Standard metrics like revenue growth are misleading after an acquisition. Metropolis focused on a single variable: the gross profit uplift on a location-by-location basis after deploying their technology. This precisely measured the value created by their tech and proved the M&A thesis.
To overcome resistance from conservative real estate owners, Metropolis leased its first locations. This allowed them to deploy their technology, gather performance data, and prove the model's value on their own dime, removing the risk for potential partners.
Metropolis's computer vision system was so frictionless that users often didn't notice it was working. This counter-intuitive problem forced them to add friction, like text notifications, back into the experience to confirm the product was delivering value and build brand awareness.
When selling their tech to risk-averse real estate owners proved too slow, Metropolis pivoted to a "Growth Buyout" strategy. They acquired a traditional parking operator, giving them immediate access to hundreds of locations to deploy their technology and accelerate their go-to-market.
Metropolis couldn't sell its SaaS solution to incumbent parking operators because their business model relied on inefficient labor. These companies operate like staffing agencies on a cost-plus model, creating a fundamental disincentive to adopt tech that would reduce their core revenue stream.
Real estate owners were skeptical of new tech. Instead of focusing on operational cost savings, Metropolis's go-to-market strategy centered on proving they could capture more revenue by eliminating leakage (e.g., when gates are up), which directly increased the underlying value of the real estate asset.