Privately Held Software Companies to Watch: February 2026 (Baird)

Summary

• VensureHR processes over $19 billion in payroll and supports over 508,000 worksite employees across the United States.p.9
• Identity Digital manages a portfolio of nearly 300 TLDs that supports around 25 million domains.p.13
• Deel provides global HR and payroll software to help companies hire, pay, and manage employees in 150 countries.p.7
• G-P delivers global employment solutions to find, hire, onboard, pay, and manage workforce across 180+ countries.p.7
• Remote offers global HR and payroll solutions enabling companies to manage employees in over 200 countries.p.9
• As of January 30, 2026, Baird U.S. Equity Research covered 719 companies across its equity coverage.p.26

Key insights

1. Baird publishes its list of disruptive privately held software companies across multiple technology research coverage areas.p.2
2. Security and infrastructure vendors are expanding heavily into AI-driven threat research, identity governance, and cloud network architecture.p.3
3. Human capital platforms focus on global employer-of-record solutions, on-demand pay, and AI-enabled candidate screening.p.7
4. Software and SaaS providers leverage generative AI for account-based marketing, enterprise search, and automated revenue intelligence.p.10
5. Cloud software companies deliver scalable observability platforms, real-time data integration, and conversational AI agents.p.17
6. Vertical software platforms address tailored industry workflows across healthcare documentation, life science R&D, and engineering simulations.p.21