Founder's CPA

What Founder's CPA does

Founder's CPA (legal entity FPSG LLC) is a privately held, Chicago-based public accounting firm founded by Curt Mastio that delivers outsourced accounting, tax, and fractional CFO services to venture-backed startups, with explicit vertical specialization in FinTech, Blockchain/Crypto, and SaaS companies. The firm operates an "accounting department as a service" model, scaling technical capacity across client engagements rather than serving any single in-house finance department, and serves a cumulative base of more than 500 clients whose companies have collectively raised over $500 million in venture funding. Service delivery combines an in-house team (26 staff members led by Managing Partner Curt Mastio and Manager of CFO Services Joe Alioto, joined in 2023) with deep integrations into the standard startup finance technology stack — QuickBooks Online, Xero, and Sage Intacct for core accounting; Stripe, Bill.com, Melio, and Brex for payments and spend; Gusto, Rippling, Justworks, and Expensify for payroll and HR; Carta for cap table management; Jirav for financial planning; and CoinTracking.Info for crypto transaction tracking and tax reporting.

The firm's revenue model is professional services, priced on a custom-quote basis with multi-year client engagements rather than disclosed tiered pricing; bookings flow through three core service lines (Accounting, Tax, and CFO Services) plus industry-specific accounting for FinTech, Crypto/Blockchain, and SaaS. Go-to-market is consultative and content-led: the firm publishes an educational blog, offers free downloadable resources (a Startup Accounting & Tax Playbook eBook, Excel templates for financial modeling and R&D tax credit calculation, and an annual Tax Season Guide), and closes deals through free initial consultations. Distribution extends beyond direct website engagement to startup ecosystem channels via active mentorship roles with Techstars Chicago and Techstars Iowa accelerators.

The company is bootstrapped — there are no funding rounds, acquisitions, or institutional investors in the record — and operates from a single Chicago headquarters at 850 W Jackson Blvd., Suite 330. Founder Curt Mastio maintains active operational control, having transitioned from a Big Four public accounting background and prior CFO role at Storage Squad into running the firm. Recognition includes the Illinois CPA Society's Outstanding Young Professional Leadership Award (2020, Mastio) and Inventiva's Top 10 Accounting Firms for Startups in 2026. The firm's customer base spans pre-seed through Series C and beyond, concentrating on smaller startup engagements with no publicly disclosed large anchor clients.

Name

Founder's CPA

Legal name

FPSG LLC

Website

https://founderscpa.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2017

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Founder's CPA is a Chicago-based outsourced accounting, tax, and fractional CFO firm serving 500+ venture-backed startups with specialized expertise in FinTech, Crypto/Blockchain, and SaaS verticals, using an "accounting department as a service" model and a curated cloud finance tech stack.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Startup Accounting Services

NAICS

Offices of Certified Public Accountants (541211), Finance and Insurance (52)

SIC

Finance Services (6199), Miscellaneous Business Credit Institution (6159)

akta.pro primary industry

Outsourced Finance & CFO Services (BPAHABAE)

akta.pro secondary industry

Accounting, Audit & Tax (CPA/CA/ACCA CPE) (EDAAALAA)

Keywords

• Startup accounting services
• Fractional CFO services
• Venture-backed tax compliance
• FinTech crypto accounting
• SaaS revenue recognition

Headquarters

HQ city

Chicago

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Accounting Services: Comprehensive accounting services for startups including bookkeeping, financial statement preparation, and ongoing accounting department support using an 'accounting department as a service' model that is flexible and scalable.
2. Tax Services: Tax compliance and planning services including federal, state, and local tax filings, R&D tax credits, and crypto tax services.
3. CFO Services: Fractional CFO and financial advisory services providing strategic financial guidance, financial modeling, and investor-ready reporting for growth-oriented startups.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Founder's CPA provides outsourced accounting, tax, and fractional CFO services to venture-backed startups through an "accounting department as a service" model. The firm delivers bookkeeping, financial statement preparation, federal/state tax compliance, R&D tax credits, crypto taxation, financial modeling, fundraising support, and investor reporting. It concentrates on three startup verticals: FinTech, Blockchain/Crypto, and SaaS, combining technical capabilities across multiple resources into a single, flexible, and scalable engagement.

Product overview

Founder's CPA is a public accounting firm serving venture-backed startups, offering three core service lines: Accounting Services, Tax Services, and CFO Services. These services are delivered through an 'accounting department as a service' model combining technical expertise with scalable processes. The firm specializes in three startup industry verticals: FinTech, Crypto/Blockchain, and SaaS. Clients receive access to complimentary resources including the Startup Accounting & Tax Playbook (free eBook), Excel template suite (financial modeling, cash flow forecasting, chart of accounts, R&D calculators), and annual Tax Season Guides. The company integrates with leading startup technology platforms including QuickBooks Online, Xero, Stripe, Gusto, Carta, and other tools in the startup tech stack.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Accounting Services

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration21 records

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• QuickBooks OnlinecoreTechnology or IntegrationPrimary accounting software platform recommended and supported by Founder's CPA for startup clients. Deep expertise in implementation and workflow optimization.
• XerocoreTechnology or IntegrationAlternative cloud-based accounting platform supported by Founder's CPA, used in 180 different countries with integrations for hundreds of third-party applications.
• Sage IntacctcoreTechnology or IntegrationEnterprise-level accounting platform supported for more complex startup accounting needs.
• StripecoreTechnology or IntegrationPayment processing platform recommended for SaaS companies with subscription management, recurring billing, and global payment capabilities.
• CartacoreTechnology or IntegrationCap table management platform used for equity tracking and compliance tools across multiple funding rounds.
• GustocoreTechnology or IntegrationPayroll platform offering automated tax filings, benefits management, and employee onboarding for startups.
• BrexcoreTechnology or IntegrationCorporate card and banking platform for startups, integrated with accounting workflows.
• RipplingcoreTechnology or IntegrationAll-in-one HR and payroll platform supported for startup workforce management.
• Bill.comcoreTechnology or IntegrationAccounts payable and payment automation platform for efficient bill processing.
• JustworkscoreTechnology or IntegrationPEO services provider for startups requiring comprehensive HR and benefits administration.
• CoinTracking.InfocoreTechnology or IntegrationPreferred cryptocurrency tracking software used by Founder's CPA for crypto clients, providing dashboarding, transaction validation, and tax reporting functionality.
• TechstarscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorActive mentorship involvement in Techstars Chicago and Iowa programs, providing guidance to startups within the accelerator ecosystem.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Bench: Bench provides online bookkeeping with dedicated accountants for small businesses and startups, overlapping with Founder's CPA's accounting and tax offering at the lower end of the market.
• 1800Accountant: 1800Accountant offers accounting, tax, and bookkeeping services to small businesses and startups, including entity setup and CFO advisory, with comparable professional-services delivery.
• Kruze Consulting: Kruze Consulting is a CPA firm that provides accounting, tax, and CFO services specifically to venture-backed startups, with similar vertical focus (tech/SaaS) and a comparable "accounting department as a service" model. It is the most direct competitor in the startup-CPA niche.
• Pilot: Pilot combines software with bookkeeping, tax, and CFO services for startups and small businesses, and is one of the most prominent tech-enabled direct competitors in the startup accounting category.
• Botkeeper: Botkeeper pairs AI-driven bookkeeping with human accountants for SMBs and startups, directly competing for the same buyers with a tech-forward delivery model.
• Equation (Equation Tax & Accounting): Equation provides tax, accounting, and CFO services specifically for venture-backed startups and founders, with similar industry specialization and client profile to Founder's CPA.

Broad incumbents

• Andersen Tax: Andersen is a global tax and advisory firm with a presence across the U.S. and international markets, offering services that overlap with Founder's CPA's tax and CFO offerings to growth-stage companies.
• Marcum LLP: Marcum is a top-20 U.S. accounting firm with a strong technology and startup practice, competing with Founder's CPA for venture-backed clients needing audit, tax, and advisory support.
• KPMG (US): KPMG is a Big Four accounting firm with an emerging-company and venture-capital practice that serves startups as they scale, representing the incumbent competition once Founder's CPA clients reach audit-mandated size.
• CohnReznick: CohnReznick is a top-30 U.S. accounting and advisory firm with a dedicated venture-backed startup and emerging-company practice, providing broader scale services that overlap with Founder's CPA's CFO and tax offerings.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/FoundersCPA
• Facebookfacebook.com/founderscpa
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/founderscpa

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Founder's CPA