Skills for Scale 03: Building a finance function for growth startups
How do you build a finance function that doesn’t slow you down as you grow?
Most startups outgrow spreadsheets before they realise it. Hiring too late, setting up the wrong systems, or skipping controls can quietly create chaos that only shows up when you’re fundraising, scaling, or trying to exit.
In this third edition of Skills for Scale workshop at IDEALondon, we’re teaming up with Novabook to break down what a “real” finance function looks like as startups move from Seed to Series B.
You’ll learn:
• What your finance setup should look like at each stage of growth
• When to hire your first finance person, and what role you actually need
• How to set up payroll, invoicing, reporting and approvals that don’t break
• The controls and audit prep founders always leave too late
• The common mistakes that slow teams down during scale
The session will include practical examples of how modern tools like Novabook plug into your existing stack.
About IDEALondon
This event is held at IDEALondon – a workspace and eventspace for early teams and operators in science and tech. Founded by UCL Engineering and managed by WilbeLAB, we're home to London’s most ambitious builders.
Learn more about our community, event space, and memberships.
About Novabook
Novabook is the accountant for startups, helping founders save time, money, and admin headaches so they can focus on growth. Their team of chartered accountants and engineers combines responsive service with powerful automation tools covering bookkeeping, payroll, VAT, R&D claims, and EMI valuations. Working with top UK startups, from early-stage to multi-million fundraises, they make accounting faster, smarter, and more affordable with AI features like Gmail syncing, batch requests, and automated receipt processing.