Biotech Accounting & CFO
Accounting & CFO Services for Biotech Startups
Grant accounting under Uniform Guidance, clinical-trial cost tracking by study, R&D capitalization decisions, and milestone-based financials investors and grantors expect.
Biotech startups live on long timelines, lumpy cash, and grant funding with strict reporting rules. Books have to track every dollar of federal and foundation money, separate clinical-trial spend by study, and make milestone-based investor reporting easy. StartupCFO runs biotech books that satisfy grantors, auditors, and future Series B investors at the same time.
What's Hard About Biotech Finance
The biotech-specific challenges that generic bookkeeping services miss.
Grant accounting under Uniform Guidance (2 CFR 200)
NIH, NSF, and foundation grants have strict allowable-cost and indirect-cost rules. We apply F&A rates, track allowable vs. unallowable costs, and produce audit-ready reports.
Clinical trial cost tracking
CRO accruals, site payments, investigator fees, and supply costs tracked by protocol so burn and remaining budget are always clear.
R&D capitalization vs. expense
Pre-approval R&D is expensed under GAAP. Equipment with broader use may be capitalized. We set policy and document consistently.
Milestone and tranche recognition
SAFE and convertible notes, milestone-triggered tranches, and licensing-payment revenue recognized under ASC 606 / ASC 470.
Single Audit compliance
Federal awards over $750K/year trigger a Single Audit. We keep your books ready so audit prep takes weeks, not months.
How StartupCFO Helps
One integrated team — accountant, CPA, and fractional CFO — running the right biotech playbook.
- Monthly close with grant segregation and F&A cost allocation
- Clinical-trial cost tracking by protocol and CRO
- R&D capitalization policy and GAAP-compliant documentation
- Grantor-ready financial reports (federal, NIH, NSF, foundation)
- Single Audit preparation for federal awards over $750K
- Fractional CFO support for milestone tranches, licensing deals, and cap table
Biotech metrics we track
- Spend by grant / award with budget-vs.-actual
- Clinical trial spend by protocol and phase
- R&D spend (expensed) vs. capitalized equipment
- Cash runway under clinical-milestone scenarios
- F&A recovery rate and unallowable-cost exposure
- Remaining federal obligation by award
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you handle NIH and NSF grant accounting?
Yes. We set up cost pools aligned with the federal Uniform Guidance (2 CFR 200), apply your approved or de minimis F&A rate, track allowable vs. unallowable costs, and produce the financial reports grantors request — including FFR and SF-425 support.
What about Single Audit requirements?
If you expend more than $750,000 in federal awards in a year, you need a Single Audit under Uniform Guidance. We don't perform the audit — we keep your books audit-ready, prepare the Schedule of Expenditures of Federal Awards (SEFA), and coordinate with your independent auditor.
How do you track clinical trial spend?
Spend is categorized by protocol and CRO. CRO invoices are accrued against contracted milestones so burn reflects services delivered, not cash paid. You get budget-vs.-actual by trial in every board pack.
How does R&D capitalization work for biotech?
Under US GAAP, pre-approval pharmaceutical R&D is expensed. Equipment with alternative future use may be capitalized. We set a policy aligned with ASC 730, document it, and apply it consistently so financials hold up in diligence.
Ready for Biotech-Native Accounting?
Book a free consultation and we'll walk through how we'd run your biotech books, taxes, and CFO support — live within 48 hours.
