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The platform offers a frictionless, non-dilutive funding solution, enabling entrepreneurs to focus on scaling their companies without renouncing equity or taking on restrictive debt. By bridging the gap between SaaS companies and investors, Tapline is creating a win-win scenario: immediate access to growth capital for businesses and an attractive, short-term return for investors.

Dean Hastie, co-founder and CEO of Tapline, brings a wealth of experience in investment management and entrepreneurship to the table. With a career spanning high-profile roles in investment banking, venture capital/building, and corporate leadership, Dean’s vision for Tapline is rooted in empowering founders to achieve their goals on their own terms.

1. What inspired you to start Tapline?

In my previous venture career, we frequently supported SaaS founders with follow-on funding rounds. Despite strong company metrics, these rounds were time-consuming and often pulled founders away from their day-to-day operations. With access to valuable subscription and banking data, we identified an opportunity to: 1) quickly streamline the underwriting process and 2) package this data for investors seeking high-yield returns (+20% APR). When COVID disrupted the market, Peter Grouev, Tapline’s CIO and Co-founder, set out to solve this challenge with a more efficient, data-driven solution that could transform how funding is accessed.

2. How does Tapline’s funding platform work, and what sets it apart from traditional financing options for SaaS companies?

Tapline’s funding platform offers a seamless, three-click process for SaaS companies to connect their data sources—accounting software, bank accounts, and subscription management software. Powered by our AI-driven credit engine, we quickly assess a company’s financial health and operational metrics to determine financing options. Once a financing agreement is made, capital can be deployed within 48 hours. Unlike traditional financing, our solution is efficient, non-dilutive, and complementary to venture equity, providing SaaS businesses with fast, flexible funding without giving up ownership.

3. What are the main benefits of non-dilutive, non-debt-like capital for founders?

This capital allows founders to retain full control of their company while providing the flexibility to invest in growth initiatives without giving up equity or taking on traditional debt. Tapline’s solution is especially valuable for marketing spend, offering a direct, measurable ROI tied to the financing, making it both effective and repeatable. Ultimately, this type of capital is an attractive option for short- and medium-term growth, enabling founders to focus on maximizing value without the constraints of traditional financing models.

4. How has your extensive background in investment management and venture capital influenced your approach to building Tapline?

My background in investment management and venture capital has provided me with a deep understanding of both institutional investor needs and SaaS companies. By combining my banking experience with hands-on involvement in building SaaS ventures, I gained valuable insights into the unique requirements of both sides. This experience has been pivotal in shaping Tapline, enabling us to create a single marketplace that effectively bridges these two worlds.

5. What kind of interest have you seen from SaaS companies and investors?

We’ve seen significant demand for our product, particularly over the past two years. While traditional funding activity slowed during this time, many SaaS founders sought alternative financing solutions to support their growth. Now, with what I refer to as the ‘rebirth of the alternative lending space,’ SaaS founders are increasingly viewing Tapline as a critical component of their capital stack moving forward. Investors are also recognizing the value of this shift, as it offers a flexible, non-dilutive financing option that complements traditional funding sources.

6. What challenges did you face while developing Tapline?

This is a question I could write a short novel about, but I’ll keep it brief. As we built a two-sided platform, we faced the classic "chicken and egg" problem. On one side, we had customers seeking capital, but initially, we lacked investors to support them. It was a delicate balancing act—gaining traction on the platform before larger institutional investors, such as banks, family offices, and debt funds, would take notice and provide us with significant funding. Overcoming this key initial challenge has positioned Tapline as a highly attractive investment opportunity for those seeking scalable, non-dilutive financing solutions for SaaS and subscription-based businesses.

7. What’s next for Tapline? Can you share some exciting milestones or developments on the horizon?

Our key focus is achieving profitability by late 2025, and with strong demand for our product, I’m confident we’ll reach this goal. We’re also excited to integrate AI more broadly into our product and operations. While it’s already enhanced parts of our underwriting process, we’re now exploring efficiency gains across the entire value chain—from client onboarding to collections. This AI implementation will also enable us to scale rapidly and efficiently, driving growth while maintaining operational effectiveness.

8. For investors, why is now the right time to back Tapline?

Now is the right time to back Tapline due to growing demand for alternative financing solutions and the rapid adoption of AI in financial services. Our scalable, non-dilutive model is perfectly suited for SaaS and subscription-based businesses, and with our new capital-light debt model—where we don’t require equity financing for client financing—we can scale rapidly. With strong market demand and a clear path to profitability by 2025, we are well positioned sustainable growth.

Invest now in Tapline on SeedBlink.