CFO as a Service.
Finance leadership with the right modules.
Ongoing finance leadership without hiring a CFO: bookkeeping, controlling, reporting, planning and cash management as modules – for investor-backed startups and scale-ups as well as mid-sized companies.
In brief
Last updated: 14 October 2026
Finance as a Service is modular support for the finance function: bookkeeping, reporting, controlling, planning and cash management can be combined as needed. CFO as a Service adds ongoing finance leadership and communication with banks and investors. If you only need part-time finance leadership, see Fractional CFO. Scope, day rates and term are set out in the proposal; annual financial statements, special projects and system implementations are agreed separately.
Model: ongoing, part-time, modular – not a full-time CFO
Cost: the budget depends on role, day rate and agreed days. CFO support starts at EUR 1,800 per day excluding VAT; operational finance roles have their own day rates. The proposal reflects tasks, responsibility and capacity.
Services: bookkeeping, controlling and reporting, financial planning, liquidity, investor reporting, tools and processes
Track record: 350 projects, a team rather than a single person, nugrow GmbH in Bochum
Experience from 350 projects.
Which finance modules do you need?
Most companies start with two modules: a reliable monthly close with reporting, and a rolling cash plan. When a funding round, a bank meeting or an acquisition comes up, financial planning and investor reporting are added.
Your team and your tax adviser stay on board. We cover what is missing there and reduce the scope again once there is enough capacity in-house.
When is Finance as a Service useful?
Which companies this is for
The finance function looks different in every business model. These are the starting positions we meet most often – and what we work on in the first few weeks in each case.
SaaS & Software
Recurring revenue that the books do not represent cleanly. ARR, accruals and cohorts have to be defined before the next investor examines them.
Finance for SaaS companiesE-commerce & marketplaces
Several payment providers, several currencies and a reconciliation that takes too long. Contribution margin per channel and working capital belong in one view.
Finance for e-commerceB2B companies
Long sales cycles and project business: down payments, accruals and a plan that follows order intake rather than the calendar.
B2C & retail
The margin is made in the detail. Returns, discounts and logistics costs belong in the contribution margin calculation, otherwise it stays unclear what a sold product really brings in.
Agencies & service providers
Revenue sits in projects. Without project controlling and clean accruals, you only find out afterwards which engagement actually paid for itself.
CLIENT VOICES
What clients say about working with us
Real quotes from founders and managing directors, translated from German (originals on the German page). Some mention ScaleupLab – nugrow's former brand, same team, same company.
We have tackled several projects together with Sebastian and his team and have been working together since mid-2021. For medium- to long-term financial planning to optimise our business model, we brought in support for our financing documents and strategy, as well as for our pitch deck. Sebastian helped us with advice and hands-on work to make our financial planning more concrete, which supports our long-term strategic direction. We were also able to improve our EBIT. We can highly recommend working with Sebastian & nugrow.
Hannes Ott
TAKE A SHOT
Whether directly as CFO or as an adviser, Sebastian is a positive and proactive partner who really helped me. He finds the right approach for every startup and knows how best to put it into practice. I can only recommend him.
Raphael Fellmer
SirPlus
With his entrepreneurial background, Sebastian is a true expert and an experienced sparring partner in financial planning. His experience with tools is just as helpful as his DATEV knowledge and his understanding of what matters in investor conversations. Sebastian works as an equal and is always there with advice and support. What I also value highly: Sebastian gets to the point quickly and delivers very reliably.
Johannes Woithon
Orgavision
Our know-how
Our experience spans 350 projects, including interim mandates and consulting projects such as digitalising a finance department. This includes working with common finance tools, from accounting and controlling to reporting.
Which modules do you need – and which not?
Our Partners & Collaborations
We work with these partners and organisations.
CFO as a Service process
Initial consultation and needs assessment
The process starts with an initial consultation, in which we understand and analyze the specific needs and goals of your company. Based on this information, we develop an individual financial service plan that is tailored exactly to the requirements and challenges of your company.
Implementation of financial systems and processes
After defining the scope of services, we implement the necessary financial systems and processes. This includes implementing accounting software, setting up accounting frameworks, and integrating financial management tools specifically designed to help young companies grow.
Ongoing support and optimization
We offer continuous support and regular financial reviews to ensure the financial health of your business. Through ongoing advice and adaptive financial strategies, we help you to respond effectively to changes in the market and in your company development and always make optimal financial decisions.
Further reading
What CFO as a Service covers, when it pays off and where the line to other models runs.
Services and decision
- CFO as a Service: service modules and pricing models – which scope fits which company stage
- Interim CFO, CFO as a Service or a permanent hire? – the three models compared
- Fractional CFO, external CFO, part-time CFO – what the terms really mean
- What 3,372 pitch decks reveal about funding needs – from which round a finance function is needed
Glossary terms
- CFO as a Service – scope of services and how it differs from consulting
- Finance as a Service – the outsourced finance function from bookkeeping to planning
- Fractional CFO – ongoing part-time finance leadership instead of a full-time role
- Financial Modelling – building an integrated financial model
- Financial Due Diligence – review before an acquisition or investment
Frequently asked questions about CFO as a Service
What is CFO as a Service, and how does it differ from an interim CFO?
An interim CFO takes over finance leadership for a defined period, part-time or full-time. A fractional CFO or CFO as a Service supports ongoing finance leadership at the capacity required. At nugrow, both are budgeted using the agreed day rate and workload. Term and notice period are agreed contractually.
From what company size does the model pay off?
The result depends on day rate, workload and term. Compare the same period and capacity, including salary, employer costs, recruitment and vacancy costs. There is no fixed break-even threshold. The calculator on our pricing page makes these assumptions adjustable.
Which services are included and which are not?
We agree the modules required: bookkeeping, reporting and controlling, financial planning, cash management, investor communication, and processes and systems. Annual statements, special projects and system implementations are included only where explicitly agreed.
What does CFO as a Service cost?
CFO support at nugrow starts at EUR 1,800 per day, excluding VAT. Your budget is the agreed day rate multiplied by the agreed workload. Eight days, for example, cost EUR 14,400 excluding VAT. Scope, responsibilities and additional expenses are agreed in the proposal.
How quickly can we start working together?
The intro call is free and without obligation; after it you receive a proposal covering scope, day rate, workload and term. Where the need is acute, we propose first suitable profiles within 24 hours; the start follows within a few days. An orderly start that includes taking over bookkeeping and reporting normally needs two to four weeks of lead time.
What happens to our existing tax adviser?
They stay on board in almost every case. We work alongside the existing firm and take on the side it does not cover: steering, planning, reporting and the communication with investors and banks. Where ongoing bookkeeping is handed over as well, we agree the interfaces and the closing calendar with them beforehand.
How long does the contract run?
Billing follows the agreed day rate and workload. The proposal and contract define the term and notice period. Ongoing support can be adjusted by agreement as your requirements change.
Does the knowledge stay in the company when the engagement ends?
Only if it is contractually agreed. That is why documenting the processes, handing over the models and the reporting structures belong in the scope of work – not in the final week. If the need grows into a full-time position, the handover to your own hire can be planned step by step.
Read more: Day rates and workload · Service modules at a glance · Interim CFO, CFO as a Service or a permanent hire? · Twelve mandates at a glance · Case study: growth financing
Articles on steering and reporting
The 13-week liquidity forecast
How to build it, a template, and the typical mistakes that make a forecast useless.
Fast close
A monthly close in five days instead of three weeks: the levers, one by one.
Preparing for the bank meeting
Which documents and metrics are expected, and how the argument holds up.
All articles at a glance
Transactions, crisis and closing – sorted by topic.
Before you decide: Alternatives to a full-time CFO · How to find an interim CFO