Accounting and advisory for Startups
Venture-backed startups spend ahead of revenue, betting raised capital against the milestones that unlock the next round. That makes runway, burn, and clean financials existential — not back-office chores. Laya gives founders investor-ready books, real-time cash visibility, and tax-ready financials that hold up to diligence as you scale.
The financial challenges Startups face
Runway and burn that determine your fundraise timeline
Net burn and months of runway dictate when you raise, hire, or cut — yet most founders track them in a spreadsheet that drifts from the actual books. When the number is stale, you discover the gap with only weeks of cash left, not quarters.
Investor and board reporting on a recurring deadline
Investors expect monthly updates and a clean board package: P&L, cash position, burn, and KPIs. Pulling that together from messy books every month is slow, and inconsistent numbers erode the credibility you need before the next round.
Missed R&D credits and startup tax incentives
Pre-revenue startups can apply the federal R&D credit against payroll taxes — real cash back into runway — but the documentation and filing are easy to skip. Founders also miss state credits and forget the annual return is still due at a loss.
Diligence and a cap table full of SAFEs
When you raise, investors scrutinize your books, contractor classification, and equity. SAFEs, convertible notes, and option grants must be reflected cleanly. Disorganized financials slow diligence, weaken your leverage, and can shave terms off the deal.
How Laya helps Startups
Runway and burn visibility every month
We close your books by the 10th business day and report gross burn, net burn, cash on hand, and months of runway off the actual ledger — not a guess. You walk into every board meeting and fundraise knowing exactly how much cash you have and how long it lasts.
Investor-ready monthly reporting
Your monthly close produces an accrual-based P&L, balance sheet, and cash summary structured the way investors read them. We keep categories consistent month over month, so your board package and investor updates tell a clean, comparable story without a last-minute scramble.
R&D credits and startup tax filing
On Summit and above, our licensed CPA partner network files your annual federal and state returns and documents the R&D credit, including the payroll-tax election that pre-revenue startups can use to recover cash. We keep books tax-ready year-round so nothing is reconstructed at deadline.
Books that survive due diligence
We maintain clean, accrual books with reconciled accounts and proper records for contractors and equity events — SAFEs, notes, and option grants reflected correctly. When investors or acquirers open the hood, your financials hold up, keeping diligence fast and your leverage intact.
What's included
- Monthly close by the 10th business day
- Runway, gross burn, and net burn reporting
- Investor-ready P&L, balance sheet, and cash summary
- Accrual-based books with reconciled accounts
- Annual federal and state tax filing (Summit and up)
- R&D credit documentation and election support
- Year-end books ready for diligence
Frequently asked questions
Can you track our runway and burn rate?
Yes. Every monthly close reports gross burn, net burn, current cash, and months of runway straight from your reconciled books. Because we close by the 10th business day, the number you take to your board or investors reflects last month's reality — not a spreadsheet that's drifted out of date.
Do you help startups claim the R&D tax credit?
Yes, on Summit ($1,000/mo) and above. Our licensed CPA partner network files your federal and state returns and documents the R&D credit, including the payroll-tax election that lets qualifying pre-revenue startups apply up to a set amount of the credit against payroll taxes — recovering cash even before you're profitable.
What does my monthly investor and board report look like?
An accrual-based P&L, balance sheet, and cash summary, with categories kept consistent month over month so trends are comparable. It's structured the way investors and board members expect to read it, so you can drop it straight into your monthly update instead of rebuilding the numbers each time.
Are your books ready for due diligence when we raise?
Yes. We keep clean accrual books with reconciled accounts and proper records for contractors and equity events like SAFEs, convertible notes, and option grants. When investors or acquirers review your financials, everything ties out — which keeps diligence moving and protects your negotiating leverage.
We're pre-revenue and raised on SAFEs — do we still need accounting and a tax return?
Yes. Investors expect real books from day one, and your entity still owes an annual federal and state return even at a loss. Base ($500/mo) covers monthly accounting; Summit ($1,000/mo) adds annual tax filing. Both include your QuickBooks Online subscription, and there's a 10% discount when you pay annually.
Do I need to use QuickBooks Online?
Yes. Laya runs on QuickBooks Online as the single source of truth, with your bank, credit cards, and payroll connected digitally. We're cloud-first and remote-only — everything happens over email and video — and your QBO subscription is included in your fixed monthly fee.
Ready to get your books in order?
Book an intro and we'll show you exactly how Laya works for Startups.
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