About the Client
A venture-backed AI startup founded by a team of young entrepreneurs commenced operations in January 2026 with an ambitious vision to develop AI-driven enterprise solutions for global customers.
Like many early-stage technology companies, the founders wanted to focus entirely on product innovation, customer acquisition, and fundraising while relying on an experienced finance partner to establish scalable financial and operational processes from day one.
SBS Global was engaged as the strategic Finance & Operations partner to build the company’s finance function, implement technology platforms, establish governance, and support business growth. Within a short period, the organisation expanded from fewer than 10 employees to more than 200 professionals, successfully completing multiple funding milestones while maintaining strong financial discipline and statutory compliance.
Business Challenge
Although the company had an exceptional product vision and strong technical leadership, it faced several operational challenges typical of high-growth startups.
The founders required:
- A finance function built from scratch without investing in a large internal finance team.
- Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for accounting, payroll, procurement, approvals, reimbursements and financial reporting.
- An integrated cloud-based finance ecosystem capable of supporting rapid growth.
- Weekly cash flow visibility to manage runway and funding requirements.
- Investor-ready financial reporting.
- Assistance in structuring and executing fundraising through Compulsorily Convertible Debentures (CCDs).
- Complete management of statutory and regulatory compliances while scaling operations rapidly.
- A scalable payroll process capable of growing from single-digit employees to hundreds without process disruption.
Without a structured finance backbone, the startup risked:
- Operational inefficiencies
- Compliance gaps
- Poor financial visibility
- Delayed decision making
- Cash flow uncertainties
- Difficulties during investor due diligence
SBS Global Solution
Rather than acting as a traditional accounting service provider, SBS Global partnered with the founders as an extended finance office.
The engagement covered the complete finance lifecycle, including technology implementation, process design, compliance management and strategic CFO advisory.
Our solution included:
Finance Function Setup
- Designed the complete finance operating model
- Established Chart of Accounts
- Defined accounting policies
- Created financial controls
- Built approval matrices
Process Documentation
Developed comprehensive SOPs covering:
- Procure-to-Pay
- Order-to-Cash
- Expense Reimbursements
- Vendor Management
- Payroll Processing
- Bank Payments
- Financial Closing
- Month-end Reporting
Technology Enablement
Implemented an integrated Zoho ecosystem comprising:
- Zoho Books
- Zoho Payroll
- Zoho Payments
The integrated environment eliminated manual reconciliations and significantly improved transaction visibility.
Strategic CFO Support
SBS Global’s Virtual CFO conducted weekly management review meetings covering:
- Cash flow forecasting
- Burn rate analysis
- Budget monitoring
- Financial KPI reviews
- Investor reporting
- Growth planning
- Business performance discussions
Compliance Management
SBS managed end-to-end compliance, including:
- Accounting
- Payroll
- GST
- TDS
- Professional Tax
- Labour law compliances
- MCA filings
- Statutory reporting
- Financial statements
Fund Raising Support
The finance team worked closely with management during the fundraising process by:
- Preparing financial information
- Supporting investor due diligence
- Assisting in CCD structuring
- Maintaining statutory documentation
- Coordinating compliance documentation
Implementation
The project was executed through a structured four-phase implementation framework.
Phase 1 – Discovery & Planning
During the initial engagement, SBS Global conducted detailed workshops with the founders to understand:
- Business model
- Revenue streams
- Hiring roadmap
- Operational workflows
- Growth projections
- Investor expectations
- Reporting requirements
Key financial KPIs were identified, and a scalable finance roadmap was created.
Phase 2 – Solution Deployment
The technology stack was implemented using integrated Zoho applications.
Activities included:
Activities included:
- Zoho Books configuration
- Chart of Accounts setup
- Accounting workflow design
- Zoho Payroll implementation
- Employee master creation
- Payroll structure configuration
- Zoho Payments integration
- Banking workflows
- Approval workflows
- User access controls
- Financial reporting dashboards
Training sessions were conducted for founders, HR and business users to ensure seamless adoption.
Phase 3 – Process Optimisation
As the organisation expanded rapidly, finance processes were continuously refined.
SBS Global introduced:
SBS Global introduced:
- Automated approval workflows
- Standard vendor onboarding
- Employee reimbursement workflows
- Monthly closing calendars
- Payroll validation controls
- Cash flow monitoring templates
- Budget tracking reports
- Management dashboards
Automation significantly reduced manual intervention while improving accuracy.
Phase 4 – Performance Monitoring
Following implementation, SBS continued supporting the organisation through ongoing finance operations.
Regular activities included:
Regular activities included:
- Weekly CFO review meetings
- Cash flow projections
- Budget variance analysis
- MIS reporting
- Compliance monitoring
- Payroll governance
- Working capital reviews
- Investor reporting support
The finance framework evolved continuously alongside the company’s business growth.
Results & Impact
The partnership enabled the startup to build a mature finance function without creating a large in-house finance department.
Operational Growth
- Successfully supported business growth from fewer than 10 employees to over 200 employees.
- Payroll operations scaled seamlessly without requiring major process redesign.
- Standardised finance processes enabled smooth onboarding of new teams.
Process Efficiency
- Reduced manual finance activities by approximately 70% through automation and integrated workflows.
- Achieved faster month-end financial closing with standardised processes.
- Eliminated duplicate data entry through integrated Zoho applications.
Improved Financial Visibility
- Weekly cash flow forecasting enabled proactive runway planning.
- Real-time financial dashboards improved management decision-making.
- Budget monitoring strengthened cost control across business functions.
Strong Governance
- Established documented SOPs across all key finance processes.
- Built approval workflows with clear segregation of duties.
- Improved audit readiness through structured documentation.
Compliance Excellence
- Maintained timely statutory compliance throughout rapid organisational growth.
- Managed payroll, tax and corporate compliances without operational disruption.
- Strengthened internal financial controls as the organisation expanded.
Fund Raising Support
- Supported successful fundraising through Compulsorily Convertible Debentures (CCDs).
- Assisted management during investor due diligence by providing accurate financial information and compliance documentation.
- Improved investor confidence through transparent financial reporting and governance.
Strategic Business Partnership
Rather than functioning solely as an outsourced accounting provider, SBS Global became the company’s strategic finance partner by:
- Participating in weekly leadership meetings.
- Providing CFO-level financial insights.
- Supporting business planning and growth decisions.
- Helping founders focus on innovation while finance operations remained professionally managed.
Conclusion
Building a scalable finance function is one of the most critical success factors for high-growth startups.
By partnering with SBS Global from the very beginning, the client established a strong financial foundation capable of supporting rapid expansion, investor expectations and operational excellence.
Through integrated technology implementation, documented processes, Virtual CFO services, fundraising support and proactive compliance management, SBS Global enabled the founders to concentrate on growing their AI business while finance and governance operated efficiently in the background.
This engagement demonstrates how startups can significantly accelerate growth by adopting scalable finance processes early in their journey. With the right blend of technology, governance and strategic financial leadership, emerging businesses can transition confidently from an early-stage startup to a rapidly scaling enterprise while maintaining strong financial discipline and regulatory compliance.