For years, SaaS was the darling of tech innovation — the business model that rewired how startups scaled. But as AI takes center stage, the conversation has shifted from software that serves to software that thinks. What comes next for SaaS leaders navigating this shift?
Vendavo, a long-standing force in commercial excellence software, is betting that the future isn’t “AI vs. SaaS” but a powerful convergence of both. The company supports global manufacturers and distributors with pricing, selling, and rebate optimization tools built for high-stakes enterprise environments.
Industry analysts agree the next decade will be defined by combinatorial innovation. McKinsey describes it simply: AI + SaaS = scalable intelligence. For Vendavo, operationalizing that equation is now a strategic priority — and they’re doing it through a newly announced partnership with Ness Digital Engineering, a global services company specializing in intelligent engineering and AI-first product development.
Ness will infuse AI across Vendavo’s full product engineering lifecycle, helping the SaaS leader accelerate modernization and bring next-gen features to market faster. This includes an AI-enabled engineering transformation designed to strengthen competitiveness and improve software delivery velocity.
“Our goal is to stay ahead of what the next generation of commercial platforms should deliver,” said Vendavo CEO Sharath Dorbala. “Ness brings AI-first engineering expertise, the ability to scale without increasing cost, and a high-performance culture that aligns with our global ambitions.”
A dedicated Vendavo Intelligent Engineering Center will be built using Ness ATONIS™, the company’s AI engineering workbench, plus proprietary accelerators for automation-first delivery. Reusable components, KPI-driven workflows, and automated governance will support faster and smarter product development.
Ness CEO Dr. Ranjit Tinaikar noted that Vendavo represents the kind of organization ready to embrace AI-led transformation at scale. Through the creation of an Innovation Studio and Vendavo University, the partnership will also fuel rapid experimentation and upskilling to support long-term growth.
Serving more than 11,000 enterprise customers worldwide, Vendavo is positioning itself for a future where SaaS companies must evolve quickly — or risk falling behind. This collaboration signals a clear direction: AI is not the replacement for SaaS, but the catalyst reshaping its next chapter.
