The Art of SaaS Acquisitions: Luca Cartechini on Metrics, Retention, and AI Innovation

On this episode of The SaaS CFO Podcast, host Ben Murray welcomes Luca Cartechini, co-founder and CEO of Shop Circle. With deep roots in equity research and venture capital across the European tech landscape, Luca Cartechini shares how his experiences led to the creation of Shop Circle—an innovative, long-term holding company that acquires and grows mission-critical, profitable SaaS businesses outside the traditional VC and PE model.

Listeners will get insider perspectives on the realities of scaling software companies in fragmented European markets, the metrics that matter most when evaluating SaaS acquisitions, and the evolving role of AI in operational excellence. Whether you’re a founder considering your next move or simply passionate about SaaS, this episode is packed with actionable wisdom on building, buying, and holding vertical software companies for the long haul.

Show Notes:

00:00 "Challenges Scaling European Companies"

03:34 "ShopCircle: AI-Powered Software Platform"

08:51 "AI in Software Acquisitions"

12:06 AI's Role in Business Strategy

14:09 "Pricing, AI, and Value Strategy"

16:58 "Key Metrics for Business Acquisition"

22:28 "Operator-Focused, Long-Term Investment Approach"

25:13 Founder Missteps in Acquisition Process

29:28 Recurring vs. Usage-Based Revenue Analysis

31:51 "SaaS Revenue Analysis for ROI"

36:39 AI-Driven Efficiency and Expansion