South African startup Fintura is seeking to transform accounting across emerging markets with an AI-powered, all-in-one platform designed to replace the patchwork of fragmented tools currently used by most accountants.
The company says its system, integrating nine core functions from payroll and taxation to practice management and HR, can help firms save over 10 hours a week and reduce compliance risks.
“Our AI assistant, Hank, automates up to 85 percent of accountants’ daily admin, connects directly with regulators like CIPC and SARS, and allows firms to complete end-to-end tasks without leaving the platform,” said co-founder Reece Bailey.
Tackling Africa’s compliance headache
For many accountants in Africa, managing clients means juggling disconnected systems, bookkeeping on one app, payroll on another, and compliance tracking somewhere else.
That fragmentation often leads to missed deadlines, fines, and lost billable hours. Fintura’s CEO, Bernice Christine Houy, who ran her own practice for five years, says she experienced this inefficiency firsthand.
“Most accountants in Africa are forced into a patchwork of tools that don’t talk to each other or connect with regulators. We’re solving that pain point with localisation and integration,” Houy explained.
Differentiation through localization
Rather than competing head-on with established platforms such as Xero, Sage, or SimplePay, Fintura positions itself as an enhancer.
“Our differentiation is localization and integration,” Bailey said. “We connect directly to bodies like CIPC and SARS, so accountants can manage everything in one place. That’s where the incumbents fall short.”
This approach, the founders argue, allows accountants not only to stay compliant but to focus on higher-value advisory work.
Early traction and global recognition
Though launched only this year, Fintura has already signed 15 accounting firms, bringing over 1,500 client organisations onto the platform.
The startup reports that early adopters save more than 10 hours per week while reducing compliance risks, with month-on-month growth in adoption.
This momentum helped Fintura clinch the South African Startup World Cup, securing a place in the global finals in San Francisco where it will compete for a $1 million investment.
“This recognition validates our model and positions us for international exposure,” Bailey said.
Funding and future expansion
Currently in a pre-seed round with backing from investors such as Clive Butkow, Fintura is prioritizing deeper AI integration into workflows and completing its core suite for practice management, statutory filings, and taxation.
Looking ahead, the company is eyeing expansion into Kenya and Ghana, markets with rapidly digitizing compliance systems but limited localized solutions.
“Our expansion strategy is to enter markets where compliance localisation is a barrier for global tools,” Bailey said.
Fintura’s subscription model, billed per organisation and per client, allows accountants to start small and scale as they grow.
What This Means for Africa’s Economic Growth
Fintura’s AI-driven accounting platform, according to experts, could play a pivotal role in Africa’s economic growth by helping small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), which account for up to 90 percent of jobs in some countries, transition from the informal to the formal economy through streamlined compliance and reporting.
By reducing penalties, saving accountants over 10 hours a week, and integrating directly with tax authorities, the platform lowers the cost of doing business, frees resources for expansion, and supports job creation.
At the same time, its localization features, as maintained, can improve government tax collection and fiscal stability, making it not just a tool for accountants but a catalyst for digital transformation and economic resilience across African markets.
Talking Points
Fintura marks a significant shift in how Africa’s professional services adapt to a digital-first economy.
Its strength lies not only in AI-driven efficiency, cutting administrative hours and reducing compliance risks, but in localization that connects directly with regulators, a gap global incumbents often miss.
Still, key questions remain around scalability: can it sustain seamless integrations in markets like Kenya and Ghana where infrastructure and regulatory systems differ?
Even so, Fintura is more than software; it is laying the groundwork for greater financial transparency, SME formalization, and improved state revenue collection, making it one of the most consequential early-stage ventures to watch in Africa’s tech ecosystem.
