Program advances AI-driven innovation across accounting and finance

NEW YORK, NY (March 3, 2026) — CPA.com and the American Institute of CPAs (AICPA) today announced the 2026 participants of the Startup Accelerator, which fosters the growth of early-stage technology companies benefiting the accounting and finance profession. The cohort, which kicks off this week at the companies’ headquarters in New York, includes five startups harnessing artificial intelligence to drive efficiencies and enhance value across accounting, tax and workflow.

Selected companies receive strategic guidance and executive coaching from senior leaders at AICPA and CPA.com, along with members of the program’s advisory board, to help sharpen their value proposition and accelerate growth at scale. They also gain the opportunity to showcase their solutions at key profession events throughout the year, including AICPA ENGAGE and Digital CPA (DCPA), the premier conferences for the CPA community.

“We’re at a pivotal moment for the profession, where the acceleration of AI-enabled solutions is creating unprecedented opportunities to reshape how firms operate, fuel innovation and deliver more value as trusted advisors,” said Erik Asgeirsson, president and CEO, CPA.com. “The Startup Accelerator program is critical in helping connect firms and finance teams with breakthrough technologies purpose-built for the profession, enabling them to respond to growing client demands and accelerate their shift toward more strategic, advisory-driven offerings.”

The 2026 selected companies include:

• Adaptive — An AI-native accounting platform for construction, combining financial data, project context and agentic AI to automate accounting work and identify profit fades before it happens.
• AuditPro.ai — A suite of turnkey AI applications tailored for financial statement audits and reviews, helping firms adopt AI affordably and quickly.
• Kintsugi — Builds global AI-powered indirect tax compliance infrastructure, enabling modern businesses to calculate, file and remit transaction taxes across every jurisdiction with confidence.
• Ping Assistant — An AI-powered intelligence platform that captures client and firm context to surface revenue opportunities, reduce administrative work and give firm leaders real-time visibility.
• Truss — The first AI-native, complete tax workflow platform — from client intake, workpapers, prep, through delivery — with a unique focus on ease of use for clients.

For more information about the 2026 Startup Accelerator cohort, visit accelerator.cpa.com.

About CPA.com
CPA.com is the trusted partner in accounting and finance transformation, enabling firms and finance teams to evolve and innovate across audit, tax and advisory services. It delivers leading-edge strategies, resources and technologies to help firms and finance teams of all sizes stay ahead of a rapidly changing marketplace, deliver more value to clients, and position for long-term success. CPA.com is an affiliate of the American Institute of CPAs (AICPA). For more information, visit www.CPA.com.

About AICPA
The American Institute of CPAs^® (AICPA^®) is the world’s largest member association representing the CPA profession, with 397,000 members and a history of serving the public interest since 1887. AICPA members represent many areas of practice, including business and industry, public practice, government, education, and consulting. A founding member of the Association of International Certified Professional Accountants, the AICPA sets ethical standards for the profession, attestation standards, and U.S. auditing standards for private companies, not-for-profit organizations, and federal, state, and local governments. It develops and grades the Uniform CPA Examination, offers specialized credentials, partners across the profession to build future talent, and drives continuing education to advance the vitality, relevance, and quality of the profession.

A recent survey from tax research solutions provider BlueJ, in cooperation with CPA.com, found that 54% of tax practitioners use some form of AI in their research, and 86% agree that firms that use AI have a competitive advantage over firms that do not.

Article source: https://www.accountingtoday.com/news/54-use-ai-in-tax-research-but-search-engines-remain-prominent

Auditors adopting new tech and methods, but many lag behind CPA.com's annual Audit Transformation Survey found that while audit technology is evolving and the adoption of modern audit methodologies is beginning to accelerate, firms are only just starting to embrace them, meaning a significant proportion of professionals have yet to enact dramatic changes to their practices.

Article source: https://www.accountingtoday.com/news/auditors-adopting-new-tech-and-methods-but-many-lag-behind

Erik Asgeirsson, president and CEO of CPA.com, and Kim Blascoe, senior director of CAS professional services at CPA.com, were named Accounting Today’s Top 100 Most Influential People in Accounting, recognizing thought leaders and change-makers shaping the future of the profession

Article source: https://www.accountingtoday.com/report/the-2025-top-100-most-influential-people-in-accounting

Angel Zhen, CPA, recognized for efforts in automation, efficiency and advancing modern advisory model

NEW YORK, NY (Dec. 8, 2025) — CPA.com, the trusted partner in accounting and finance transformation, named Angel Zhen, CPA, as the recipient of the 2025 Digital CPA Innovative Practitioner Award. The annual award recognizes practitioners who demonstrate forward-thinking leadership and innovative approaches that inspire positive change across the accounting profession.

“As a solo practitioner, I have seen how much freedom and impact you can create when you design your firm with intention and lean into innovation,” said Zhen. “This recognition reflects the future of the profession, where CPAs combine technology, better systems and deeper advisory to serve clients at a higher level without burning out. My focus has been to show that a one-person firm can be both highly profitable and deeply human, and I am grateful that work is resonating.”

Zhen is redefining how sole practitioners can operate at scale by pairing modern technology, streamlined workflows, and intentional practice design. His approach has enabled faster delivery, greater advisory capacity, and a more sustainable model for solo firm owners seeking operational efficiency without sacrificing client experience or value.

Earlier this year, Zhen introduced The Profitable Solopreneur Playbook, which has helped more than 200 practitioners modernize processes, strengthen firm performance, and build freedom-focused practices. He was also selected to participate in the 2025 AICPA Leadership Academy, a program that identifies and supports emerging leaders within the profession.

“The DCPA Innovative Practitioner Award recognizes practitioners who are committed to finding better, smarter ways to serve their clients and strengthen their firms,” said Michael Cerami, EVP, CPA.com. “Angel has shown how a solo practitioner can use modern systems to support mundane tasks, accelerate delivery and create more opportunities for meaningful advisory conversations. His willingness to share those insights with others reflects the type of leadership and innovation this award is designed to celebrate.”

Zhen was recognized at Digital CPA, CPA.com’s annual conference for progressive practitioners focused on innovative technologies and business strategies impacting the accounting and finance landscape.

Barrett Young, CPA, marketing and tax partner, GWCPA, and Rose Araghchy, CPA, founder and principal, R2 Advisors PC, were named runners-up for the award.

Young is leading a shift within his firm toward subscription-based pricing and more transparent client engagement. He has helped implement AI-enabled processes and EOS-driven workflows that support stronger collaboration, clearer communication, and more streamlined client experiences. Young also shares insights with the profession through his firm’s YouTube channel and his podcast, The Art of Succession, where he spotlights challenges and opportunities facing small business owners navigating transition.

Araghchy developed the Financial Strategy Integration Framework (FSIF), a patent-pending model that unifies operations, tax and finance into one integrated, data-driven system. Under her leadership, R2 Advisors has embedded AI-assisted compliance layers, automation-enabled review systems and predictive financial dashboards that turn static reporting into actionable strategy. She also created the Catalyst Collective, an internal innovation lab that pilots new automation and data solutions designed to support clients’ long-term decision-making.

“What’s most powerful about all three of the practitioners recognized this year is their willingness and commitment to share their strategies with others,” Cerami noted. “It’s core to what makes this profession great.”

To learn more about this year’s recipients, as well as the other distinguished nominees shaping the future of the profession, visit the CPA.com Digital CPA Innovative Practitioner Award page.

About CPA.com

CPA.com is the trusted partner in accounting and finance transformation, enabling firms and finance teams to evolve and innovate across audit, tax and advisory services. It delivers leading-edge strategies, resources and technologies to help firms and finance teams of all sizes stay ahead of a rapidly changing marketplace, deliver more value to clients, and position for long-term success. CPA.com is an affiliate of the American Institute of CPAs (AICPA). For more information, visit www.CPA.com.