AI startup accountant UK
NDCA is an accountant for AI startups across the UK, from pre-seed teams to funded companies training their own models. We handle R&D relief, USD compute costs, EMI options, SEIS/EIS and investor-ready numbers, on a fixed monthly fee.
In short: NDCA is an ACCA-regulated accountancy practice for UK AI startups. We handle bookkeeping, payroll, VAT on digital services, Corporation Tax and monthly management accounts for founders and investors. Your agreed services are covered by one fixed monthly fee, with a named accountant who knows your numbers.
What NDCA clients say
Verified Google reviews from NDCA clients.
In short: NDCA is an ACCA-regulated accountancy practice for UK AI startups. We handle bookkeeping, payroll, VAT on digital services, Corporation Tax and monthly management accounts for founders and investors. Your agreed services are covered by one fixed monthly fee, with a named accountant who knows your numbers.
What we handle for AI startups
AI companies have a cost structure and risk profile that generic accountants rarely get right.
R&D tax relief
Using or fine-tuning an existing model does not automatically qualify as R&D. The key question is genuine technological uncertainty not readily resolved by a competent professional, and first-time claimants may need to submit a claim notification within the relevant deadline. We help identify qualifying work, document it as it happens and prepare or support the claim.
AI compute costs
AI compute can be one of the largest and most variable costs in the business, often billed in USD by providers such as OpenAI, Anthropic, AWS and Google Cloud. We track it separately from general hosting for a clearer view of gross margin, and handle the FX and VAT treatment.
EMI options and cap table
EMI gives qualifying employees meaningful equity alongside a lower salary. It needs an option agreement, HMRC valuation where relevant, notification to HMRC by 6 July after the end of the tax year of grant and annual EMI returns.
Fundraising and SEIS/EIS
Where your company meets the relevant conditions, NDCA can support SEIS/EIS advance assurance and the associated compliance process, which matters for investor confidence as much as the relief itself.
Investor-ready numbers
Your statutory accounts tell you what happened. Your management accounts should help you decide what happens next: cash balance, burn, runway, revenue, gross margin and deferred revenue.
See our full accountant for UK tech, SaaS and AI businesses page for how we work with the wider tech sector.
Support at every stage
What matters most changes as the business grows.
Pre-revenue: coding compute and data costs from the first invoice, so R&D and gross margin figures exist when you need them.
First customers: separating inference costs from general hosting, and pricing usage-based plans on real unit costs.
Fundraising: SEIS/EIS advance assurance, clean records for due diligence and runway modelled against your compute commitments.
Scaling: payroll and EMI options for early hires, multi-currency supplier bills and VAT on sales to overseas customers.
VAT and costs for AI startups
UK VAT registration is generally required when your taxable turnover exceeds £90,000 in a rolling 12-month period, or where you expect it to in the next 30 days. See our VAT returns page for more detail.
AI startups often deal with overseas customers, digital services and cloud costs, which can affect VAT place of supply and reverse charge rules. We keep this correct and file under Making Tax Digital.
Business costs may be allowable where they meet the relevant tax rules and are incurred for the purposes of the trade, such as cloud hosting, AI APIs, developer tools, contractor costs and salaries. Only the business element of mixed-use items may be allowable.
Most of this sits in USD: OpenAI and Anthropic API bills, AWS invoices and often US-based investment too. We handle the FX and code R&D-related costs to the right project.
Get in touch with an accountant for AI startups UK who already understands compute costs, R&D claims and cross-border billing.
How NDCA works
What you can expect:
You get a named accountant who understands the numbers behind your AI business, on a fixed monthly fee agreed up front covering bookkeeping, VAT, payroll and year-end work, with a direct point of contact who normally replies the same day.
NDCA is an ACCA-regulated practice on Xero, working remotely with AI and technology businesses across the UK, wherever your business is based, on bookkeeping, VAT, year-end accounts, Corporation Tax, R&D claims and EMI compliance.
The software we use: Xero and Apron
Xero is the system everything runs through: bank feeds for multi-currency compute bills, VAT under Making Tax Digital and clean records from day one.
Running on Xero gives cleaner bookkeeping, better visibility over cash and gross margin, proper multi-currency accounting for USD compute bills and easier reconciliation. Apron keeps AWS, OpenAI and Anthropic invoices organised and coded correctly.
Compute costs and R&D claims keeping you up at night?
Compute bills in USD, R&D costs to track, EMI options to keep on top of. We handle it, on one fixed monthly fee.
Reviews
Discover why businesses trust us for dependable accounting services and practical financial advice.
What NDCA clients say
We work with businesses across the UK and beyond, delivering results that speak for themselves. Browse our reviews to see the impact we have made, and if you have worked with us, we would love for you to leave a review on Google
Switching from another accountant
Switching is simpler than most founders expect.
1. You approve the engagement.
2. NDCA requests professional clearance from your existing accountant.
3. We collect the relevant records.
4. We transfer or set up your systems, including Xero and Apron.
5. We take over your ongoing accounting and tax work.
How long it takes depends mainly on how quickly your previous accountant sends the records across, and we keep you updated throughout.
AI startup accounting FAQs
Yes. We cover the full EMI process, from set-up and HMRC notification to annual returns and the tax position when options are exercised or sold.
Yes, for companies that qualify. We support the advance assurance application and the compliance that follows a funding round.
Bookkeeping, VAT, payroll and year-end accounts on Xero, plus R&D claims, EMI compliance, USD compute costs and SEIS/EIS, all for one fixed monthly fee.
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Ready to get your accounts under control?
One accountant for your bookkeeping, tax and R&D claims, on a fixed monthly fee.
