Series A
Series A Finance Without the $250K CFO Hire
Audit-ready books, board packs that hold up in real board meetings, multi-state tax compliance, and a fractional CFO through your first audit and Series B prep.
Once you raise Series A, finance expectations change fast. Your board wants a KPI pack every month. Your auditor wants GAAP-clean revenue recognition. You have employees in six states, customers in all fifty, and a CEO who needs a real runway model at 2 a.m. the night before the board meeting. StartupCFO runs Series A finance as one integrated team — so you don't have to hire a $250K CFO to do it right.
What Series A Companies Get
Everything a post-Series-A finance function needs, delivered by a CPA-led team + fractional CFO.
- Monthly close in ≤10 business days with audit-ready GAAP financials
- Board packs with ARR, NRR, CAC payback, Rule of 40, runway
- Multi-state sales tax (post-Wayfair) and multi-state payroll tax
- ASC 606 revenue recognition and ASC 718 stock-based comp
- R&D tax credit study (up to $500K/yr payroll tax offset)
- Fractional CFO for board meetings, Series B prep, and audits
Post-close
Books cleaned up from seed-stage. Chart of accounts rebuilt. Revenue recognition policy documented. Multi-state nexus review.
Month-over-month
Close in ≤10 business days. Board pack, KPI dashboard, and runway forecast refreshed monthly.
First audit
We prepare the audit package, answer auditor PBC requests, and own the technical accounting memos (ASC 606, 718, 842).
Series B prep
Model built to Series B narrative. Data room assembled. Cap table cleaned. Historical trend analysis so diligence is fast.
Why Series A Founders Pick StartupCFO
One integrated team
Accountant, CPA, and fractional CFO — not three vendors with three logins and three different numbers.
Audit-ready from day one
Revenue recognition, stock-based comp, and leases all booked under GAAP. First audit goes smoothly, not painfully.
Board-meeting-ready
Board pack 72 hours before the meeting. CFO walk-through so you know every number cold before the board does.
Priced for startups
A full finance function for less than a senior controller's fully loaded comp. No contracts. Month-to-month.
Frequently Asked Questions
When does a Series A startup need a full-time CFO?
Usually not until late Series B or Series C. Through Series A and most of Series B, a fractional CFO plus a strong controller (often in-house) covers the need — at 10–20% of the cost. StartupCFO provides both roles: your CPA-led accounting team plus a dedicated fractional CFO.
Are your books audit-ready?
Yes. Every plan produces GAAP-compliant financial statements with clear revenue recognition (ASC 606), stock-based comp (ASC 718), and deferred revenue. When your board requires an audit — typically post-Series A — we prepare the audit package and coordinate with your Big 4 or regional auditor.
What does a Series A board pack include?
Executive narrative, KPI dashboard (ARR, NRR, CAC payback, gross margin, Rule of 40), burn and runway forecast, department spend vs. budget, cash position, and Q&A prep. Delivered 72 hours before the board meeting, with a CFO walk-through.
Can you handle multi-state sales tax and payroll?
Yes. Post-Wayfair, most Series A companies have economic nexus in 10+ states for sales tax, and payroll/income-tax nexus wherever they have employees. We monitor, register, and file in every state you need — included in our tax package.
What about audit-ready stock-based comp (ASC 718)?
We maintain the ASC 718 expense waterfall, reconcile to your cap table (Carta, Pulley, or AngelList), and produce the footnote-ready disclosure for your auditor. Coordinated with your 409A provider so grant dates and fair-value assumptions match.
Series A Finance Without the Hire
Book a free consultation and we'll walk through how we'd run your Series A finance function — live within 48 hours.
