Thinking About SaaS in 2026

The era of bloated software with hundreds of dormant features is rapidly waning. Users are fatigued by dashboards with endless menus and high monthly subscriptions for tools they only use at 10% capacity.

In 2026, software value is migrating toward precision: products that do a specific, vital job with exceptional speed, clarity, and reliability.

Another shift is the role of intelligence in workflows. Automation should not mean throwing an indiscriminate AI chatbot onto every screen. True leverage comes from ambient intelligence—systems that quietly handle classification, summarization, and routing behind the scenes without demanding the user’s cognitive attention.

For independent founders and builders, this era offers a tremendous advantage. Small, focused teams who care deeply about craft can outmaneuver bloated legacy tools by delivering products that feel fast, respectful, and thoughtfully engineered.

This philosophy underpins how I think about every product I touch: build what is essential, polish it until it feels seamless, and respect the people who rely on it.