What is a fractional CFO?

A fractional CFO is an experienced chief financial officer who works with your business on a part-time, flexible basis — providing the same strategic financial leadership as a full-time CFO, but without the cost or commitment of a permanent hire. They own your financial strategy, attend board meetings, manage investor relationships, and drive financial decision-making, typically working a set number of days per month.

How much does a fractional CFO cost?

Fractional CFO fees typically range from $2,000 to $7,500+ per day depending on experience and scope, or from $5,000 to $20,000+ per month for ongoing engagements. This compares favorably to a full-time CFO salary of $250,000–$500,000 per year plus benefits and equity — making fractional CFO services a cost-effective option for growth-stage SaaS companies that need senior financial leadership without a permanent hire.

When should a startup or SME hire a fractional CFO?

Most businesses benefit from a fractional CFO when they are preparing for a fundraising round, experiencing rapid growth that requires more rigorous financial planning, preparing for an exit or M&A process, operating across multiple jurisdictions, or when the CEO or founder is spending too much time on financial matters. Typically this is at a revenue stage of $1M–$20M ARR, though earlier-stage businesses approaching Series A also benefit significantly.

Can a fractional CFO help with fundraising?

Yes. Fundraising support is one of the most common reasons businesses engage a fractional CFO. This includes building the investor financial model, structuring the equity narrative, managing the data room, running financial due diligence responses, modelling dilution and cap table scenarios, and managing investor communications through to close. An experienced fractional CFO who has raised capital before — from both sides of the table — adds significant credibility and speed to any fundraising process.

What is the difference between a fractional CFO and a bookkeeper or accountant?

A bookkeeper records transactions and reconciles accounts. An accountant produces statutory accounts, handles tax compliance, and may provide some management accounts. A fractional CFO operates at a strategic level — interpreting the numbers to drive business decisions, building financial models, managing investors, designing KPI frameworks, leading fundraises, and owning the financial strategy of the business. They are typically used alongside, not instead of, your existing accountant.

Do you work with businesses outside the UK?

Yes. Cognos Advisory works with PE/VC-backed growth companies across the UK, EU, US, Singapore, Australia, and Hong Kong. Our team has directly managed finance operations in these jurisdictions and has experience with IFRS, US GAAP, and SFRS — as well as multi-entity group structures and international grant programmes.

Fractional CFO for SaaS Founders · US · UK · EU · APAC

You're building a SaaS company.
Stop doing
the CFO's job.

Cognos Advisory gives growth-stage SaaS founders CFO-grade financial leadership — investor readiness, board reporting, fundraising support, and runway visibility — without the cost or commitment of a full-time hire.

Tell Us Where You're Stuck Book a 30-min Call

$70M+

Capital Raised

$50M ARR

ARR Scaled to Exit

25+

Years in Finance

Exit Transactions Led

Capital Raised

$70M+

Across equity & grants

Senior-led, always

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What We Do

The CFO capability your
SaaS company needs — right now

Most growth-stage SaaS companies are making critical financial decisions without the senior expertise to back them. We change that — embedding directly with your team, without the cost or equity dilution of a full-time hire.

01 Fractional CFO

Senior financial leadership,
embedded in your team

Board meetings, investor reporting, financial strategy — without the full-time salary, equity dilution, or long-term commitment.

Financial strategy & long-range planning
Board pack preparation & investor reporting
Finance function design & team oversight
Cash flow management & runway modelling
Audit readiness, financial reporting & compliance
Multi-jurisdiction oversight (US, UK, EU, APAC)

Explore Fractional CFO

02 FP&A

Replace gut feel with
genuine financial clarity

Models, dashboards, and reporting frameworks that give leadership and investors the confidence to back every major decision.

12–24 month forecasting & scenario modelling
Annual budget process & board approval
KPI frameworks & operating dashboards
Variance analysis & management commentary
Investor-ready monthly reporting packs
Unit economics for SaaS & subscription models

Explore FP&A

03 Fundraising

Know what investors scrutinize —
and how to present it

Having raised $70M+ across equity rounds, grants and structured financing — and reported to KKR, Apollo, Warburg Pincus — we know how serious investors think.

Investor-ready financial model build & narrative
Data room management & financial due diligence
Cap table modelling & dilution analysis
Series A / B readiness — metrics, story, structure
Ongoing investor reporting & communications
Exit planning, M&A support & financial DD

Explore Fundraising

Tools & Templates

Practical tools built for
SaaS companies at your stage

Deployable in days. Built around the metrics and reporting processes US Series A and B investors expect to see. All available now — request any template directly.

Financial Health

CFO Diagnostic

A structured, scored assessment that benchmarks your finance function against PE-grade standards across people, process, systems, and controls — with a prioritised action plan.

Available now Request template →

FP&A

Cash Forecast Model

A formula-driven 13-week cash flow and 12-month P&L model, built to work from data exported out of Xero, NetSuite, or QBO — update your assumptions and it recalculates automatically.

Available now Request template →

Investor Ready

Board & Investor Pack Template

A structured, board-ready monthly reporting template — built to turn your financials and narrative into an investor-grade pack in a fraction of the time.

Available now Request template →

Fundraising

Fundraise Readiness Scorecard

A scored self-assessment across financial model, data room, and cap table readiness — benchmarked against what investors expect at each funding stage.

Available now Request template →

Compliance

Compliance & Governance Checklist

A scored checklist covering governance, controls, and regulatory reporting obligations — built for regulated and professional-services businesses.

Available now Request template →

Unit Economics

SaaS Metrics Dashboard

Automated tracking of ARR, MRR, churn, LTV, CAC, and NRR — the metrics that drive valuations in SaaS and subscription businesses.

Coming soon

Track Record

Experience that spans
stages, sectors & continents

25+ years of commercial CFO experience across PE and VC-backed SaaS, legal-tech, and technology businesses — Series A through exit. FCCA-qualified, formerly FCA Senior Manager, with direct finance operations across the US, UK, EU, Singapore, and APAC.

FCCA Prev. FCA Senior Manager (SMF) US GAAP · IFRS · SFRS NetSuite · Xero · SAP

$70M+

Capital raised across equity rounds, innovation grants & structured financing (UK, EU, US, AUS)

$5→50M

ARR scaled at a PE-backed SaaS business, with EBITDA margins expanded from ~10% to ~40%, exited to a US acquirer

Exit transactions led across PE-backed tech, SaaS, and professional services businesses — from MBO to trade sale

Countries with direct finance operations managed: UK, Ireland, US, EU, Australia, Singapore/APAC, HK

Sectors with direct CFO or senior finance experience

SaaS & AI/Tech Legal-Tech Health & Life Sciences MedTech Robotics EdTech Strategic Consultancy Retail & eCommerce Hospitality & Leisure Regulated Industries Not-for-Profit Sports & Entertainment

PE & VC Relationships

Institutions partnered with, reported to, or raised capital from:

KKR

Apollo Global Management

Warburg Pincus

CVC Capital Partners

Hg Capital

Apax Partners

Bridgepoint

Cinven

Temasek

Northzone

Conor Venture Partners

Global Reach

Operating where
your business is

Direct CFO and finance leadership across five markets — not remote advice, but hands-on in-country experience across regulation, reporting, capital, and operations.

🇺🇸United States

US &
North America

US GAAP reporting & multi-entity consolidation
Series A / B readiness for US-led rounds
PE & growth equity investor relations
M&A integration & trade sale to US acquirers

🇬🇧United Kingdom

London &
the UK

PE/VC-backed CFO across SaaS, legal-tech & AI
Prev. FCA Senior Manager — regulated finance
UK GAAP, IFRS, statutory filing & audit
Exit planning & trade sale to US acquirer

🇸🇬Singapore & APAC

Singapore
& APAC

SFRS reporting & multi-entity APAC structures
SG, AU, HK entities managed directly
Temasek & regional VC relationships
Transfer pricing & cross-border treasury

🇪🇺European Union

Europe &
the EU

IFRS consolidation across UK, Ireland & EU
EU innovation grants (Horizon, EIC)
CVC, Apax, Bridgepoint PE relationships
Multi-currency treasury — EUR, GBP, USD, SGD

🌍MENA

MENA &
the Gulf

GCC market-entry & cross-border structuring
In-country finance stand-up (Qatar delivered)
Multi-jurisdiction compliance & regulatory nav

Who We Work With

Built for one kind of company.
Yours.

SaaS & Subscription

$1M–$20M ARR, preparing for Series A or B. You have revenue, you have traction — but the finance function hasn't kept pace with the business.

Legal-Tech & AI Companies

Regulated or semi-regulated, often cross-border, with complex pricing and investor expectations. We know the sector from the inside.

Founders Approaching a Raise

6–12 months from a US-led funding round. You need the model built properly, the data room in order, and someone who's sat across the table from institutional investors.

PE & VC-Backed Businesses

Post-investment, with board reporting obligations and investors who expect rigour. We've been the CFO in these environments — we know what your board expects.

US Companies with UK/EU Operations

US-headquartered but operating across multiple jurisdictions. We manage the cross-border complexity so you don't have to.

Companies Planning to Exit

Preparing for a trade sale or strategic transaction. We've led four exits — we know how to structure the finance function to maximise value and survive due diligence.

How We Work — Operational from week one

01 Finance Diagnostic

Identify gaps vs. PE-grade standards. Prioritise quick wins.

02 Scoped Engagement

Project or ongoing fractional days — agreed together, adjusted as you grow.

03 Embed & Deliver

Board meetings, investor calls, finance deliverables — owned, not reviewed from outside.

04 Build & Automate

Smarter models, cleaner reporting, AI-enabled processes — value that compounds.

Client Perspectives

What clients say

We were six weeks from a Series A close with holes in our financial model that we hadn't seen. The data room was restructured, the model was rebuilt, and we got the deal done. I don't think we would have without that support.

Founder & CEO B2B SaaS · Series A · US

Our board pack went from a spreadsheet and a few slides to something that looked like it came from a PE-backed business. Our US investors noticed immediately — and so did the board. It changed the quality of the conversation entirely.

CEO & Co-Founder Legal-Tech · VC-backed · US & UK

We needed someone who understood what institutional investors actually look for — not just clean accounts, but the narrative behind the numbers. That's exactly what we got. The fundraise closed at the top of our target range.

Managing Director SaaS · Series B · US-led round

Get in Touch

Tell us where
you're stuck

Whether you're six weeks from a Series A, burning cash faster than planned, or just can't get your board pack to tell a clear story — tell us what's going on and we'll tell you if we can help.

We work with SaaS founders across the US, UK, EU, Singapore, Australia, and Hong Kong — remotely and in person.

hello@cognosadvisory.com

Response within one business day

San Diego, CA & London, UK — working globally

US, UK & international clients served

Send a message

Prefer to talk now? Book a 30-min call directly →

You're building a SaaS company.
Stop doing
the CFO's job.

The CFO capability your
SaaS company needs — right now

Senior financial leadership,
embedded in your team

Replace gut feel with
genuine financial clarity

Know what investors scrutinize —
and how to present it

Practical tools built for
SaaS companies at your stage

CFO Diagnostic

Cash Forecast Model

Board & Investor Pack Template

Fundraise Readiness Scorecard

Compliance & Governance Checklist

SaaS Metrics Dashboard

Experience that spans
stages, sectors & continents

Operating where
your business is

US &
North America

London &
the UK

Singapore
& APAC

Europe &
the EU

MENA &
the Gulf

Built for one kind of company.
Yours.

SaaS & Subscription

Legal-Tech & AI Companies

Founders Approaching a Raise

PE & VC-Backed Businesses

US Companies with UK/EU Operations

Companies Planning to Exit

Not sure if you need a fractional CFO?
Tell us what's going on. We'll be straight with you.

What clients say

CFO Thinking for Growth Companies

The SaaS Metrics That Actually Matter to Series A Investors

Series A in 2026: What US Investors Now Expect

What is a Fractional CFO? A Practical Guide

Tell us where
you're stuck

You're building a SaaS company.Stop doingthe CFO's job.

The CFO capability yourSaaS company needs — right now

Senior financial leadership,embedded in your team

Replace gut feel withgenuine financial clarity

Know what investors scrutinize —and how to present it

Practical tools built forSaaS companies at your stage

CFO Diagnostic

Cash Forecast Model

Board & Investor Pack Template

Fundraise Readiness Scorecard

Compliance & Governance Checklist

SaaS Metrics Dashboard

Experience that spansstages, sectors & continents

Operating whereyour business is

US &North America

London &the UK

Singapore& APAC

Europe &the EU

MENA &the Gulf

Built for one kind of company.Yours.

SaaS & Subscription

Legal-Tech & AI Companies

Founders Approaching a Raise

PE & VC-Backed Businesses

US Companies with UK/EU Operations

Companies Planning to Exit

Not sure if you need a fractional CFO?Tell us what's going on. We'll be straight with you.

What clients say

CFO Thinking for Growth Companies

The SaaS Metrics That Actually Matter to Series A Investors

Series A in 2026: What US Investors Now Expect

What is a Fractional CFO? A Practical Guide

Tell us whereyou're stuck

You're building a SaaS company.
Stop doing
the CFO's job.

The CFO capability your
SaaS company needs — right now

Senior financial leadership,
embedded in your team

Replace gut feel with
genuine financial clarity

Know what investors scrutinize —
and how to present it

Practical tools built for
SaaS companies at your stage

Experience that spans
stages, sectors & continents

Operating where
your business is

US &
North America

London &
the UK

Singapore
& APAC

Europe &
the EU

MENA &
the Gulf

Built for one kind of company.
Yours.

Not sure if you need a fractional CFO?
Tell us what's going on. We'll be straight with you.

Tell us where
you're stuck