AICPA names winners in startup accelerator competition

Three winners have been named by a startup accelerator sponsored by the Association of International Certified Professional Accountants and CPA.com.

Winner Gappify is a San Francisco company that uses bot technology – “dubbed Alan” – to automate time-consuming, repetitive tasks for corporate accounting teams in areas such as accounts receivable, accounts payable and general ledger.

Client Hub is based in Gainesville, Fla., and provides a communications platform for accountants and clients through an all-in-one workspace and mobile app, aimed at eliminating the need for email conversations and easing the delivery of critical data.

Finally Dryrun, based in Canada, make a cash flow solution, cash flow being one of the most critical pieces of information for small businesses.

AL POWERS

“The value proposition for these companies is they get access to insights from senior leaders of the Association and CPA.com, as well as a panel of distinguished advisors with deep ties to the accounting profession,” said Lawson Carmichael, chief operating officer of the Association. “And for us, the program keeps us connected to front-line innovation.”

Each winner will be given the opportunity to present information about their company in June at AICPA ENGAGE, the American Institute of CPAs’ annual educational and networking conference (the Association of International Certified Professional Accountants is a joint venture between the AICPA and the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants, a professional member organization for U.K.-based accountants). They will also get a nominal funding investment and guidance from a panel of experts in the profession on marketplace needs.

The startup accelerator was set up two years ago to promote innovation in the accounting profession and give the Association and CPA.com more visibility into disruptive trends from emerging technologies.

“Early-stage technology companies are driving great innovation and new capabilities for the CPA profession,” said Erik Asgeirsson, president and CEO of CPA.com, the technology subsidiary of the AICPA. “We got great feedback from our first class of companies last year, and we expect to build on our progress with this current group of innovative startups.”