I want to know if going into PE is even worth it any more. Which PE firms will dominate and are worth recruiting for? Thinking about dropping out and making my own AI SaaS company.
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Starting a B2B SaaS company can be a lucrative move, especially if you identify an emerging space with strong product-market fit. Based on the most helpful WSO content, SaaS businesses have shown immense potential for quick traction and high-value exits. For instance, there are examples of startups being acquired for significant sums (e.g., $88M for a 2-year-old SaaS startup with under $1.5M ARR). If you can demonstrate traction and secure early funding, the rewards can be substantial. However, it’s not a “BS” move—it requires a solid business plan, understanding of the market, and execution.
As for private equity (PE), it remains a competitive and rewarding field, but the industry is becoming increasingly saturated. Some of the top PE firms worth recruiting for, based on employee satisfaction and compensation, include:
These firms are known for their strong professional growth opportunities and compensation packages. However, the grind in PE is intense, and the market is highly competitive. If you’re passionate about entrepreneurship, starting your own AI SaaS company could offer more control, creativity, and potentially higher returns than a traditional PE career.
Ultimately, the decision depends on your risk tolerance, long-term goals, and interest in either building something from scratch or climbing the ranks in a structured, high-stakes environment like PE.
Sources: Millionaire by 30, Understanding SaaS, Millionaire by 30, Thoughts on Starting Investment Bank/M&A Advisory for my Company
No because vast majority of those companies are either scams, frauds, or real products that will have their functionality be done by a LLM in the next 6-12 months. The only real way to compete against an LLM is if you have some kind of proprietary data that allows you to create a better output or are extremely deeply integrated into your customers where they cannot rip you out. If you are just starting the company in 2026, you are not going to have that. Things like Harvey, for example, are either going to zero or they are going to have to drastically switch their business model again.
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