The future belongs to founders brave enough to own their tech stack
For almost two decades, since the SaaS boom, it’s become standard for businesses to rely on patchworks of third-party platforms, apps, and tools. Either to support their own operations, offer new services, or simply keep up with the pace of tech. In the early days, such solutions were the most cost-effective way to scale. They gave quick access to features without the need for in-house development, and the costs that come with it, and could be built around legacy systems that were too expensive to replace.
Yet in 2024, the situation has become untenable. The average number of SaaS apps a business now uses exceeds 370, rising to as much as 473 for enterprises. Companies spend roughly $8,700 per employee on SaaS software with almost $220 billion being spent globally in the past 12 months alone. This is an increase of almost 27% on 2023 and puts the SaaS inflation rate at its highest point ever – 4x higher than the standard rate.
That’s before you factor in the security and compliance risks, the disconnected workflows and data silos, and the lack of control. Ironically, given the reasons why this status quo emerged, today such an over-reliance on SaaS can end up costing more, stifling innovation, and stunting growth. An issue that’s compounded as the use of AI, and customer expectations rise.
This is seeing the market flip. Founders are increasingly looking for ways to reduce their reliance on fragmented models and build their own platforms from the ground up; investing time and money to own and control the full tech stack.
From its early days, Revolut, arguably one of Europe’s most successful companies, made this contrarian choice to build almost every element of its tech stack itself. During a recent headline slot on stage at the Slush conference in Helsinki, Founder Nikolay Storonsky said he brought everything in-house because “being dependent on some critical vendor can kill you,” and it gives Revolut “flexibility and scalability that third-party solutions cannot match."
In 2025, the most forward-thinking founders are following suit. And it’s paying off.
The full stack shift
By unifying operations, ownership improves efficiency, and gives businesses greater control over when, how and why they launch new services. Workflows become streamlined and data flows freely between systems, too. This not only removes silos but lets businesses take better advantage of new and advanced technologies like AI, which relies on integrated systems to deliver precise, customised solutions. This is especially key when customer demands for personalisation and seamless experiences are at an all-time high, and where businesses need to adapt quickly to meet these demands and market changes.
And for employees, having fewer tools to manage reduces frustration and boosts productivity, increasing the value they bring to the business and limiting churn. All of which drives innovation and competitiveness, particularly in segments where SaaS has not yet developed tailored solutions. Not mentioning the long-term savings of licensing multiple platforms.
Of course, this is easier said than done. Especially if you’re already committed to third-party platforms, but it’s not impossible.
Getting started with owning the full tech stack
The best place to start on your full stack journey is by working out what owning your end-to-end tech will do for your business. If it’s purely to cut costs, you’ll find it difficult to justify due to the initial time and cost investment needed. But, if it’s about improving agility, reducing your reliance on vendors, or taking better advantage of emerging technologies like AI, ranking your business benefits will help you determine where and how to start.
Armed with this knowledge, audit your existing tech stack to learn which tools and systems are critical to unlocking these benefits. Before building Ooodles OS from scratch, for example, we were relying on 20 different tools, three business-critical dependencies from external vendors, not to mention growing IT costs. This is also a good time to look at your team’s in-house skills.
From here, decide which parts of the stack you want to build in-house, and which skills you have and need to do so. In an ideal world, you’ll own and develop it all in-house and if you’re starting your business from the ground-up, like we did with Ooodles, this is the recommended route. Yet, owning the full stack ultimately comes down to having the best possible foundational software and infrastructure. These are the building blocks and what you should prioritise.
There are also market-leading tools that it’s unlikely you’ll be able to compete with, certainly not in the short-term. So don’t try. Shopify’s e-commerce platform is one example where the time and effort spent mimicking its functionality won’t come near to outweighing the benefits of licensing. The key is to be realistic and strategic.
In an industry driven by speed and the lure of quick returns, committing to a full-stack approach can feel scary at best, and counterintuitive at worst. Building and owning every layer of your tech takes time, resources, and patience – qualities that seem at odds with the relentless pace of business today. This is why shifting to full stack is not for the faint-hearted and only for the bold.
Yet while the process may be slower, the long-term benefits far outweigh the initial investment. It provides a foundation for sustained innovation and scalability and is a deliberate strategy that future proofs what you’re building today to meet the needs of tomorrow.
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