Maciej Zawadzinski @PiwikPro. Successfully executing 3 SaaS exits

saas.unbound is a podcast for and about founders who are working on scaling inspiring products that people love brought to you by https://saas.group/ . I’m your host Anna Nadeina, Head of Growth for saas.group.

In episode #17 we talk with Maciej Zawadzinski, co-founder of PiwikPro (https://piwik.pro/), an analytics suite with a focus on user privacy and data security, used in over 1 million websites worldwide, and growing sustainably since 2013 and is now making over $12M ARR.

From Open-Source to Proprietary: The PiwikPro Story

Maciej’s involvement with PiwikPro, formerly known as Piwik, dates back to 2007 when he was looking for a statistics solution for his advertising network. He discovered the early version of the open-source Piwik project and became one of its first contributors, eventually joining the core team as a consultant.

As Maciej’s business career progressed, he founded a software development agency, Clear Code, which helped service larger projects for the Piwik community. Recognizing the growing demand for enterprise-level support and hosting, Maciej and his team decided to launch PiwikPro in 2013 as a services company for the open-source project, providing support plans, hosting, and premium features.

Addressing Technical Debt and Transitioning to a Proprietary Product

In the early years, PiwikPro’s growth was primarily driven by inbound leads, as the open-source project was already widely adopted. However, Maciej and his team soon identified significant technical debt and performance issues within the open-source codebase. This prompted them to make a strategic decision in 2016 to split from the open-source community and build a proprietary product from scratch.

The transition was not without its challenges. It took much longer than expected to fully migrate all clients to the new proprietary platform, as Maciej and his team had to ensure a seamless experience for their customers. By keeping the PiwikPro brand and focusing on content marketing, the company was able to maintain its position in the market and attract new customers during this transition period.

Leveraging Partnerships and Freemium Pricing

One of the key factors in PiwikPro’s success was its ability to leverage strategic partnerships. Maciej and his team identified agencies that were already implementing analytics solutions for their clients, such as Adobe or Google, and offered them an alternative European option with PiwikPro. By providing a commission-based reseller program and co-marketing opportunities, PiwikPro was able to expand its reach and tap into the existing client bases of these partner agencies.

Additionally, PiwikPro’s decision to adopt a freemium pricing model proved to be a valuable marketing channel. While the free plan was designed to cater to smaller businesses, the premium version targeted enterprise-level organizations that required more advanced features and support. This approach not only helped PiwikPro acquire new customers but also built a strong community of users who became advocates for the product.

Successful Exits and Reinvesting in the Future

Maciej’s entrepreneurial journey with PiwikPro was not without its twists and turns. In 2021, he made the strategic decision to sell his software development agency, Clear Code, to focus solely on PiwikPro. This transition was carefully planned, with Maciej ensuring a smooth handover to the existing management team before stepping away from the day-to-day operations.

More recently, Maciej has announced the merger of PiwikPro with Cookie Information, a Danish consent management platform. This deal not only provides a partial exit for Maciej but also allows him to reinvest in the combined entity, positioning it for continued growth and expansion.

Lessons Learned and Future Endeavors

Maciej’s experiences with PiwikPro and his previous ventures have provided him with valuable insights that he plans to apply in his next chapter. He emphasizes the importance of maintaining long-term relationships, staying focused on core competencies, and being prepared for unexpected opportunities or challenges during the exit process.

Looking ahead, Maciej is excited to launch a new pre-seed fund, where he will leverage his operational expertise to support early-stage founders in their journey from zero to one million in annual recurring revenue (ARR) and beyond. His goal is to be a value-added partner, providing not only financial resources but also hands-on guidance and mentorship to help the next generation of entrepreneurs achieve their ambitious goals.