Welcome to SaaSMe 2025: Transform Risk into Opportunity

Meredith Albertson: Hi everyone. Welcome to SaaSMe 2025. We're coming to you live from Zylo headquarters in Indianapolis, Indiana. It is so wonderful to have you all here. Whether you're tuning in for the first time, or you've been with us since the early days, thank you for being a part of this incredible community. This is our fifth year. Can you believe it? SaaSMe grown into the place where IT, SAM, procurement and FinOps leaders come together to tackle the biggest challenges in software management.

Meredith Albertson: And let's be honest, those challenges aren't getting any smaller. SaaS spend per employee jumped 22% last year to over $4,800. Waste is rampant. AI is exploding into our tech stacks license complexity is reaching new levels; seat- based, token and credit- based, consumption, hybrid. Business- led buying is accelerating like never before. And somehow you're expected to keep up and deliver more efficiency, visibility, business impact.

Meredith Albertson: It's a lot and we see you. But here's the thing. This moment, this complexity, it's not just risk. It is a massive opportunity, and that's precisely what this year's theme is all about, transform risk into opportunity.

Meredith Albertson: Before we dive in, I want you to take a moment, think about something. What's one risk in your company's SaaS environment right now that if you could solve it would be a game- changer for your business? It would allow you to fuel innovation or save jobs. Can you share it with your peers in the chat? And keep it in mind today, because chances are the answer or the person who can help you find it is right here at SaaSMe.

Meredith Albertson: You're going to hear from leaders at companies like Netflix, Zoetis, UKG, Salesforce, Barracuda, and Capgemini and more. They're sharing how they've turned SaaS complexity into clarity and risk into results. These are real stories, they're real frameworks, real impact, and we're kicking it all off with an incredible keynote from Tom Cipolla, Vice President and Analyst at Gartner. He's going to help us zoom out a bit, see the bigger picture of what's ahead in SaaS management.

Meredith Albertson: This is your time, not just to react but to lead. So take notes, ask questions, connect with each other, and most of all, get inspired because you have the power to reshape how software is managed, how it's governed and leveraged in your business. We are thrilled that you're here. And with that, let's kick off SaaSMe 2025.