Kruze Consulting Logo
Kruze Accounting, Finance,
Tax & HR for Startups
Contact Us Contact Us
Vanessa Kruze

Vanessa Kruze, CPA

Kruze Consulting Logo
Kruze
Accounting, Finance, Tax & HR for Startups
Vanessa Kruze, CPA
Bill Hollowsky, CPA
Scott Orn, CFA

Kruze Consulting Startup Accounting & Tax Specialists in San Francisco & Silicon Valley

Startups and startup accounting are our niche, our passion, and high growth is where we excel. We offer financial and accounting services for 800+ fast growing Seed, Series A, and Series B tech companies - from SaaS to biotech to eCommerce and more.

Find out why the San Francisco Business Times named us one of the top 100 companies in the Bay Area AND one of the most Influential Women Owned Businesses in the Bay Area. 

  • Interim CFO
  • Accounting and Bookkeeping Services
  • Startup Annual Taxes
  • Payroll and payroll taxes
  • Human Resources
  • Financial Modeling and Reporting
  • 409A Valuation
  • San Francisco Gross Receipts Tax Work

Founder & CEO Vanessa Kruze is a CPA, Deloitte Tax alumni, and former Controller of a 120+ FTE startup. Kruze COO Scott Orn is a Kellogg MBA, former VC Partner and investment banker. Our VP of FP&A, who helps our clients prepare their financial models for fund raises, is a former VC and operating executive. Our Staff Accountants and Controllers come from the Big 4 and top venture capital backed startups. Kruze started in San Francisco, but has expanded to the Los Angeles, San Jose and New York markets. 

If your company is raising venture capital funding, we are one of the best tax partners in the greater SF area. We know what you need to do to stay compliant in San Francisco and what documentation you need to retain for regulatory compliance - and to be ready to fly through due diligence.  

Why Kruze is Dedicated to San Francisco

Kruze’s origins are in San Francisco, with a deep commitment to serving the tax and accounting needs of the VC-backed startup in the entire Bay Area. Kruze’s founder, Vanessa Kruze, attended university in San Francisco and much of the executive team has worked at startups in the SF Bay Area in a variety of finance, accounting and operational roles.

The San Francisco startup ecosystem continues to grow. As SF’s startups attract greater and greater amounts of venture capital funding - at greater and greater valuations - the need for qualified CPAs, tax accountants and quality monthly accounting providers like Kruze will only continue to increase. Making tax accounting and sales tax work even more important to San Francisco startups is the myriad of local city and state compliance paperwork and filings (see the tax deadline calendar that we link to below).

At Kruze, we specialize in delivering comprehensive tax solutions tailored for the vibrant startup ecosystem of San Francisco. Our dedicated team, led by industry veterans like Vanessa Kruze, CPA, leverages a deep understanding of the Bay Area’s unique tax requirements to empower startups from inception to exit.

Why Choose Us for Your San Francisco Tax Needs?

  • Customized Tax Strategies: From navigating San Francisco’s Gross Receipts Tax to optimizing for Research & Development Tax Credits, our approach is designed to maximize your startup’s financial health and compliance.
  • Tech-Forward Solutions: Utilizing leading-edge software such as Quickbooks, Gusto, and Avalara, we streamline your accounting processes, enabling you to focus on growth.
  • Start-to-Scale Guidance: Whether you’re a budding entrepreneur or gearing up for an acquisition, our team offers the strategic advice and services to support your journey, including 409A valuations, financial modeling, and VC funding navigation.
  • Unmatched Industry Insight: Backed by a track record of assisting startups in raising over $15 billion in funding, our expertise in San Francisco’s startup tax landscape is unparalleled.

2024 San Francisco Tax Calendar: Stay Ahead of the Curve

Our comprehensive SF tax calendar keeps you informed on all critical deadlines, from PPLO and HCSO compliance to Federal and San Francisco-specific filings. Stay compliant and leverage tax opportunities with our expert guidance.

San Francisco’s Unique Tax Challenges: Our Expertise, Your Advantage

San Francisco’s dynamic tax environment, including its Gross Receipts Tax and Homelessness Gross Receipts Tax, requires nuanced strategies. Our team’s expertise ensures your startup not only remains compliant but thrives amidst these complexities.

San Francisco Bay Area Venture Capital Growth - Driving the Need for Qualified Accountants with Startup Specialization

As PitchBook reports, San Francisco area startups continue to attract record levels of venture funding at ever higher valuations. A qualified tax CPA like Kruze can likely help these companies save millions per year in payroll taxes through tax credit advice.

San Francisco Early-Stage Deal Size… San Francisco Deal… San Francisco Pre-M… 2010 2015 2020 2025 0 10 20 30 40 50
 

2024 
San Francisco Tax Compliance Calendar

Concerned about your 2024 Tax Deadlines?
We've done the work for you with these 2024 Tax Compliance Calendars.

Our Services

Bookkeeping

Interim CFO

Human Resources

Financial Modeling

Tax Audit

Best Practices

Reg CF Review Practices

R&D Tax Credits

409A Valuation

Technology Partners

Kruze Consulting San Francisco
600 California St. 12th Floor
San Francisco, CA, 94108
(415) 322-1610

Client testimonials

Quote icon

We're huge fans of Vanessa and the folks at Kruze Consulting. They set up our books, finances, and other operations, and are constantly organized and on top of things. As a startup, you have to focus on your product and customers, and Kruze takes care of everything else (which is a massive sigh of relief). I highly highly highly recommend working with Vanessa and her team.

Vivek Sodera

Vivek Sodera

Co-Founder @ Superhuman

Quote icon

Prior to Kruze, as a remote-first team, we were weighed down by a lot of the bureaucracy involved with having a distributed workforce. Kruze has supported us above and beyond basic accounting needs by ensuring we have everything we need to expand and support our team wherever they may be located

Zack Fisch

Zack Fisch

Pequity's Head of Operations & Legal

Quote icon

Avochato has been growing rapidly in the past year – in fact, too quickly for us to keep up with books, taxes, and budgeting for growth. Partnering with Kruze Consulting has been fantastic to manage, track, and analyze our finances while we continue focusing on building our customer base. Kruze’s team knows what startups need.

Alex De Simone

Alex De Simone

CEO @ Avochato

Quote icon

Everybody, go to Kruze Consulting. They do a great job. I personally can tell you, they've done a great job for our companies, including Calm.com. I'm sure they’ll do a great job for you.

Jason Calacanis

Jason Calacanis

Angel investor

Quote icon

I had a great experience working with Kruze Consulting when we raised Series A. They know what VCs need to see, and how to present a startup’s books and finances. If you are going to raise venture capital, you need experts like Kruze.

Chris Mansi

Chris Mansi

CEO @ Viz.ai

Quote icon

Being a repeat tech entrepreneur, I know how challenging it is to find the ideal CFO - not only is it often expensive to find the right one, but CFOs who combine expertise with scrappiness, market vision and perspective with detail orientation and 'roll up your sleeves' execution is near impossible for an early stage company. So I've been thrilled to work with Kruze Consulting, who not only provide all the ideal characteristics of a top-tier tech CFO, but also live and breathe entrepreneurship themselves. I've known Scott and Vanessa for many years and their deep personal integrity and strong reputation in the industry and made it an easy decision to work with them again.

Tina Fitch

Tina Fitch

CEO @ HobNob

Quote icon

NIH, NSF, and SBIR grant compliance can add a lot of overhead for a start-up. The Kruze team makes it easy, so we can spend our time growing the business instead of shoveling paperwork.

Charlie Silver

Charlie Silver

CEO @ Mission Bio

San Francisco

Kruze

Accounting, Finance,
Tax & HR for Startups

READY TO CONNECT FOR A FREE CONSULTATION?

We are the experts at helping seed/VC-backed Delaware C-Corps with their accounting and finances!

Talk to an experienced accountant, not a generic sales person

 Kruze Consulting
Alex Janeck
 Kruze Consulting
Edith Silva
 Kruze Consulting
Ian Williams
Viz AI

$250M+ VC Funding Raised


"I had a great experience working with Kruze Consulting when we raised Series A. They know what VCs need to see, and how to present a startup’s books and finances. If you are going to raise venture capital, you need experts like Kruze."
Chris Mansi

Chris Mansi

CEO

Startup Venture Capital Assistance

With former venture capitalists on staff, our team is here to help you navigate the fundraising process and manage your board of directors

 Kruze Consulting
Scott Orn
COO | Former VC
 Kruze Consulting
Healy Jones
VP FP&A | Former VC
Pequity

Scale Remote Operations & Team


"Kruze has supported us above and beyond basic accounting needs by ensuring we have everything we need to expand and support our team wherever they may be located"
Zack Fisch

Zack Fisch

Head of Operations & Legal

Clients who have worked with Kruze have collectively raised over $15 billion in VC funding.

We set startups up for fundrising success, and know how to work with the top VCs.

 Kruze Consulting
Vanessa Kruze, CPA
Founder & CEO
Kruze Logo

Experienced team helping you

Our account management team is staffed by CPAs and accountants who have, on average, 11 years of experience.

 Kruze Consulting
Bill Hollowsky, CPA
VP of Accounting Services
 Kruze Consulting
Claudine Vantomme, CPA
Controller
 Kruze Consulting
Morgan Avery
SUT/R&D Sr. Tax Accountant
 Kruze Consulting
Beth Bassler
Controller, CPA
Protara Therapeutics

Grew from a 2-person startup to a NASDAQ listed public company.


"The Kruze team helped us grow from a 2-person startup to a NASDAQ listed public company in 2 years. We wouldn’t have gotten public without Kruze’s support. Anyone thinking of launching a startup should make Vanessa their first call!"
Jesse Shefferman

Jesse Shefferman

CEO

Kruze Logo

Get in Touch

Please help us connect with you

How can we reach you?

Our first response is typically via email, so please check your inbox.

Help us have a productive first consultation by providing some additional information.

What year was your startup incorporated?

What is your stage of funding?

(pick up from the list)

Approximately how much funding have you raised?

(please enter a dollar value such as 5000000)

Help us understand what you are looking for:

(Optional, click the ones you need)

Anything additional that you’d like to share?

Optional - if you’d like to share anything else to help us prepare for our consultation, please let us know. We are also happy to sign an NDA, just let us know.

About Us

A CPA Firm Specialized in Startup Accounting & Finance

A CPA Firm Specialized in Startup Accounting & Finance

Startups are our niche, and our passion. Our clients have raised over $15 billion in VC funding. We are one of only a few outsourced accounting firms that specialize in funded early-stage companies - we only offer financial and tax services to fast growing startups in the Pre-Seed, Seed, Series A, Series B and Series C stages.

The Right Accounting Partner for Your Startup’s Next Round

The Right Accounting Partner for Your Startup’s Next Round

We know how to de-risk your startup’s next venture capital round. Our team makes sure you are ready to fly through your next VC’s accounting, HR and tax due diligence. And when you use us as your bookkeeper, we set up and keep up-to-date a due diligence folder so you can get that next round of fundraising.

A Leader in Cloud Accounting Software

A Leader in Cloud Accounting Software

Our practice is built on best of breed cloud accounting software like QuickBooks, Netsuite, Gusto, Rippling, Taxbit, Avalara, Brex, Ramp and Deel. Technology makes us more efficient, saving our clients money and letting us offer higher value services like FP&A modeling, 409A valuation, and treasury advice. Startups deserve to work with CPAs using modern software.

Trusted by Top Venture Investors

Trusted by Top Venture Investors

Top angel investors and VCs refer Kruze because they trust us to give the right advice. Our clients are portfolio companies of top technology and Silicon Valley investors, including Y-Combinator, Kleiner, Sequoia, Khsola, Launch, Techstars and more. With us, your books and taxes are in order when it’s time to raise another round of venture financing.

What types of startups does Kruze Consulting usually work with?

What types of startups does Kruze Consulting usually work with?

Kruze Consulting works with funded Delaware C-Corps. Our clients have secured Pre-Seed to Series C or Series D funding. We look to partner with our clients, going beyond the typical outsourced accounting relationship and seeking to provide a higher level advisory role. We feel honored to be a part of making the world a better place, even if it’s one debit and credit at a time.

Accounting, Finance, Taxes, & Payroll all in one solution

Accounting, Finance, Taxes, & Payroll all in one solution

Startup CFO services, startup accounting and bookkeeping services, startup annual taxes, expense reports, payroll, state sales taxes: we've got you covered. Our software provides custom tailored dashboards that can be provided weekly or monthly, depending on your preference and plan. Founders are often so busy building their company that they don’t have time to take care of their finances. Traditionally, these companies have had to work with a basket of people to get their work done, including bookkeepers, accountants, AP clerks, CFOs, consultants, and tax accountants. At Kruze Consulting, our founders have one point person, saving time and money.

Kruze Consulting Awards

Important Tax Dates for Startups

  Talk to a leading startup CPA