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

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Jan 2, 2026

As software spending skyrockets towards 2026, adapting to AI is essential for B2B success. Jason Lemkin reveals how venture capital is concentrated in a handful of deals, leaving many startups struggling. He discusses why simply adding AI features won't guarantee budget access, highlighting three types of AI products that truly unlock value. With a new demand super cycle and the need for leaner operations, Lemkin urges founders to reaccelerate growth and seize their share of the burgeoning market.

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ANECDOTE

Examples Of Rapid AI Scale-Ups

Jason names Gamma, Replit, and others as examples of rapid AI winners that scaled to $100M+ fast. He notes clones proliferate quickly but winners often keep momentum.

ADVICE

Reaccelerate Growth With Agentic AI

Do re-accelerate growth with agentic AI this year or you'll be behind next year. Jason Lemkin grades companies that failed to ship strong AI offerings as D or worse for 2025.

INSIGHT

A Large Share Of Incremental Budget Goes To AI

Multiple analysts estimate 20–36% of incremental IT budgets are being reallocated to AI initiatives. That creates a direct pool of budget you must either capture or lose to competitors.

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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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