Fractional CFO for pre-seed startups
At pre-seed the company is still mostly a thesis - early product, first paying users, founders running on conviction and a small angel cheque. The financial questions that matter are not bookkeeping; they are how big the opportunity actually is, what a credible 24-month plan looks like, and how much money the team needs to prove the next milestone.
We work alongside the founders to translate the vision into numbers - a clean operating model, a first pass at unit economics, a runway view tied to the milestones that unlock the seed round. Light-touch on process, heavy on strategic input, so founders spend their time on product and customers rather than on a spreadsheet they don't trust.
Why pre-seed startups need a fractional CFO
Hiring a full-time CFO is a huge (and costly!) decision, and most advisors stuck in the 90s do not understand how a pre-seed-stage business actually runs. We deliver actionable, no-BS advice tailored to your stage and the digital niche you operate in.
Translate the vision into a model investors believe
Pre-seed pitches live or die on whether the numbers behind the deck hold up. We build a simple bottoms-up model that connects market size, acquisition cost, conversion and pricing into a 24-month plan - defensible enough that angels and pre-seed funds will engage on substance rather than walk away on credibility.
Lock in unit economics from day one
Most pre-seed companies cannot yet prove unit economics - but they need to be precise about which ones they are betting on. We define CAC, payback, gross margin and contribution margin on day one, so every product, pricing and channel decision over the next 18 months is measured against the same yardstick.
A short list of KPIs the company actually runs on
At pre-seed every team is drowning in vanity metrics. We cut the list down to the three or four numbers that genuinely move the business - activation, retention, ARPU, week-on-week growth - and put them in front of the founders weekly, so attention flows to where the company is winning or losing.
Burn discipline before it becomes a survival problem
Pre-seed runway looks long until you accidentally over-hire. We track cash weekly, model the next hire before the offer goes out, and call out spend that does not move a milestone - so the runway you sold to angels is the runway you actually have when it is time to raise the seed.
Be the strategic finance partner founders can call
Founders at this stage need someone to pressure-test a SAFE term, a pricing change, a hiring decision or a partnership before they sign it - not a quarterly call once the deed is done. We are embedded enough to be the first call, and senior enough that the answer is grounded in what actually happens at seed and Series A.
Set the company up so the seed round is a continuation, not a restart
Seed funds will diligence the same three things every time: market, traction, and a credible plan. We make sure the financial story, the operating model and the KPI dashboard are already in a shape that a seed VC will recognise - so when the round opens, the team is presenting, not scrambling to assemble.
Different growth phase?
We provide fractional CFO services across pre-seed, seed, Series A, growth-stage and PE-backed companies.
Fractional CFO for seed-stage startups
At seed we build the driver-based operating model, stand up the monthly FP&A cycle, put cohort and unit-economics tracking in place, and prepare the company for Series A diligence well ahead of the raise.
Learn moreFractional CFO for Series A startups
At Series A we build the institutional-grade model, segment the P&L for capital allocation, run the board-pack rhythm with proper variance analysis, and prepare the company for Series B at least 12 months ahead of the raise.
Learn moreFractional CFO for growth-stage startups
At growth stage we run segment-level FP&A across multiple entities, scale planning beyond spreadsheets, manage debt and treasury actively, and keep the company optionality-ready for Series C, growth equity or strategic M&A.
Learn moreFractional CFO for PE-backed companies
For PE-backed companies we own the value-creation plan and sponsor reporting, drive EBITDA quality and cash conversion, manage debt actively, run bolt-on M&A end-to-end, and keep the company exit-ready throughout the hold period.
Learn moreWe provide fractional CFO services across the globe
Simple pricing
No hidden costs, no complicated long-term contracts. We understand how important flexibility is for startups.
Per month
- Accounting / FP&A tech stack implementation
- Monthly financial statements and reporting pack
- Quarterly board pack with detailed financial analysis (with variance analysis vs. budget, relevant KPI observations etc.)
- Investor-friendly output
Per month
- Everything in Core, plus
- Operating model (via an online platform like Runway or Excel-based)
- Ongoing model maintenance, refining projections, burn/runway management
- Customer cohorts modelling, churn and retention analysis
- LTV / CAC, unit economics analysis
- Cap table management
Per month
- Everything in Grow, plus
- M&A / fundraising support; review of business plan
- Pitch deck preparation
- Investor approach strategy / list building
- Due diligence support and deal negotiation
- Valuation as required and free access to Multiples Pro
Packages shown are illustrative, final pricing is tailored to client requirements.
Sector expertise
Explore our fractional CFO offering across a variety of tech sectors - relevant for pre-seed startups too.
Software
Vertical and horizontal SaaS, AI-native software products, infrastructure SaaS, cybersecurity
AI & ML
Foundation models, AI applications, AI infrastructure, semiconductors, AI consulting
Fintech
Neobanking, online payments, fintech infrastructure, lending platforms, wealth tech, online brokerage, vertical FS software
Consumer internet
Consumer software subscription platforms, edutech, online content, social networks, online dating
Digital media
Streaming platforms, mobile and console gaming, content distribution, digital publishing, VR & AR
E-commerce & marketplaces
Consumer and B2B marketplaces, inventory-based e-commerce, classifieds, lead generation platforms
Consumer products
Direct-to-consumer (D2C) brands, consumer electronics, smart home devices, lifestyle products
Mobility
Ridesharing, micromobility, food delivery, logistics tech, autonomous tech, EV charging infrastructure
Digital health
Digital therapeutics, telemedicine, mental health solutions, EHR and practice management, vertical healthcare SaaS
Industrial technology
Industry 4.0 solutions, 3D printing, climate tech, industrial IoT, robotics, smart manufacturing
Digital infrastructure
Data centers, cloud infrastructure, edge computing, network security, vertical infrastructure SaaS
IT services
Software development and testing, digital transformation, cloud services, advertising agencies, IT support services
Bring your FP&A to the digital age
The world runs on Excel, but we like to keep up with the times.
We can enhance your financial reporting by using leading SaaS providers across the entire finance stack.
Stripe
Xero
Causal
Quickbooks
Datarails
Mosaic
Excel
Google Sheets
Adyen
Abacus
Runway
NetSuite
Salesforce
Sage
Shopify
Cube
HubSpot
Snowflake
Recently completed fractional CFO projects
Selected fractional CFO engagements and prior CFO experience.
Got questions?
Schedule a call ordrop us an email to learn more about our CFO-as-a-service, capital raising and M&A advisory offering.
Talk to us
Schedule a call to get a health check on your business and see how we could help.
Fractional CFO
- Fractional CFO for Software
- Fractional CFO for AI & ML
- Fractional CFO for Fintech
- Fractional CFO for Consumer internet
- Fractional CFO for Digital media
- Fractional CFO for E-commerce & marketplaces
- Fractional CFO for Consumer products
- Fractional CFO for Mobility
- Fractional CFO for Digital health
- Fractional CFO for Industrial technology
- Fractional CFO for Digital infrastructure
- Fractional CFO for IT services
Stages
Countries
- UK Fractional CFO
- Ireland Fractional CFO
- France Fractional CFO
- Germany Fractional CFO
- Spain Fractional CFO
- Portugal Fractional CFO
- Italy Fractional CFO
- Netherlands Fractional CFO
- Belgium Fractional CFO
- Switzerland Fractional CFO
- Austria Fractional CFO
- Denmark Fractional CFO
- Sweden Fractional CFO
- Norway Fractional CFO
- Finland Fractional CFO
- Poland Fractional CFO
- Estonia Fractional CFO
- US Fractional CFO
- Canada Fractional CFO
- Mexico Fractional CFO
- Brazil Fractional CFO
- UAE Fractional CFO
- Australia Fractional CFO
Cities
- London Fractional CFO
- Dublin Fractional CFO
- Paris Fractional CFO
- Berlin Fractional CFO
- Madrid Fractional CFO
- Lisbon Fractional CFO
- Milan Fractional CFO
- Amsterdam Fractional CFO
- Brussels Fractional CFO
- Zurich Fractional CFO
- Vienna Fractional CFO
- Copenhagen Fractional CFO
- Stockholm Fractional CFO
- Oslo Fractional CFO
- Helsinki Fractional CFO
- Warsaw Fractional CFO
- Tallinn Fractional CFO
- New York Fractional CFO
- Toronto Fractional CFO
- Mexico City Fractional CFO
- São Paulo Fractional CFO
- Dubai Fractional CFO
- Sydney Fractional CFO