Some of the most interesting startup pitches I see these days do not promise to change the world. They promise to change a workflow, with artificial intelligence solving a critical problem of a particular industry. A messy, outdated, painful process that is too niche for large software giants to notice. That is the magic of
vertical SaaS powered by artificial intelligence. Also, these businesses need very little venture capital to reach escape velocity, also known as breakeven at scale. Hence, the guerrilla way of venture building. As a seed investor, I believe this category is quietly reshaping how industries function, one focused solution at a time.For those unfamiliar, vertical
SaaS refers to software products or platforms built specifically for a single industry or use case. Examples include a debt collection solution used by banks and
NBFCs to improve recovery and compliance, a sustainability reporting tool built for textile manufacturers to track emissions and meet ESG norms, or a customer conversation platform that uses artificial intelligence to assist call centre agents in real time.
Their value lies in deep domain knowledge, built to navigate the unique rules, workflows, and challenges of each industry.
As venture capitalists, we are not just chasing trends, we are also looking for signals. And in the case of vertical SaaS, the signals are strong. These startups tend to have longer-lasting customer relationships, stronger margins, and much clearer paths to profitability. Their clients rarely churn because once an industry-specific tool is integrated into daily operations, replacing it is painful. That creates stickiness, and stickiness builds enduring companies.
But what is really interesting is the timing. Several things are coming together to make this moment ripe for vertical SaaS. Cloud infrastructure is now robust and affordable, allowing startups to build faster and scale without massive upfront investment. Even traditional businesses, from clinics to small factories, are now open to digitisation, especially when the solutions speak directly to their problems.
At the same time, artificial intelligence, often viewed as a general-purpose technology, is supercharging these vertical solutions. A chatbot trained on dermatology data with over one thousand patient conversations can outperform any generic artificial intelligence model in a clinical setting. That is the power of specificity, and it is what makes artificial intelligence in vertical SaaS truly transformative.I often get asked why not just invest in broader platforms that can scale across industries. The answer lies in focus. Startups that go deep into one sector understand their customers better. Their messaging is clearer. Their sales cycles are shorter. They do not have to educate the market on the value of software. They show how their product solves a known, painful problem. That is a huge advantage, especially in emerging markets where trust and usability are everything.We are seeing this play out across India and other developing economies. From supply chain platforms for agri-exporters to legal tech tools for small law firms, entrepreneurs are spotting inefficiencies that have long been ignored. These are not glamorous problems, but they are real, and solving them creates real value. In many cases, these startups are not even competing with other software. They are replacing pen and paper, Excel sheets, and WhatsApp groups. That is an enormous opportunity.Of course, capital plays a crucial role, but it is not just about writing cheques. At the early stage, vertical SaaS startups often need guidance on how to sell, how to price, and how to build for scale without losing their niche. As venture capitalists, we bring not only capital but also access. Access to pilot customers, to advisors from within the industry, and to talent that understands both technology and the specific sector. I have seen companies unlock growth just by getting introduced to the right distribution channel or hiring someone who has worked on the client side of the industry.
What is also heartening is how founders in this space tend to operate. Many come from the industries they are trying to fix. They have seen the gaps firsthand, often as bankers, engineers, teachers, or logistics operators. They decided to build solutions because nobody else was solving the problems they encountered daily. That lived experience brings empathy, and it reflects in the product. The interface is more intuitive. The features are more relevant. The onboarding feels less like software and more like a helping hand.
There is also something to be said about the resilience of vertical SaaS models. Most operate on a subscription basis, creating predictable revenue. Contracts are often annual, if not multi-year. This gives startups the stability to reinvest in product development and customer success, both of which matter a lot more when you are solving for depth rather than breadth. It also gives investors like us the confidence that the business can withstand market swings better than many flashier counterparts.
After investing in several such companies at the pre-seed stage and witnessing their journeys first-hand, we have seen a clear pattern emerge. In categories like debt recovery, construction management and artificial intelligence-enabled sales platforms, it is possible to reach ₹300 crore in topline within the first five years when founders are solving a deep, industry-specific pain point and distribution is cracked early. With strong product-market fit, the path to ₹500–1000 crore revenue becomes a question of execution, not potential.
None of this is to say that vertical SaaS is easy. Going deep into one sector means founders must be patient. The total addressable market might look small at first glance. But once the product proves itself, expansion into adjacent segments or into new geographies with similar market structures becomes a natural next step. And that is when growth really takes off.
Looking ahead, I believe the next decade will see vertical SaaS companies emerge not just as profitable businesses but as quiet disruptors within industries that desperately need modernisation. Whether it is farming, education, construction, or logistics, sectors that are often overlooked in technology conversations will be transformed by software built not for the general market but for the people who wake up every day to real, operational problems.
As investors, we are excited to partner with these founders. The ones who know that transformation does not always begin with scale. Sometimes, it starts with a small fix to a big problem. And from there, everything changes.
Author is Founder and Managing Partner of Zeropearl VC.
