Accounting for Startups: What Founders Need to Know
Accounting might not be the first thing you think about when building a startup - but the truth is, hidden finance mistakes can cost you funding rounds, create painful legal cleanups, or even put your business at risk.
What to expect
Join Novabook and HubSpot for Startups for a practical deep dive session with Ruben Portz (COO, Novabook) and Tom Kelly (Chartered Accountant & Chief of Staff, Novabook). Ruben and Tom will walk you through the most common financial pitfalls founders make - and the simple systems, hacks, and best practices to avoid them. With experience supporting 500+ startups (from incorporation through to scale and exit), they’ll share real-world insights and tactics that founders can implement immediately, including:
The filings and compliance steps founders miss (and why investors care).
Bookkeeping hacks that save hours and prevent costly mistakes.
VAT and payroll choices that can save thousands if you get them right.
Smart structures for handling cash, expenses, and R&D credits. Underrated tax-efficient hacks founders overlook.
Meet the Speakers
Ruben Portz is the COO at Novabook. Previously Head of Growth at Seneca Learning, he helped scale the company to its acquisition by GoStudent — and experienced first hand how accounting mistakes can become costly as you scale, and at the point of exit.
Tom Kelly is a Chartered Accountant and Chief of Staff at Novabook. After 5+ years at PwC, Tom now supports 300+ tech startups and scaleups at Novabook, ensuring their accounting is done right from the start.
Anna Gordon manages the HubSpot for Startups program for UK & Ireland. She's passionate about connecting startups with the right knowledge, tools and network needed to scale.
Holiday Giveaway! 🎁 🌲 🎉
As a holiday treat, one lucky winner who joins this webinar will win 2 x hospitality tickets to Fulham vs Nottingham Forest on the 22nd December.
To enter the draw, all you need to do is sign up and join our webinar. We will announce the winner in a post-webinar follow up and send the two tickets across.
About HubSpot for Startups
Through HubSpot for Startups, eligible companies can save 30-90% on the AI-powered CRM that 248,000 customers, including some of the fastest-growing startups, trust to increase leads, accelerate sales, and streamline customer service. Access HubSpot's free CRM through HubSpot for Startups here and access the discount if you decide to upgrade.
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.
Special Offer
Apply to HubSpot for Startups to access free resources from HubSpot & Novabook, including:
Free Fundraising Portal (to help you manage your Fundraising Process)
Financial Model Template (to build investor-ready forecasts with ease)
SEIS Advance Assurance Guide (to help you attract early investors)