At Manchester Digital, we regularly shine a light on our members to understand more about their roles and their work within Greater Manchester’s digital and technology community. This week, we’re speaking with Mike Scott, Commercial Director at Onside Accounting.
Tell us about Onside Accounting — who are you, what do you do, and who do you typically work with?
Onside Accounting is a specialist accounting and tax advisory firm focused on ambitious, high-growth businesses. We work primarily with VC-backed and investor-ready technology companies, helping founders navigate the financial challenges that come with scaling.
While we provide all the core accounting services businesses need, what makes us different is our advisory-led approach. We support founders with everything from fundraising preparation and financial modelling to R&D tax credits, EMI schemes, SEIS/EIS eligibility and strategic tax planning.
Our clients are typically businesses that are moving quickly, making important decisions, and need a finance partner who understands the realities of scaling a modern technology company. We see ourselves as an extension of the leadership team rather than simply an external accountant.
You work closely with scaling businesses. What are the biggest financial challenges companies tend to face as they grow — and how does Onside help them navigate those moments?
One of the biggest challenges is that growth creates complexity. A founder can go from managing a small team and a straightforward set of finances to overseeing multiple revenue streams, investor reporting requirements, hiring plans and international expansion in a relatively short period of time.
Cash flow management is another common challenge. Businesses can be growing quickly on paper but still run into cash constraints if they don't have the right forecasting and reporting in place.
We help by providing both clarity and forward-looking insight. That means robust financial reporting, forecasting, scenario planning and strategic tax advice that allows founders to make decisions with confidence. We want our clients to understand not only where the business is today, but where it's heading and what actions will have the biggest impact on future growth.
Accountancy is often seen as a back-office function, but you clearly take a more strategic approach. How can the right financial partner actively support and accelerate business growth?
The best financial partners don't just report on what happened last month – they help shape what happens next.
Founders are constantly making decisions around hiring, fundraising, pricing, expansion and product investment. Good financial information provides the foundation for those decisions. Great financial advice helps leaders interpret that information and act on it.
At Onside, we spend a lot of time helping clients understand the commercial implications of their choices. Whether that's preparing for an investment round, improving cash efficiency, implementing share option schemes to attract talent or identifying tax relief opportunities, finance can be a genuine growth enabler when approached strategically.
The goal is to give founders confidence, remove uncertainty and help them move faster.
A big part of your approach is being active within the communities you're part of — sharing knowledge, answering questions, and supporting founders. Why is that important to Onside as a business?
We genuinely believe the strongest business communities are built on contribution rather than transactions.
Many founders are facing challenges they've never encountered before, and sometimes a conversation, introduction or piece of advice at the right moment can make a huge difference. We see it as part of our role to share knowledge openly and support the ecosystem that supports our clients.
Being active in founder and technology communities also helps us stay close to the realities businesses are facing. It keeps us connected to emerging trends, challenges and opportunities, which ultimately helps us provide better advice.
We've always wanted to be known as a firm that adds value long before someone becomes a client.
Manchester and the wider North are seeing huge momentum across tech and digital. What opportunities do you see emerging for ambitious businesses in the region — and how can firms like Onside help support that growth?
It's an incredibly exciting time for the Northern technology ecosystem. We're seeing increasing levels of investment, a growing pool of experienced founders and operators, and stronger connections between universities, investors and industry.
Manchester in particular has developed into one of the UK's most important technology hubs, with strengths across fintech, healthtech, SaaS and digital services.
As businesses scale, access to specialist support becomes increasingly important. Firms like Onside can help founders navigate fundraising, tax incentives, international growth, governance and financial planning so they can focus on building great products and teams.
The opportunity is significant, and we believe the region will continue to produce businesses that compete on a national and international stage.
You've spoken about wanting to be genuinely embedded in the ecosystem before taking on a more visible position within it. Why does that matter to you, and what does meaningful community membership look like in practice?
Visibility is easy; contribution takes time.
For us, it was important to spend time listening, learning and building genuine relationships before trying to raise our profile. We wanted to understand the ecosystem, the people in it and the challenges founders were facing.
Meaningful community membership means showing up consistently. It means attending events, making introductions, sharing expertise, supporting founders without immediately expecting something in return and contributing to conversations that help the wider ecosystem grow.
When you approach community in that way, trust develops naturally. We think that's far more valuable than simply trying to maximise visibility.
What's next for Onside Accounting? What does the next stage of growth — including your northern expansion plans — look like for the business?
We're entering an exciting phase of growth.
Over the next few years, we'll continue strengthening our position as a leading accounting and tax advisory partner for high-growth technology businesses. That includes expanding our presence across the North, deepening our involvement within regional technology ecosystems and continuing to invest in specialist expertise for scaling and venture-backed companies.
We're also developing our international capabilities, including support for businesses operating across both the UK and US, reflecting the increasingly global ambitions of many of the companies we work with.
Most importantly, we're focused on growing without losing what makes us different: providing proactive, high-quality advice, building long-term relationships and helping ambitious founders achieve their goals.
Thanks Mike!
To find out more about Onside Accounting, click here.
