The SaaS landscape is evolving, and fast. If there’s one thing that the SaaS Industry Report for 2024 by Omnius makes clear, it’s that the industry is undergoing a seismic shift. Reading through it, I couldn’t help but reflect on what these findings mean for the SaaStanak community, where we’ve been fostering discussions, ideas, and connections around these very trends for years.
SaaStanak isn’t just a conference or a meetup. It’s the biggest SaaS community in Central and Eastern Europe (CEE). It’s a space where founders, leaders, and experts gather to share their experiences, learn from each other, and ultimately shape the future of SaaS.
As we close out 2024, this mission feels more relevant than ever. The trends and insights from Omnius’ report speak directly to the challenges and opportunities that SaaStanak members have been navigating. From adapting to market changes to carving out niche solutions and, most importantly, building strong customer relationships.
In this blog, I’ll dive into some key takeaways from the report, framing them through the lens of SaaStanak. More than just a data-driven analysis, this is about how we—together—are tackling these challenges, sharing knowledge, and building the kind of sustainable, community-driven success that will shape SaaS as we look toward 2025.
Flexibility is the name of the game
One of the most significant points from the Omnius report is the increasing need for flexibility in SaaS products and business models. The days when SaaS companies could launch a single, static product and call it a day are gone.
Customers today expect SaaS solutions to be:
- Adaptive
- Modular
- Responsive to their changing needs
In SaaS, it’s not just about building software; it’s about building software that evolves with the user. Flexibility today isn’t optional—it’s essential. Companies embracing this adaptability are able to test, iterate, and pivot quickly based on user feedback, positioning themselves for growth.
This adaptability is a common topic in SaaS communities, where founders are seeking to go beyond conventional customer interaction models and deliver a truly evolving experience.
At SaaStanak, we see how companies embracing flexible models find themselves scaling faster and improving retention rates. The Omnius report’s emphasis on customization echoes what we’ve observed within our community: the ability to adapt will define SaaS leadership as we move into 2025.
Niche SaaS Products: Bigger isn’t always better
One of the most interesting takeaways from Omnius’ report is the rise of niche SaaS products. The era of trying to be everything to everyone is over. Instead, the report shows a growing trend toward specialized solutions that cater to very specific needs or verticals.
This is a trend that’s particularly close to home for SaaStanak. Over the past year, we’ve seen founders in our community increasingly focus on niche markets. They are developing products that solve very specific problems for very specific users.
Founders at our invite-only Founders Forum have shared how zeroing in on a niche allows them to build loyal customer bases that value the specialized expertise their product provides.
Omnius confirms this shift, pointing to the greater growth and retention found among companies that narrow their focus rather than attempting to cater to the masses. At SaaStanak, we actively encourage founders to dig deeper into their markets and think about where they can excel, fostering discussions around the specificities of different industries and customer segments.
This trend will only continue into 2025, and our events will provide the space for founders to explore how best to refine their products and go deep, not wide.
Retention over acquisition: The new growth mantra
Perhaps one of the most compelling sections of Omnius’ report focuses on customer retention.
In the SaaS world, the cost of acquiring new customers is skyrocketing, while the payoff of keeping existing customers is becoming clearer than ever. As we move toward 2025, customer retention will continue to drive sustainable growth.
At SaaStanak, we’ve seen that SaaS companies often achieve greater success when they shift their focus from simply acquiring customers to creating a long-term relationship with them.
Omnius’ report highlights the importance of customer success and personalized engagement. It’s noting that SaaS companies prioritizing ongoing relationships—through regular updates, proactive support, and community-building—are seeing higher long-term success rates.
This aligns with what we see in our SaaStanak community. There’s a clear understanding that customer success doesn’t end with onboarding. In 2025, SaaStanak will continue to champion this approach by helping SaaS founders and leaders:
- Define their customer retention strategies
- Focus on long-term growth
The power of community in SaaS
If there’s one thing that both the Omnius report and SaaStanak agree on, it’s the power of community-driven growth. SaaS companies that can leverage their communities will have a significant competitive advantage moving forward. At SaaStanak, we’ve built our community around this very idea.
SaaS is more than just a product or a service—it’s about people.
People who are building, using, and advocating for these products. The connections we’ve fostered within SaaStanak have led to countless collaborations, partnerships, and shared learnings. It all helped founders scale their companies in ways that go beyond just dollars and cents.
The report highlights the importance of community-building for SaaS companies, whether through online forums, user groups, or events. Our meetups and forums provide a space where founders can:
- Openly share their challenges
- Get feedback
- Find support
It’s these genuine connections that will help SaaS companies grow as we look to 2025 and beyond.
We’ve seen this community effect in action within SaaStanak. People who attend our events leave not only with new ideas but with new connections that can help them tackle the very challenges highlighted in Omnius’ report—whether that’s product development, customer retention, or scaling to new markets.
What’s next for SaaStanak community?
Reflecting on Omnius’ report, it’s clear that the trends they’ve highlighted are already deeply embedded in the conversations and actions within the SaaStanak community.
From the shift towards flexible, customizable products to the focus on retention over acquisition, these are the very topics we’ve been tackling in our meetups, workshops, and events.
As we look to 2025, I’m excited for what’s to come.
At SaaStanak, we’ll continue to be a space where SaaS founders, leaders, and experts can come together to share, learn, and grow. Our flagship conference is set to be bigger and better than ever, and our events will keep creating spaces where these industry trends are not just discussed but acted upon.
As the SaaS landscape continues to evolve, so too will SaaStanak. Our goal is to help every founder in our community adapt to these changes, embrace the opportunities, and build sustainable, successful companies.
And with reports like Omnius’ as a roadmap, I’m confident that together, we’ll not only navigate 2025 but thrive in it.
Here’s to the future of SaaS—and here’s to SaaStanak being at the heart of it.
