Cloud Returns | A SaaS Investing Podcast

Cloud Ratings•cloudreturns.cloudratings.com

Cloud Returns covers ALL types of software investing, whether seed, venture capital, growth equity, private equity, debt, and the public markets. Our target audience: SaaS investors AND operators raising capital that listen to SaaStr, Twenty Minute VC (20VC), The Logan Bartlett Show, or Thoma Bravo’s Behind the Deal and still want to learn even more.

Last refreshed: July 26th, 2025 at 8:16 PM ⓘ

Follow this podcast in the Metacast mobile app to refresh it and see new episodes.

Follow on

Apple Podcasts

Spotify

RSS

Podcasts are better in Metacast mobile app

Don't just listen to podcasts. Learn from them with transcripts, summaries, and chapters for every episode. Skim, search, and bookmark insights. Learn more

Episodes

Vertical AI Deep Dive with OMERS Ventures

Our Guests: Marissa Moore , and Taku Murahwi of OMERS Ventures , an early-stage venture capital firm investing in Series A-C companies with a first cheque size between $5-25M. Episode Topics: OMERS Venture’s investment criteria. Type of founders Marissa and Taku prefer. How does OMERS Ventures conduct due diligence on a company founder? Overview of Marissa’s “ The Green Room ”, a “safe space for founders to practice their pitch, risk-free, in front of current investors and subject matter experts...

Oct 02, 2024•52 min•Ep. 8

Diamond Innabi - SaaS M&A 101: Selling Your Software Company

Our Guest: Diamond Innabi is a Principal at Software Equity Group (SEG), a boutique M&A advisory firm headquartered in San Diego that focuses on B2B vertically focused software and SaaS companies. Episode Topics: Understanding the full cycle - from prep to closing - of selling your company. When should CEOs engage with an investment banker or consider an M&A path? Common mistakes that founders, CEOs, and boards make during the M&A process. Diamond's advice to founders who are interfa...

Apr 03, 2024•32 min•Ep. 7

Paul Stansik of ParkerGale Capital - An Operating Partner’s POV on Value Creation

Our Guest: Paul Stansik is the Private Equity Operating Partner at ParkerGale Capital , a B2B focused private equity firm, buying profitable technology companies from founders. Episode Topics: Paul and PartnerGale Capital's investment criteria. What does an operating partner do? A brief overview of Paul's weekly sales playbook at PartnerGale Capital. Approach to gaining a deeper understanding of a business's dynamics. Paul elaborates: "Always scrubbing the pipeline means never scrubbing the pipe...

Mar 12, 2024•47 min•Ep. 6

Dave Yuan - Vertical SaaS Investing Playbook

Our Guest: Dave Yuan is the Founder of Tidemark , a growth equity firm focused on helping companies scale. With over 20 years of experience, Dave has invested in twelve companies that have gone public, eight that have been acquired. Episode Topics: Dave and Tidemark’s investment criteria. Ideal qualities for vSaaS founders. Dave's viewpoints on overspending in R&D, product risk, and product development in vertical SaaS. What does good multi-product sequencing look like? Is AI an opportunity,...

Mar 05, 2024•38 min•Ep. 5

Akash Bajwa - AI + Software Investing in 2024

Our Guest: Akash Bajwa is an investor in fintech and B2B SaaS at Earlybird Venture Capital , a European venture capital firm with 2 billion Euros in assets under management (AUM). Episode Topics: Akash and Earlybird’s investment criteria Areas in early-stage native AI that Akash and Earlybird are excited about Akash discusses the unique skill sets needed for native AI founders. Is building an AI-focused business similar to the well-established SaaS playbook? Akash’s views on investor returns if ...

Jan 25, 2024•46 min•Ep. 4

Nick Tippmann - Vertical SaaS Operator -> Investor

Our Guest: Nick Tippman , former Chief Marketing Officer at Greenlight Guru , a category-leading provider of regulatory software for the MedTech vertical. He is now an angel investor, investing in exceptional Vertical/SMB SaaS, AI, Fintech, and B2B Marketplace founders and companies at the pre-seed/seed stage alongside other leading investors. Episode Topics: Nick’s current investment criteria for a vertical SaaS company. Nick’s minimum TAM + how he looks at take rates. How important are fintech...

Oct 25, 2023•48 min•Ep. 3

Co-Founder and CEO of Bigfoot Capital: Debt for the SaaS Masses

Our Guest: Brian Parks is the Co-Founder and CEO of Bigfoot Capital , a non-venture debt lending firm, that provides growth and bridge debt facilities to SaaS companies with $2+ million in annual recurring revenue. Episode Topics: Current access to capital environment - “ 2/3 of equity investors and lenders expect to be more active over the next 12 months” Disconnects after the failure of Silicon Valley Bank (SVB) Unique financing opportunities after disruptions like SVB What are the table stake...

Aug 02, 2023•38 min•Ep. 2

Bowery Capital: Vertical SaaS at Seed Stage

Our Guest: Patrick McGovern from Bowery Capital , an early-stage venture capital firm focused exclusively on founders looking to modernize business through technology. Episode Topics: Common patterns emerge when seed-stage companies sell into enterprises. Pat's insights on investment criteria for early stage vertical SaaS - can you reach $50m in ARR in a short period of time Pat's viewpoints on the dynamic of founders who choose verticals that are too narrow in relation to the requirements of ra...

Jul 11, 2023•37 min•Ep. 1

Hosted on Transistor

For the best experience, listen in Metacast app for iOS or Android