Karbon
Practice management platform for accounting firms that puts the team’s email at the centre: workflow, client requests, time and capacity planning hang off a shared inbox, with AI features branded Kai.
| Founded | 2014, Sausalito, California; product and engineering roots in Sydney↗ |
|---|---|
| Founders | Stuart McLeod (CEO), John Freeman, Ian Vacin. McLeod and Freeman previously founded Paycycle, acquired by Xero in 2011.↗ |
| Ownership | Venture-backed (Tidemark, Five Elms Capital, Blackbird Ventures, DFJ)↗ |
| Total funding | About $92m to $100m disclosed across 8 rounds |
| Last round | Series B, $66m, 2022, led by Tidemark, with Five Elms Capital↗ |
| Employees | About 165 (2026) |
| Pricing | Per user per month; Team, Business and Enterprise tiers. Monthly billing only for teams of four or more.↗ |
| From | $59 per user per month, billed annually (Team); $89 Business; Enterprise on request↗ |
| Free trial | Not offered; demo on request↗ |
| Traction | Customers include System Six↗ |
| Markets | US, UK, Australia and New Zealand |
| Peers | TaxDome, Pixie, Senta (IRIS), Canopy, Financial Cents |
Why it matters
Karbon has raised about $92 million since 2014, including a $66 million Series B led by Tidemark, and employs around 165 people. It sells practice management to accounting firms on per-user pricing from $59 a month, with a four-seat minimum for monthly billing, and added AI features under the Kai name in 2026.
Accountio coverage
Karbon launches Kai as AI coworker for accounting firms in practice management push · News
Updated September 2026.
Part of Accountio’s accounting technology coverage.
