Accounting software for early-stage startups in Kenya

Money comes in through M-PESA paybill, bank transfer and the odd card payment, and goes out through founders' personal cards, SaaS subscriptions and casual staff. By the time someone reconciles it all, the cash figure you quoted an investor is three weeks stale — and you genuinely don't know how many months you have left.

VAT registration in Kenya is tied to taxable turnover of KES 5,000,000 in a twelve-month period. Startups grow in lumps — one big contract can move you over the line — and most founders only find out months later, after they've been invoicing without VAT and can't go back to clients to ask for it.

Your corporate customer asks for an eTIMS-compliant invoice so they can claim the expense, and suddenly your Word template isn't enough. Figuring out what has to flow to KRA, what your invoice must show, and how to keep it consistent every month is a real distraction from building the product.

Founders pay for things personally, take a photo, and promise to sort it later. At year end nobody can prove what was a business expense, so deductions get dropped, director loan accounts are a mess, and the accountant charges you for the clean-up.

Connect your accounts, import statements, and let Tallium AI categorise the flow of money in and out. Your dashboard shows cash on hand, burn and what's owed to you today — not after a month-end scramble. When an investor or a bank asks, you export a clean report in a couple of clicks.

Tallium AI totals your taxable turnover on a rolling basis so you can see how close you are to KES 5,000,000 before you get there, and plan registration and pricing deliberately. Once you're registered, VAT is applied on invoices automatically and your figures are summarised for the VAT3 return on iTax. Confirm current rules and your own registration position with KRA or a qualified local tax professional.

Raise branded invoices carrying your KRA PIN and the buyer's details, with correct VAT treatment per line, and keep the numbering and records consistent for eTIMS purposes. Payment reminders go out on their own, so chasing a late client isn't a founder's evening job. Confirm your specific eTIMS obligations with KRA or a qualified local tax professional.

Photograph a receipt in the mobile app and AI reads the supplier, date, amount and tax, then files it against the right account. Founder-paid costs are tagged so directors' accounts stay straight, and every claim has an image attached when your accountant or KRA wants proof.