FP&A Today CFO Grammarly – behind their $1 billion in non-dilutive financing and how we do FP&A
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Jul 17, 2025 Matt Hudson, CFO of Grammarly and former founding member of Coda, discusses the exciting intersection of finance and AI. He explains Grammarly's recent $1 billion in non-dilutive financing aimed at fueling future growth and acquisitions. Hudson shares insights from his journey at YouTube and highlights the evolving role of finance in tech amid AI advancements. He emphasizes the need for a blend of data science and finance skills, while also envisioning a future where AI reshapes business applications and workforce dynamics.
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Early Coda Growth Journey
- Matt Hudson was an early team member at Coda and helped grow it from stealth mode to a multi-million dollar business.
- He leveraged lessons from YouTube's growth phase to shape Coda's SaaS metrics and growth approach.
Grammarly's Non-Dilutive Financing
- Grammarly raised $1 billion in a non-dilutive financing led by General Catalyst's Customer Value Fund to improve cash flow for sales and marketing.
- This financing is cheaper and preserves equity compared to traditional equity rounds, and it's becoming a popular alternative for SaaS growth funding.
AI Costs and ROI Perspective
- AI-driven product costs may not explode as feared due to optimizations and cost reductions over time.
- AI agents will be treated as headcount across business units and integrated into ROI measurement like traditional resources.