Wouter Born

Born Capital

Specialized investor in CFOTech.
As an entrepreneur with a successful exit, I am passionate about helping founders to succeed. I have been in their shoes, and want to help them to thrive.

Founding & Managing Partner

Hurree - The Segmentation Company 

Making Market Segmentation Better With One Platform

Investor & Advisor

TrueKinetix

TrueKinetix produced the first robotized bike, the TrueBike, that trains your muscles with realistic outdoor conditions.

Skopos.AI

Skopos secures your entire organisation within ten days in three steps: extensive scan, thorough advice and protect. Skopos cutting-edge platform delivers rapid results thanks to our pragmatic approach.

insightsoftware

After the successful merger of CXO Software with insightsoftware, I took the challenge to head insightsoftware's M&A department, reporting directly to the CEO and working closely with private equity partner TA Associates.

Setting up a team for M&A frontend activities, such as deal sourcing, pipeline management, preparing executive briefings, valuating opportunities, due diligence, and deal closing.
Building internal M&A muscles, coaching the integration team, strengthening the weak spots in the organization.

We successfully acquired Jet Global. My roles were executive sponsor and integration owner, becoming the new CEO of 140 employees of Jet Global, while also managing the integration team of 40 insightsoftware leaders.

Senior Vice President Strategy & M&A

CXO Software

As CEO Americas, I grew CXO USA footprint and doubled our Recurring Revenues by setting up local sales and marketing, developping partnerships and maxamizing our existing customer relationships.

ACHIEVEMENTS:
▪︎Built a cross functional team from scratch, covering disciplines like sales, marketing, services & support
▪︎Successfully managed the merger of CXO Software with insightsoftware

CEO Americas

As co-founding partner I have driven the product vision behind CXO and led the R&D efforts. In this role I was constantly looking for innovation and closely involved in sales & marketing and retention & development of key-accounts.

ACHIEVEMENTS:
- Creation of the #1 CFO reporting solution, used by C-level executives of >150 Fortune 1000 companies
- CXO Cloud rollout
- Release of CXO Catalog, the first online marketplace for C-level dashboards

Co-founder & CTO/CPO

Partake Consulting

Sold Enterprise Performance Management (EPM) solutions (e.g. Hyperion, Arcplan, SAP BPC) to the CFO office of large multinationals, such as Rabobank, Heineken, Akzo Nobel, and Ahold. Trusted advisor for C-level executives of many global enterprises. In my role as sales manager, in 2007 achieved a 125% target achievement

Sales Manager

EPM/CPM (e.g. Hyperion, Tagetik, SAP BPC) specialist. Roles included project manager, senior implementation consultant, pre-sales consultant and client manager.

EPM Consultant

Techxx

Build & implement custom Workflow and Document Management and solutions using Microsoft Technology
Managed the R&D department

Manager R&D and Software Developer

GP at Born Capital | CFOTech Investor, Advisor & Entrepreneur. Follow me for posts about finance transformation, FP&A, startups and entrepreneurship.

My journey began as a Corporate Performance Management (CPM) consultant for Fortune 500 clients, eventually transitioning into sales management roles, where I excelled at promoting leading CFOTech products like Oracle Hyperion.

After gaining valuable insights and expertise, I co-founded CXO Software, a pioneer in CFO-focused performance reporting solutions. Over an incredible 11-year journey, we proudly served clients such as Johnson Controls, Honeywell, Experian, and Facebook, culminating in our successful acquisition by insightsoftware, a TA Associates-backed merger of top CFOTech firms.

As Head of M&A at insightsoftware, I leveraged my extensive CFOTech knowledge to support next-gen founders, drive innovation, guide investors in making informed decisions, and redefine the CFO office's value-driven approach. 

I bring over 20 years of experience in the finance transformation software (CFOTech) industry. I use this knowledge to grow Born Capital CFOTech Investment Fund.

My unique blend of technology and sales leadership enables me to efficiently develop customer-centric products and bring them to market. As a recent graduate of IESE, one of the world's most prestigious MBA programs, I continually challenge myself to surpass personal limits and thrive under seemingly impossible missions.

On a personal level - I am a proud husband and father of two wonderful children. 

I fuel my passions for cycling, windsurfing, skiing, snowboarding, and staying on the cutting edge of technology innovation.

I welcome the opportunity to connect, learn, and grow together. Feel free to send me a direct message.

Great CEOs and CFOs work together.

They value people and lead in a way that gets everyone excited.

- They invest in talent.
- They welcome new ideas.
- They push for better collaboration.

And they stay calm through hard times.

The CEO/CFO friendship helps the company win in all ways.

GP at Born Capital | CFOTech Investor, Advisor & Entrepreneur. Follow me for posts about CFO insights and FP&A.

We observed hundreds of FP&A tools.
Turn the best ones into this great guide for you.

In the last 18 months, FP&A software has grown significantly, with the 3rd-generation of these solutions becoming more mature. 

They now offer:

- Better design.
- Focused on the user.
- Advanced reporting features. 
- Improved integration with ERP systems.

Additionally, they support a wider range of financial tasks, like scenario planning and workflow management. With increasing investment, these platforms are becoming more user-friendly, pushing the boundaries of financial planning and analysis. 

The market for these tools is expected to reach $16.9 billion by 2031.

This simply means companies want tools to manage financial complexities.

The finance world is changing due to CFOs' dissatisfaction with traditional FP&A tools, a situation worsened by the pandemic's pressures. This led to the rise of 3rd-Generation FP&A tools, cloud-based platforms offering flexibility, tailored designs, and AI enhancements accessible to all business sizes.

In this guide, you will find tools:

That empowers FP&A teams to shift focus from basic data analysis to generating actionable insights through advanced scenario modeling. 

As these tools evolve, driven by FP&A professionals' needs, they promise a future where almost any FP&A capability imaginable is within reach, offering new ways to meet CFOs' expectations.

Thank you, Anders Liu-Lindberg and Paul Barnhurst, The FPandA Guy for making it possible to bring this guide to everybody. Your hard work and insights have been instrumental. I'm grateful for the opportunity to work alongside such great professionals.

P.S. I'm Wouter Born, and I share daily CFO office insights and talk about finance trends. I'm also a CFOTech investor and advisor. 


A guide to 3rd Generation FP&A Tools 2024

Just landed in Dubai from San Francisco.

Met Mo Aziz. He's Pluto's CEO and co-founder.

Pluto is changing the game in the UAE. It's the top spend management platform there.

They're shaking up procurement and accounting in MENA. Their platform makes purchasing smooth. Approvals and finances flow better now.

CFOs will love this. It has solid reporting. Card controls are tight. Invoice management is a breeze.

Pluto's growth? It's rapid. And impressive.

We backed Pluto for a reason. It fits our fund's vision. We seek innovative tech solutions. They must boost efficiency. And have growth potential.

Born Capital stands with Pluto. We believe in their mission. They're set to dominate.

Here's to Pluto's bold journey.

CFOs waste time on:

- Chasing receipts
- Doing manual reporting
- Operating as a chief accountant
- Telling departments there is no budget for XYZ

CFOs must spend time on:

- Strategic planning
- Financial planning
- Investor activities
- Company performance

Effective CFOs automate and push their teams to grow.

They promote team members to important positions outside of finance. Your business needs a strategic CFO who can prioritize digital efforts alongside talent.

How CFOs spend their time has a high opportunity cost.

5 things CEOs want from CFOs urgently:

1. Be deeply involved in the business

CEOs want CFOs to be real partners who care about the success of the business. CEOs expect them to understand all parts of the business, from operations, sales, and marketing to HR, so they can act as advisors for all departments.

2. Minimize costs & maximize growth

CEOs need CFOs to manage costs and grow the business. This is a pretty hard task. But for the modern CFO with the right tech stack, it can be easy.

3. Be part of big decisions

The old days of just being a finance manager are over. CFOs need to be friends with board members and the CRO to make big strategic decisions.

4. Pick the right tech stack

CEOs want CFOs to bring in new technologies and processes to stay competitive, like FP&A software, revenue recognition, spend management, and headcount planning tools. Oh, and not to forget AI.

5. Use storytelling dashboards

It's not about numbers anymore. Why? Because dashboards are for everybody. CEOs want CFOs to use dashboards to deliver insights through stories and emotions about the company's operations and strategy.

The modern CFO is a strategic leader who understands the impact of technology, people, processes, and systems.

3 ways CEOs can support CFOs: 

1. Pick the right CFOTech tools.

The first step is to get the right tools to work with the data. The new CFOTech tools generate insights and reports with a click. So you can easily dive deep into the data and find valuable information to help the company grow revenue.

2. Make a realistic plan.

Figure out how you can use data to help the company become profitable. The plan needs the support of the CEO to make it work. Remember that a fool with a plan can beat an unplanned genius.

3. Build a powerful team.

Now that you have a plan in hand, your next step is to build a team with different skills. Imagine a group where some are good with numbers, some know how to code, and others understand the business inside out. You need people who can look at data from different angles and come up with creative solutions and ideas to push the company forward. A powerful team where each member brings something unique to the table.

All the best.

P.S. If you're solving a meaningful problem in the CFOTech area using AI, DM me.

On my way to San Francisco to meet portfolio companies and prospective investors, I'm a little proud to say this:

Around Palo Alto, my firm is the only VC firm building portfolios of CFOTech companies. The CFOTech market is worth $25 billion a year that investors are not paying attention to.

Finance is going through exciting times.

P.S. I still have some open slots on my calendar for networking. I would love to meet up with fellow thinkers and finance pros. If you are in the Bay Area this week, send me a DM.

In Palo Alto, my firm, Born Capital, is the only VC firm building portfolios of CFOTech companies. No fund has ever specialized in the CFOTech space before. So, I spend one week in Palo Alto every six weeks, focusing on 3 things:

1. Finding CFOTech startups

This is when I'll hunt for the most exciting new companies in the CFOTech space. 53% of CFOs want to speed up digital transformation. Investments are high on the list. The CFOTech market is worth $25 billion a year. And investors are now paying attention to it.

2. Talking to Founders

Conversations help build stronger bonds and help me help them grow. Nothing beats face-to-face meetings. Of course, I want to be around portfolio companies like:

• Puzzle 🧩🚀 is the first AI-powered accounting platform to achieve level 3 autonomy. Imagine an accounting world where AI does the heavy lifting, where financial insights are just a click away, and where startups can focus more on growth and less on numbers. They have high potential to disrupt the market. 

• Bluelight gives home service contractors a simple framework to analyze their business and ditch spreadsheets. 

• Synder connects all sales platforms like Shopify, Stripe, PayPal, Amazon, or others into one ecosystem, providing businesses with automated accounting and reconciliation, multi channel inventory management, consolidated cash flow, and burn rate management.

• TrueRev automates revenue recognition. Ali Rizvi says, "If your revenue is wrong, then your deferred revenue is also likely wrong." This matters if you are sharing financials with management, investors, and others. To correctly account for deferred and unbilled income, you need accurate information in your accounting general ledger. 

• Doublefin is a collaborative people management and planning platform for people teams, finance business partners, and budget owners. 

3. Networking

Being in Palo Alto is amazing for meeting other investors and going to local tech events. It's a chance to grow your network and stay connected with tech and trends.

I will be in San Francisco next week. 

I have some free time on my watch for networking. 

DM me if you're in town.

h/t Ali Rizvi Michael Astreiko Ilya Kisel Sasha Orloff Warren Wang Alex Dixon Stewart Lamke

CEOs fear that CFOs aren't prepared for digital transformation.

But the problem here is not digital transformation. 

The problem is how CFOs think about it. 

• Digital transformation isn't only about technology.
• Digital transformation isn't about leaving Excel forever.
• Digital transformation isn't about buying every new tool.
• Digital transformation isn't about replacing employees with AI.
• Digital transformation isn't about automating all the manual tasks.

Digital transformation is about:

1. People
2. Adaptability
3. Saving time
4. Collaboration
5. Enhanced CX
6. Strategic Value
7. Building relationships
8. Better Efficiency
9. Business partnering
10. Driving meaningful business outcomes

Digital transformation is about changing the mindset, not just the toolset.

The real value is in transforming not only your work but also your life.

P.S. I'm Wouter Born, an investor and entrepreneur. I share daily CFOTech, business insights, and personal learnings. 

First timer's guide to working as a CFO:

1. Stay on top of the latest CFOTech tools.
2. Make sure your financial data is secure.
3. Be open about financial ups and downs.
4. An Ivy League degree wouldn't save you.
5. Encourage new ideas in your finance team.

6. Keep an eye on worldwide economic trends.
7. Be a key player in company strategy meetings.
8. Use financial reports to help grow the business.
9. Understand your customers and the market well.
10. Set up reliable systems to manage financial risks.

11. Work with outside auditors for a fresh perspective.
12. Push for better and more efficient ways of working.
13. Watch your cash flow just as closely as your profits.
14. Balance saving money with making wise investments.
15. Trust your team, but always double-check the numbers.

16. Stay strong and adaptable during economic hard times.
17. Make sure budgeting and forecasts are always up-to-date.
18. Get a good grasp of your company’s day-to-day operations.
19. Use key financial metrics to guide your company’s performance.
20. Connect with other department leaders to sync financial and business plans.

That's it.

20 signs of a high-performance CFO:

1. They adapt quickly.
2. They act with integrity. 
3. They drive efficiencies.
4. They build relationships.
5. They value team growth.

6. They prioritize effectively.
7. They communicate clearly.
8. They know when to say no.
9. They influence culture positively.
10. They commit to continuous learning.

11. They strategically extend their influence.
12. They involve their teams in decision-making.
13. They build deep connections online and offline.
14. They demonstrate digital transformation expertise.
15. They are committed to exceptional client experiences.

16. They leverage client success stories to inform strategy.
17. They allocate time for risk management and forecasting.
18. They start with converting early believers into advocates.
19. They streamline services by cutting through bureaucracy.
20. They invest in CFOTech tools to help teams be more strategic. 

The best CFOs I've met are lifelong learners.


How to sell your SaaS tool to CFOs

1. Trust

CFOs don't want to talk to salespeople. They value insights from trusted team members. So find an internal buyer who is ready to present your SaaS tool to the CFO as a valuable investment that supports the company’s strategic goals.

2. Understand CFOs’ perceptions

Do your diligence. CFOs are cautiously purchasing software. They know who is unprepared or inexperienced. If you haven’t done enough analysis, expect high resistance. CFOs want team members to consider alternatives and consult others, delaying the approval process.

3. Don't sell; help

Stop selling your product. You need to help internal champions understand the ROI and help them help you close the deal faster. So you must back your claims with solid data, case studies, and testimonials that highlight your solution's direct impact on similar companies. But you must give your internal champions time to earn the trust of their CFO.

4. Deliver a detailed analysis

When selling to CFOs, you must predict the questions they might ask. Be ready to give a detailed analysis that explains why the company should invest in a new tool. This analysis must clearly show how the tool aligns with the company’s needs and its potential benefits.

P.S. I'm Wouter Born, a CFOTech entrepreneur, investor, and advisor. I'm also the co-founder of CXO Software (exit 2018) and former head of M&A at insightsoftware. I share daily CFOTech insights, business lessons, and personal learnings to help you get better at life and business. 

Every CFO I've met wants to be productive but doesn't know how.

They try hundreds of hacks, but nothing works.

Here are 10 simple ways to 10x your productivity:

1. Get 6-8 hours of sleep every night. 
2. Track your screen time and set a limit.
3. Write down your top 3 priorities every morning.
4. Get the hard tasks done first thing in the morning.
5. Put everything on your calendar; otherwise, it won't happen.
6. Write a not-to-do list of your top productivity killers to avoid.
7. Take a 20-minute break after every 90 minutes of deep work. 
8. Don't check emails constantly. Set a specific time to read emails
9. Divide your day into blocks of time and assign tasks to each one.
10. Put your phone away and turn your notifications off during focused work.

Productivity is not something you can achieve overnight. 

So you must fix the inputs at a slow pace, and the outputs will fix themselves.

Consider ♻️ reposting to help finance folks get more productive.

P.S. I'm Wouter Born, a CFOTech investor and entrepreneur. I share daily CFO office insights and personal learnings for finance folks. 

How the best CFOs think and act:

• They encourage collaboration.
• They make plans to reach their vision.
• They have systems in place for efficiency.
• They lead in a way that inspires their team.

• They make tough but necessary decisions.
• They lead with wisdom during critical times.
• They're involved in all parts of the company.
• They organize the company to work smoothly.

• They put the right resources in the right places.
• They understand the importance of a skilled team.
• They keep improving, tracking success along the way.
• They understand their team's skills and use them well.

• They build a culture that fosters innovation and respect.
• They see where the company is headed and chart a path.
• They make choices that help society, not just the company.
• They build strong connections inside and outside the company.

Image: The Wolf of Wall Street (2013)

Over 50% of CFOs have not yet automated processes around their top pain points.

Automate tasks to get the most ROI:

1. Understand where you're growing faster and creating opportunities.

2. Find manual, intensive, error-prone tasks that are crucial to growth but take too much of your team's time.

3. Automate all of these tasks. Free up your teams to think. The more automation you apply, the more strategic you can become.

Your goal in 2024 is to spend more of your time thinking than doing.

But know this: You can't scale manual tasks.

You must automate low-value manual tasks. 

So invest in tools that can modernize your finance function:

- Streamline operations to be more efficient.
- Train your team and offer them growth opportunities. 
- Generate bottom-line financial results for the company.
- Make your finance department more attractive to new talent.

The more you work on the above, the more strategic you can become.

The more strategic you become, the more ROI you can get. 

The more ROI you get, the more your business can grow. 

It's a virtuous loop.

P.S. I'm Wouter Born, an investor and entrepreneur. I share daily CFOTech, business insights, and personal learnings.

Great CEOs and CFOs work together.

They value people and lead in a way that gets everyone excited.

- They invest in talent.
- They welcome new ideas.
- They push for better collaboration.

And they stay calm through hard times.

The CEO/CFO friendship helps the company win in all ways.

P.S. I'm Wouter Born, a CFOTech entrepreneur, investor, and advisor. I'm also the co-founder of CXO Software (exit 2018) and former head of M&A at insightsoftware. I share daily CFOTech insights, business lessons, and personal learnings to help you get better at life and business. 

Taplio

Wouter Born's Linkedin Analytics

Wouter Born

What is Wouter talking about?

Wouter Born's Best Posts (last 30 days)

Want to drive more opportunities from LinkedIn?

Taplio

.css-1jgreyo{background-image:linear-gradient(284deg, rgba(39,43,72,1) 0%, rgba(33,47,183,1) 100%);color:transparent;-webkit-background-clip:text;background-clip:text;}Wouter Born's Linkedin Analytics

Wouter Born

What is Wouter talking about?

Wouter Born's Best Posts .css-qqfgvy{font-size:var(--chakra-fontSizes-md);}(last 30 days)

Want to drive more opportunities from LinkedIn?

Wouter Born's Linkedin Analytics

Wouter Born's Best Posts (last 30 days)