jeko Tolev sat 15 pre-booked meetings, without a single no-show.
- ElasticScale Founder and CTO Alex Jeensma had to bring more of the team because they’d overbooked, twelve meetings in one day.
What’s next
We’ll be sharing more exclusive content and insights from SaaStock Europe 2025 on our YouTube Channel over the coming weeks, including talks from Nathan Latka (Founderpath), Manny Medina (Paid, Outreach), and Máire O’Herlihy (OpenAI). Make sure to subscribe.
For us, things never really slow down at SaaStock.
SaaStock USA is just 6 months away. And we’re bringing Meetup with us.
More on this very soon.
