Skaling Ventures x 7Alder
We helped Skaling Ventures secure a $20MM commitment from outside investors to unlock multiple acquisitions.
THE BACKGROUND
Skaling Ventures is a Private Equity investment firm that is building an investment portfolio of vertical B2B SaaS.
They needed analyst materials that were robust enough to allocate capital off of and secure a $20mm commitment from outside investors.
That’s where 7Alder came in.
THE PROBLEM
Skaling Ventures needed to raise capital not just for a single acquisition of a SaaS company - but for future acquisitions so they could confidently fulfill their mission: improving the lives of technical founders with operational expertise and cash. Our task was to quickly understand:
1. The immediate financial metrics they needed to convince investors to provide $20mm in capital
2. The materials required to help Skaling make fast, informed decisions on future SaaS acquisitions
The challenge was much more than visualizing a companies annual returns in an isolated model. We had to build financial models that made sense and were coherent as a whole in the investment lifecycle.
Negotiation. Acquisition. Planning. Transition. And more.
The materials had to easily communicate the opportunity to external investors, so they felt confident their $20mm investment is in the right hands.
THE CRITICAL MOMENT
Scaling's founder - Kjael Skaalerud - understood their team didn't have the time, capacity, or resources to structure their models and materials the way 7Alder could.
This presented 2 problems:
Investors lacking insight into ‘why’ they should provide $20mm capital
A lack of clarity in portraying current and future acquisitions
As the potential for future SaaS acquisitions was a critical part of their mission, it became clear - they needed a framework to help them make smart investment decisions, fast.
The critical moment came when they saw an opportunity to acquire a key SaaS company - they just needed validation, confidence, and clarity in the deal to bring it to investors.
Kjael sought out 7Alder’s financial modeling & advisory help to capitalize.
THE SOLUTION
We built them several financial and acquisition models that provided more clarity on the deal.
This helped them make better decisions during the negotiation, acquisition, planning, and transition phase. The materials we delivered ended up proving pivotal in communicating the opportunity to the capital provider, and they secured the $20mm investment.
This capital is not just for one deal - it’s to fund more acquisitions in the future.
Skaling now use accurate financial data to inform acquisition and strategic decisions
Within weeks, Skaling saw a huge improvement in acquisition evaluation and decision making time.
They moved from risky, business breaking investment decisions to taking on higher ROI acquisitions with peace of mind their investment will pay dividends.
THE WORK - 7ALDER’S FINANCIAL MODEL
Here’s a snapshot of the acquisition model we built for Skaling - used as part of a buy-side evaluation.
This was a strong acquisition opportunity for two reasons:
High-quality revenue base with strong retention and margin visibility
Renewed subscription revenue made up the majority of top-line - a recurring, predictable stream.
Gross margins held consistently above 80%, with limited variability even as costs scaled.
Low reliance on outside factors meant downside risk was limited in a flat-growth scenario.
Clean revenue build linked directly to operating efficiency
Revenue tied clearly to cost drivers - support, hosting, and operating expenses scaled logically with growth.
Forecast assumptions remained transparent across years, with no inflated % jumps or hidden volatility.
Net Income growth aligned with unit economics, not a one-time event like cost or headcount cutting.
KEY TAKEAWAYS FOR PE PROFESSIONALS
1. Make sure the revenue growth actually makes sense
Look at what’s driving the growth. Is it based on real things like pricing, customer renewals, or volume?
If it’s not clear where the numbers are coming from, you’re probably looking at a risky guess.
2. Keep the model simple where it counts
Some parts of a model should be detailed - but a lot of people add complexity just to make it look impressive.
Focus on clear, easy-to-follow logic that helps you understand how money comes in and goes out.
Use a three section layout:
Inputs (pricing, volumes, costs, retention) →
Logic (formulas to calculate revenue, margin, costs) →
Outputs (keep results like revenue, EBITDA, cash flow in 1 area). This is what you’ll use to make investment decisions - it should be dead simple to understand.
Bonus tip: color code or separate these sections entirely. Your future self will thank you.
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