Fibres

How This SaaS Foresight Tool Achieved $1.2M Revenue With 9 Employees

February 28th, 2025

Founded By

Panu Kause

Monthly Revenue

$100K

Founders

Employees

9 (est.)

Profitable

Yes

Year Started

2010

Customer

B2B

Founded By
Panu Kause: Monthly Revenue
$100K: Founders
2

Employees
9 (est.): Profitable
Yes: Year Started
2010

Customer
B2B

Who is Panu Kause?

Panu Kause, CEO and co-founder of Fibres, has over 25 years of experience in business strategy and innovation, with a background in executive roles at multiple corporations and startups; he has also consulted for over 70 clients.

What problem does Fibres solve?

Fibres helps businesses understand future trends to avoid being blindsided by rapidly changing markets, enabling them to make smarter strategic decisions.

Fibres

How did Panu come up with the idea for Fibres?

Panu Kause and Esa Heikkinen identified a pressing need for businesses to anticipate and navigate the rapidly changing business environment. Having seen firsthand the inadequacies of traditional market research through their consultancy work, they realized that businesses needed a more dynamic approach to stay ahead. Their experiences in strategy and innovation convinced them that foresight methodologies, such as identifying emerging trends and building future scenarios, were essential for strategic planning and innovation.

They started by focusing on how to empower businesses to conduct their own custom foresight work rather than relying on generic trend reports. To validate their idea, they drew from their extensive experience in consulting and held discussions with companies facing these challenges. As they refined their concept, they emphasized the tool's ability to facilitate in-house foresight work, allowing teams to collect and analyze signals effectively.

A significant challenge was the lack of existing tools to support this kind of work, which motivated them to create FIBRES as a solution. Learning from feedback and collaboration with key industry players like Daimler, they overcame early hurdles by iterating their platform to better meet user needs. One key lesson they learned was the importance of adaptability and creating tools that integrate smoothly with a company's existing processes.

How did Panu Kause build the initial version of Fibres?

Fibres began its development journey in 2016 when the need for a dedicated foresight tool became apparent through their consultancy work. The first version of their software was crafted to facilitate the storage of 'signals' in a singular, organized location, which later became a cornerstone feature. Building the initial product was challenging but streamlined over about a year. The tech stack for the platform likely included essential web development and database technologies conducive to building collaborative SaaS tools, although specific languages and frameworks are not mentioned in the sources. As they transitioned into a SaaS platform in 2017, Fibres faced additional complexity, further accelerated by their involvement in the Stuttgart Autobahn Startup Accelerator Program. This nuanced building phase demystified foresight processes, making them accessible for internal teams within client organizations.

What were the initial startup costs for Fibres?

"- Funding: FIBRES raised $270,000 in external investment from angel investors."

What was the growth strategy for Fibres and how did they scale?

Partnerships

Fibres leveraged strategic partnerships to grow its business. In 2017, they transformed into a SaaS platform partly through collaboration with Daimler, a major player in the foresight space. This co-creation effort allowed them to align their product closely with industry needs and gain credibility by associating with a well-respected name. Such partnerships can be instrumental in accessing new markets and enhancing product development through shared expertise.

Why it worked: Partnering with established companies like Daimler not only provided valuable insights for product improvement but also added a layer of trust in the marketplace. This strategy effectively positioned Fibres within the industry and helped accelerate their transition into a SaaS company.

Accelerator Programs

Fibres participated in the Stuttgart Autobahn Startup Accelerator Program in 2017, which played a critical role in their growth journey. Accelerator programs provide startups with mentorship, networking opportunities, and access to investment, helping them refine their business models and scale rapidly.

Why it worked: Joining an accelerator offered Fibres the support necessary to evolve from a consultancy into a full-fledged SaaS platform. It provided a structured environment to test and validate their business model, receive feedback, and make critical adjustments. The exposure and resources from the program set the stage for their continued growth and success in the SaaS sector.

Angel Investment

In 2020, Fibres began a new growth phase by securing its first round of external funding from angel investors. This financial backing allowed them to scale their operations, enhance their platform, and reach a wider customer base.

Why it worked: Angel investment provided the capital needed for Fibres to invest in marketing and sales efforts, further development of their technology, and expansion of their team. This funding round enabled them to focus on strategic growth initiatives without the limitations of bootstrapping, facilitating their growth trajectory significantly.

SaaS Transition

The transformation into a SaaS platform was a pivotal move for Fibres. By transitioning from a consultancy to a SaaS model in 2017, Fibres could offer scalable solutions to their clients, enabling easier adoption and recurring revenue streams.

Why it worked: The SaaS model allowed Fibres to cater to a larger audience with lower overhead and operational costs compared to consultancy. This transition not only broadened their market reach but also provided more stable and predictable financial growth, crucial for sustaining long-term operations.

What's the pricing strategy for Fibres?

Fibres offers custom pricing based on client needs, providing a scalable SaaS foresight platform for strategic and trend management, with no standard public pricing tiers.

What were the biggest lessons learned from building Fibres?

Embrace Change: Fibres learned early on that the market is always changing, so they built their tools to help companies spot new trends and adapt quickly. This mindset helped them stay relevant and competitive.
Leverage Collaboration: By working closely with industry leaders like Daimler, Fibres was able to test and refine their platform, showcasing the power of partnerships in accelerating product development and business growth.
Invest in Team Skills: With a strong team including roles like a CTO and Head of Marketing, Fibres highlighted the importance of having skilled team members in key positions to drive a successful business.
Bootstrap First, Seek Investment Later: Fibres focused on building their product and customer base before bringing in external investors, demonstrating that initial bootstrapping can create a stronger foundation for future growth.
Focus on Customer Needs: Fibres tailored their foresight tools to support in-house work, teaching the lesson that understanding and catering to customer needs is crucial for product acceptance and business success.

Discover Similar Business Ideas Like Fibres

	Idea	Revenue
PDFShift	HTML-to-PDF conversion API service.	$8.5K monthly
TxtCart®	AI-Powered SMS Marketing for Shopify Stores	$85K monthly
Browserless	Web automation SaaS for developers.	$50K monthly
QR TIGER	QR code management for dynamic tracking and editing.	$300K monthly
tiiny.host	Static website hosting made simple for everyone.	$15K monthly
Studio Wombat	WooCommerce plugin developer for enhanced e-commerce features.	$15K monthly
Hallow	"Catholic prayer and meditation app fostering faith growth."	$278K monthly