It began with a tense stretch of weeks that Bill Koefoed tells us he won’t soon forget. As OneStream’s CFO, he was juggling the details of going public when a small AI startup called DataSense caught his attention. “We didn’t even have a formal corporate development function,” Koefoed explains, but he threw himself into researching the opportunity. There were skeptics—some board members questioned the timing, while others worried the acquisition might be too costly.
Read MoreStill, the numbers looked promising, and so did the technology. Sitting in late-night calls, Koefoed listened to DataSense’s University of Michigan–trained engineers describe predictive models that could charge up OneStream’s demand forecasting. “Getting that talent on board could pay huge dividends,” he recalls thinking. Even with the looming IPO, Koefoed pressed ahead, negotiating terms while appeasing wary investors.
For Koefoed, AI isn’t a far-off gamble—it’s an immediate strategic lever. By championing technology that marries predictive power with secure financial data, Koefoed tells us he is helping steer OneStream toward a future where finance and AI intertwine.
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CFOTL Regarding thebalance between public company expectations and AI-driven innovation, what would you tell us about that balance that needs to be achieved—and again, that back and forth you’re having with the analyst community these days?
Koefoed: I’d say a couple (of) things. I can’t understate the need to be prepared—plan, do mock earnings calls, and get people who’ve been through this before (to help guide you). Working with (experienced advisors) is really important. I was lucky to have great partners on the investment banking side, and my board has been fantastic—I can’t appreciate that enough. My peers have also been invaluable along the way.
Read MoreMy view is that public market investors want to invest in companies they see (having) durable growth, and that means it’s not just about the next quarter but the next year and the next five years. This world—particularly in tech—is changing a lot, so making those investments (is crucial). You have to explain to investors why (those investments are) so important, what the market opportunity is, and how your product-market fit is unique. That’s a big part of being a public company. It matters as a private company, too, but you really have to master that story for public investors.
Back to your question about (the) data center—many are skeptics by nature, and others know the space well and get really excited about the opportunity. So that balance between profitability and growth is something you have to defend by explaining the opportunity ahead and showing you can deliver on it.
OneStream Software | www.onestream.com | Birmingham, MI