Collective acquires embedded accounting start-up Open Ledger. Collective co-founder and CEO Hooman Radfar says the purchase will help the company accelerate the development of "a system of action", using AI to automate back office accounting functions for solo entrepreneurs. April 24, 2026 Financial management platform Collective has acquired Open Ledger, an embedded accounting start-up backed by Kindred Ventures, Blank Ventures, and HF0. The financial terms of the deal have not been disclosed. Created by founders Pryce Yebesi and Ashtyn Bell, Open Ledger operates an API that enables Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) platforms to integrate AI-powered bookkeeping and financial reporting tools. Open Ledger will now merge with the Collective platform, which offers a suite of consolidated bookkeeping, payroll, and tax services targeting solo entrepreneurs. In a blog post announcing the deal, Hooman Radfar, co-founder and CEO of Collective, says the addition of Open Ledger "gives us more flexibility and capability as we build the future of the Business-of-One". Radfar says: "By focusing on stronger infrastructure, we expand the horizons for what we can build, how deeply we can integrate across workflows, and how quickly we can move toward not just a system of record, but a system of action." He describes this as "a system that works continuously on your behalf", able to file taxes and manage cash flow forecasting and acting as "the equivalent of a world-class CFO working 24/7". Collective, based in San Francisco, US, has been exploring the application of AI within the back office over the years. In March 2024, the company launched an AI-powered accounting suite featuring large language models to automate functions like expense categorisation and tax deduction capturing. Reporter, FinTech Futures Tyler Pathe is a financial reporter, moderator and investigator with a specific interest in financial technology, banking and the financial industry's latest innovations. Webinar | 26 May 2026 | Value first, technology second: Rethinking process transformation in finance and insurance Led by industry experts, this webinar will provide a practical, customer value-first framework to help you bridge the gap between business goals and IT execution.

Collective, a financial platform for self-employed entrepreneurs, has acquired Open Ledger, an embedded accounting platform that enables fintech companies to integrate accounting into their products. Financial terms were not disclosed. The acquisition gives Collective native control of accounting infrastructure, enabling faster deployment of AI agents with real-time access to transaction data and financial workflows. The platform can now automatically categorise expenses, calculate tax impacts and provide real-time scenario modelling. Founded to address the back-office burden faced by solopreneurs, Collective currently handles formation, bookkeeping, payroll and tax filing for thousands of members. With Open Ledger's integration, the company aims to build an AI-powered financial operating system for America's 30 million self-employed workers.