# Meta SaaS: High-Level Overview
Meta SaaS was a Software Asset Management (SAM) company that provided SaaS spend management solutions for enterprises.[2] Founded in 2016 and headquartered in Austin, Texas, the company developed technology to help organizations discover, optimize, and secure their Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) applications.[2] Meta SaaS solved a critical business problem: the proliferation of unmanaged SaaS subscriptions—often called "Shadow SaaS"—that drain budgets and create security risks.[2] The company served emerging and established businesses across technology, finance, healthcare, education, and other industries by providing real-time visibility into SaaS usage, license utilization, and spending patterns.[2]
Meta SaaS was acquired by Flexera Software in May 2018, where it was rebranded as Flexera SaaS Manager.[1][2] This acquisition significantly expanded Flexera's capabilities, enabling the combined entity to catalog over 32,000 SaaS applications and provide direct integrations with 250+ widely-used SaaS products like Salesforce, Office 365, Slack, and Box.[1]
# Origin Story
Founders Arlo Gilbert and Scott Hertel launched Meta SaaS in September 2016 to address the growing problem of unmanaged SaaS proliferation in enterprises.[2] Gilbert served as CEO and Hertel as CTO, bringing complementary technical and business expertise to the venture.[2] The company gained early validation through a $2.1 million seed round in 2016, with notable investors including Mark Cuban, Barracuda Networks, and Capital Factory.[2] This early backing reflected investor confidence in the SaaS management market opportunity at a time when enterprise SaaS spending was accelerating but largely uncontrolled.
# Core Differentiators
# Role in the Broader Tech Landscape
Meta SaaS emerged at a pivotal moment when SaaS adoption was accelerating exponentially across enterprises. As organizations increasingly adopted cloud applications for productivity, collaboration, and business operations, spending spiraled without adequate governance—creating both financial waste and security vulnerabilities. Meta SaaS capitalized on this trend by providing the visibility and control that enterprises desperately needed. The company's success demonstrated the market demand for SaaS management solutions, ultimately attracting Flexera's acquisition and validating the category as essential enterprise infrastructure. By solving the "Shadow SaaS" problem, Meta SaaS helped establish SaaS spend management as a critical function within IT operations and finance teams.
# Quick Take & Future Outlook
Meta SaaS's acquisition by Flexera represented a successful exit for early-stage founders and investors, validating the SaaS management market opportunity. The integration into Flexera's broader Software Asset Management platform created a more comprehensive solution, positioning the combined entity as the market leader in SaaS governance. As enterprises continue to grapple with SaaS sprawl and cost control—challenges that have only intensified since 2018—the technology Meta SaaS pioneered remains foundational to how organizations manage their cloud application portfolios today.
Meta SaaS has raised $2.0M in total across 1 funding round.
Meta SaaS's investors include Austin Ventures, Madrona Ventures, NextGen Venture Partners, Royal Street Ventures, What If Ventures.
Meta SaaS has raised $2.0M across 1 funding round. Most recently, it raised $2.0M Seed in May 2017.
| Date | Round | Lead Investors | Other Investors |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 1, 2017 | $2.0M Seed | Austin Ventures, Madrona Ventures, NextGen Venture Partners, Royal Street Ventures, What If Ventures |
