Fractional CFO Services in London
London-based, CIMA qualified fractional CFO for SaaS, AI and tech founders. Hybrid on-site and remote, fixed monthly retainer, no day rates. Trusted by 47+ UK SaaS companies.
ScaleWithCFO is a London-based fractional CFO service for SaaS, AI and tech founders. I embed into your team for 1–3 days a week, attend your London board days, and bring financial clarity to every strategic decision — whether that's pricing, hiring, or pitching to Octopus, Notion, LocalGlobe, or Episode 1.
Most engagements are hybrid: 1 day a fortnight on-site (board day or leadership offsite), the rest remote. The model works the same whether you're in King's Cross, Old Street, Soho, Farringdon, White City, Canary Wharf, or Stratford. For founders elsewhere in the UK, see fractional CFO across the UK.
What a London Fractional CFO Does for Your SaaS Business
Senior financial leadership across every area that matters for a London SaaS or tech founder.
Financial Strategy & Planning
Building your financial model, setting meaningful KPIs, creating budgets tied to your growth plan, and running scenario analysis. Built for the way London VCs (Octopus, Notion, LocalGlobe, Episode 1, Northzone) interrogate the numbers.
Cash Flow Forecasting & Management
Cash kills more London SaaS startups than bad products. I build 13-week cash forecasts, manage burn rate, and time fundraising against the cash gap created by HMRC VAT and PAYE cycles, plus the typical 4-8 week R&D tax credit lag.
Fundraising & Investor Relations
Whether you're raising a London SEIS round, Seed, or Series A, I build the data room, prepare investor-ready financials, model your unit economics, and join investor calls. I know how London VCs price UK SaaS rounds and where the typical UK-vs-US multiple gap shows up.
Management Accounts & Board Packs
Monthly management accounts that actually tell you something useful. Not just a P&L and balance sheet — SaaS metrics like MRR, churn, LTV:CAC, and net revenue retention, presented for a London-based board day.
Exit Planning & Valuation
If you're thinking about an exit to a London or US acquirer in the next 12-24 months, now is when the financial preparation starts. Clean accounts under FRS 102, defensible UK SaaS valuation comparables, and a narrative buyers trust.
Built for the London Fundraise
London is the deepest SaaS funding market in Europe. ScaleWithCFO has supported fundraises with founders pitching to all the major London VCs and angel networks. Each fund has a slightly different lens on the financial model — deal velocity, ARR multiples, gross margin expectations, burn discipline. I'll know what each one wants before we start prepping.
London SaaS & Tech Clusters
Hybrid engagements across the main London tech clusters. On-site days happen wherever you work; remote days happen wherever I work. No travel charges, no day rates.
How the Engagement Works
Fixed monthly retainer, not day rates. Month-to-month with 30-day notice. Pricing is scoped in writing after the discovery call, NDA, and access to your financials — once we understand the actual scope of work.
A typical London engagement: weekly or bi-weekly financial review calls, monthly board pack, 1 on-site day a fortnight, on-demand advice between scheduled calls, and warm introductions to London-based accountants, R&D tax credit advisors, and banking partners (Silicon Valley Bank UK, HSBC Innovation, Allica, Tide).
Fractional vs Full-Time London CFO
Fractional CFO London
- £2K–£8K monthly retainer
- 1–3 days per week, scales with need
- Operational from day one
- No equity, no benefits, no NDA risk
- Month-to-month, 30-day notice
Full-Time London CFO
- £150K–£250K base + 1–5% equity
- Full-time, fixed cost regardless of workload
- 3–6 month recruitment + 3 month notice + 3 month onboarding
- Recruiter fee 20–25% of salary
- 12+ month commitment, mis-hire risk at senior level
Frequently Asked Questions
Most London-based SaaS founders find a fractional CFO via referral from their accountant, lawyer, or VC, or via LinkedIn search for CIMA / ACA qualified CFOs with SaaS experience. Look for a CFO who has done at least 5 UK SaaS engagements, can show client references, and has a clear point of view on London-specific items: SEIS/EIS, R&D tax credit, Tech Nation legacy programmes, and the local VC landscape (Octopus, Notion, LocalGlobe, Episode 1).
London fractional CFO retainers typically run from £2,000 to £8,000 per month depending on scope and intensity. The lower end covers monthly board pack and cash flow forecasting (~1-2 days/month). The upper end covers active fundraise or exit support (3-5 days/month). Fixed monthly retainers are standard, not day rates.
Hybrid is the norm. Most London fractional CFO engagements are 1 day a fortnight on-site (typically board day or leadership offsite), with the rest of the work done remotely. For founders in London, on-site is easy. For founders elsewhere in the UK, the model is the same but more weighted to remote.
All of Greater London, with a focus on the SaaS and tech clusters: King's Cross / Granary Square, Old Street / Shoreditch, Soho, Farringdon, White City, Canary Wharf, and Stratford. Most engagements are hybrid (1-2 days on-site per month).
Yes. ScaleWithCFO has supported fundraises with founders pitching to London-based VCs and angel networks including Octopus Ventures, Notion Capital, LocalGlobe, Episode 1, Northzone, Seedcamp, AngelList UK syndicates, and various Tech Nation alumni angel groups. We know what each fund typically looks for in the financial model.
London SaaS multiples have been tracking BVCA / Beauhurst data: 8-15x ARR for early-stage with strong PMF, 12-20x ARR for growth stage at 100%+ YoY, dropping to 4-6x ARR for sub-30% growth. Generally 15-25% below comparable US deals for the same stage and growth profile.
Ready to bring CFO-level thinking to your London SaaS business?
Free 30-minute discovery call. London on-site or remote — your choice.