Skalar, the Munich-based start-up on an AI community-built tax and accounting firm, has raised €12 million in pre-seed+ & seed funding. The round was co-led by Headline along with other investors futurepresent, QED Investors, Repeat, MS&AD, and Foreword as well as some angel investors.
Founded in 2025 by Björn Goß, Niklas Wagener, Florian Lang, Martin Gugel, and Christian Pötter and officially launched in 2026. Skalar, which has not disclosed the size of its team
Prior to the company, Goß sold digital wallet platform Stocard in a nine-figure deal to Klarna back in 2021. Following the purchase, he worked at a tax advisory company to get closer to what challenges people in the industry face. His experience in those areas convinced him that the largest problems within the sector would not be solved by building better accounting software. Instead, he chose to build a company where engineering is woven into every aspect of the business from day one.
Unlike many companies in the growing tax technology market, Skalar has a different operating model. Rather than selling software to accounting firms, it sells tax services directly to clients. Businesses link financial systems, creating a channel to Skalar's platform, where tax pros connect with automated tools for accounting and filings. The firm is equally responsible for servicing the clients, regulatory compliance, and filing.
Goß believes the accounting industry needs a complete redesign rather than small improvements to existing systems. According to him, technology will create new businesses that replace outdated operating models instead of simply supporting them.
Jonathan Becker, General Partner at Headline, shared a similar view, saying many companies are adding new technology to old systems without fixing the deeper issues affecting the accounting industry. He believes rebuilding the business model offers a stronger long-term solution.
Skalar is entering an increasingly crowded space, where other startups are approaching solving the same problem in alternate ways. Basis has raised $100 million at a valuation of $1.15 billion and Accrual took home $75 million in funding. While both companies offer software that deepens the efficiency of accounting firms, Skalar offers direct services under its own name, whereas both solutions from Footnote and Figjam remain in the background for clients.
The continuing shortage of accountants means there is plenty of room for new businesses to enter the industry. American Institute of CPAs estimates that more than 300,000 accountants and auditors have departed the profession in the past three years, a similar situation is taking place as graduating appliers for an accounting degree are dwindling to record lows for nearly two decades.
Industry data provided to Skalar indicates that more than 30% of tax advisors in Germany are over the age of 61, and many plan to retire in the next few years. Company research suggests that 74% of accounting firms are unable to take on additional clients due to not having enough staff.
Companies that have already introduced automation into areas of their own work are saying Skalar's platform has raised productivity levels. The company stated that now one tax expert can handle over 100 clients, compared with approximately 20 clients before. The figures have not been independently verified, but it also says it processed over 1,000 client requests in its first three months of business.
The new accounting solutions are illustrated by the global tax technology market which was estimated to turn over $20.8 billion in 2025 and is projected to be worth between $60.7 billion (2034) across the world economy.
With new funding under its belt, Skalar plans to further develop its platform and diversify its offering as it competes with existing software providers and faster growing startups in the tax technology space.
