Startup & Tech CPAs in San Jose, CA
Cadence is the finance team behind Silicon Valley founders — R&D credits, QSBS, clean cap tables, and investor-ready books. We speak founder and move at startup speed.
The Finance Team Founders Actually Want
Startup-fluent CPAs who get equity, R&D, and runway — not a generalist learning on your dime.
R&D Credits That Fund Runway
We find and claim the R&D tax credits most accountants miss — real cash back that extends your runway.
Equity & QSBS Done Early
Founder equity, 83(b), and QSBS planning handled from the start, so an exit doesn't come with a tax shock.
Startup Speed
We move like you do — fast, async, and Slack-friendly. No waiting a week for a call back at fundraise crunch time.
Investor-Ready Books
Clean, GAAP-aware financials and a tidy cap table that sail through diligence and impress your lead.
Everything a Startup Needs From Finance
🚀 Startup-Fluent CPAs ✓ R&D · QSBS · Equity ⚡ Founder Speed
Founder-Fluent Finance
Cadence was started in 2017 by CPAs who were tired of watching brilliant founders get generic accounting advice that ignored the things that actually matter in a startup: R&D credits, equity, QSBS, burn, and a cap table that won't blow up diligence.
We do finance for startups and only startups. That focus means we've seen your situation a hundred times — the seed round, the R&D study, the 83(b) deadline, the first key hire's equity grant. In nine years we've served 300+ Valley startups and claimed over $40M in R&D credits. We're the finance team you'd hire if you could — fast, fluent, and genuinely in your corner from formation to exit.
- ✓Startups only — deep founder fluency
- ✓R&D, QSBS, equity & cap table
- ✓Async, fast, Slack-friendly
- ✓300+ startups · $40M+ R&D claimed
Finance for Every Stage
The right move at each step — so nothing costly gets missed along the way.
Formation
Delaware C-Corp, 83(b) elections, and a clean cap table from day one — the foundation investors expect.
Build
R&D credit studies, startup accounting, and burn tracking that turn your engineering spend into cash back and clarity.
Raise
Investor-ready books, financial models, and diligence support that help you close your round faster and cleaner.
Scale & Exit
Equity and QSBS planning, multi-state tax, and the strategy that protects your upside when the exit comes.
Loved by Valley Founders
Cadence found us $180K in R&D tax credits our old accountant never mentioned — that's runway. They speak founder, move at startup speed, and actually get equity and QSBS.
They set up our Delaware C-Corp, cleaned up the cap table, and had our books investor-ready before our seed round. Our lead VC's diligence team said our financials were the cleanest they'd seen.
QSBS planning alone will save my co-founders and me a fortune when we exit. Cadence explained it early, structured it right, and we'll never have to think 'I wish we'd known.'
As a first-time founder I had no idea what I didn't know about startup finance. Cadence is like having a fractional CFO who's seen a hundred startups. Worth every penny.
Turn Your Burn Into Cash Back
If your startup is building a product, you're probably leaving money on the table. The federal R&D tax credit lets you claim a percentage of your engineering and product spend back — and early-stage companies can even offset payroll taxes with it. Most generalist accountants either don't do the study or do it timidly. We run a rigorous, defensible R&D study that maximizes your credit and adds real months to your runway.
- ✓Federal & state R&D credit studies
- ✓Payroll-tax offset for early startups
- ✓Rigorous and audit-defensible
Frequently Asked Questions
We're pre-revenue. Can we still get R&D tax credits?
Yes — this is one of the most valuable things pre-revenue startups miss. Qualified small businesses can use the federal R&D credit to offset up to $500,000 of payroll taxes per year, which means real cash back even before you're profitable. We run the study and handle the filing.
What is QSBS and why should I care now?
Qualified Small Business Stock (QSBS) can let founders and early shareholders exclude a large amount of capital gains — potentially millions — when you sell, but only if the stock qualifies and you've held it long enough. The planning has to happen early, which is exactly why we bring it up at formation, not at exit.
Do you help with fundraising and diligence?
Absolutely. We get your books investor-ready, help build your financial model, keep your cap table clean, and support your accounting diligence during a round. Clean financials speed up closes and build investor confidence.
Can you set up our Delaware C-Corp and cap table?
Yes. We handle formation the way investors expect — Delaware C-Corp, founder equity with 83(b) elections, and a clean cap table — so you start on a foundation that won't create problems in your first raise.
How do you work — are you fast?
We work at startup speed: async, Slack-friendly, and responsive. We know a fundraise or a board deadline can't wait a week for a callback, and we staff accordingly. Founder speed is part of the product.
What does it cost?
Most startups are on a flat monthly plan scoped to their stage, plus project fees for things like an R&D study or a fundraise. Everything's quoted up front. Given what a single missed R&D credit or QSBS misstep can cost, we tend to pay for ourselves quickly.
Getting Started
From intro call to founder-fluent finance, fast.
Intro Call
Tell us your stage and stack. We map the credits, filings, and planning that matter for you right now.
Onboard
We clean up your books and cap table, run any R&D study, and get everything investor-ready.
Run With You
Ongoing accounting, tax, and strategy at founder speed — from your next raise to your exit.
Ready for Finance That Speaks Founder?
Book a call and see how much R&D credit and runway Cadence can find for your startup.
Book an Intro Call
Tell us about your startup and we'll show you the credits and cleanup that matter first.