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Does My Startup Need a Fractional CFO?

Picture of Michael Spyrou

When you’re building a startup, financial decisions can feel like a minefield. One of the most common questions I hear from founders is: “Do I need a CFO yet?”

The truth is, not every early-stage business is ready for a full-time Chief Financial Officer (CFO). In fact, bringing one in too early can drain your budget and slow down your growth. That’s where a Fractional CFO comes in. It gives you access to the strategic expertise you need without the full-time cost.

What Does a CFO Actually Do?

A lot of people assume CFOs handle accounting or bookkeeping. In reality, that’s the role of a Financial Controller or Bookkeeper. A CFO’s job is very different.

  • Setting the financial blueprint
  • Driving forecasting and scenario planning
  • Supporting fundraising and investor relations
  • Managing risk and long-term strategy

The finance function only works when all three roles are aligned. The bookkeeper keeps things moving day to day, the controller ensures accurate reporting and solid processes, and the CFO turns the data into commercial insight and strategic direction.

When a Fractional CFO Makes Sense

So, when does it actually make sense to bring in a CFO, even fractionally?

From my experience, the critical moments are:

  • Preparing for a funding round: You’ll need someone who understands what investors are looking for and can model different growth scenarios.
  • Scaling rapidly: Expanding into new markets or managing complex risk requires CFO-level oversight.
  • Setting a roadmap: When your business model needs to be stress-tested, a CFO helps you identify the levers of growth.
At other times, you may be better served by a Financial Controller or senior bookkeeper. Most CFOs should not be spending their time building processes or chasing invoices. That is not cost-effective for the business or for the CFO.

The Cost of Hiring a CFO Too Early

Hiring a full-time CFO before you’re ready is one of the most expensive mistakes a startup can make.

  • Financially: A strong CFO can cost upwards of £150,000 a year in London, not including bonuses, recruitment fees, and benefits.
  • Strategically: If they end up doing controller-level work, you’re paying premium rates for tasks that others could do better.
  • Culturally: Bringing someone in too soon can create role mismatches that leave founders frustrated or even sceptical about the real value of a CFO.
I’m a firm believer that every business will need a CFO at some point. But the key is timing. You don’t always need one full-time, and often, you don’t need one yet.

Illustration showing that 1 CFO day costs the same as 2 Financial Controller days or 4 Senior Bookkeeper days, highlighting the value of building a fractional finance team with balanced strategic and operational roles.

This chart illustrates how Axcelera helps scale-ups build a full-stack finance team efficiently.
You get strategic input without overpaying for seniority where it's not needed.

 

So, Does Your Startup Need a Fractional CFO?

Here are three questions I encourage founders to ask themselves:
  1. Am I preparing for investment or expansion?
  2. Do I need commercial insight, not just reporting?
  3. Is my financial data accurate enough to support high-level decisions?
If the answer is yes, a Fractional CFO can be the bridge between where you are now and where you want to be. If not, it may be more effective to tighten up your reporting with a Financial Controller or get day-to-day support from a Bookkeeper.

 

The Smarter Way Forward

Startups don’t need to choose between overspending on a CFO or underinvesting in finance. With a full-stack finance solution, you can access the right mix of bookkeeping, financial control, and CFO-level strategy, scaling as your business grows.

That is exactly why we built Axcelera.

To give ambitious businesses the financial expertise they need, at the right time, without the overhead.

Axcelera’s four finance service areas: Strategy, Operations, Day-to-Day Finance, and Compliance, showing CFO, Financial Controller, and Bookkeeping support functions.

Axcelera delivers a full-stack finance function through four service areas.
Each layer works together to provide businesses with tailored financial expertise at every stage of growth.

 

 

Learn From Other Founders

Want to see how other scale-ups are handling these challenges?

Watch our recent podcast episode, SMEs: From Chaos to Clarity, featuring Rupert Lee-Browne (CEO of Caxton) alongside Axcelera Co-Founders Michael and Tim.

watch it on LinkedInhttps://www.linkedin.com/events/smes-fromchaostoclarity7337797166020603905/theater/

 

 

FAQs

Q: What does a Fractional CFO do?
A: A Fractional CFO provides high-level financial strategy, forecasting, and fundraising support on a part-time basis. They help founders make informed growth decisions without the cost of a full-time CFO.

Q: How much does a Fractional CFO cost in the UK?
A: A full-time CFO can cost over £150,000 per year in London. Fractional CFO services are typically 40–60% less, with flexible day rates that scale to your business stage and needs.

Q: What is the difference between a CFO and a Financial Controller?
A: A CFO focuses on strategy, growth levers, and investor relations. A Financial Controller ensures accurate reporting, systems, and processes so that the CFO has reliable data for decision-making.

Q: Why do businesses choose Fractional CFO services instead of hiring full-time?
A: Every ambitious business will eventually need a CFO, but not all the time. A Fractional CFO provides flexibility, cost efficiency, and access to senior expertise at the right moment—without paying for capacity you don’t yet need.

Q: How do I know if my startup needs one?
A: If you’re preparing for fundraising, expanding internationally, or need commercial insight beyond reporting, a Fractional CFO is often the right choice. Take our free two-minute Fractional Finance Assessment to see whether your business needs a CFO, Controller, or Bookkeeper right now.

 

Fractional Finance Assessment tool report

 

Let's work together...

A fractional CFO is not just a financial manager. They are a strategic partner who helps you unlock funding, build better forecasts, and achieve financial clarity.

For London-based tech founders aiming for sustainable scale, this is the smartest move to grow stronger, faster, and with confidence.

If you're curious about what a part-time flexible CFO in London or full-stack finance team of experts could bring to your business, don't wait any longer,  do our assessment or book a meeting with us to explore your options.

 

Headshots of the Axcelera team including Michael Spyrou, Tim Johnson, Andrew Waldron, Marta Checa-Gracia, Kevin Rose, and Matthew Powell.