Former Microsoft Execs Unveil Maximor: AI Agents for Finance to Replace Excel Reliance
In an era where finance teams still depend heavily on Excel—even amid sprawling ERP, CRM, and billing ecosystems—two former Microsoft veterans have launched Maximor, a platform of AI agents for finance aimed at automating the manual grunt work of accounting and reconciliation.
Despite millions poured into financial software suites, many teams export data into spreadsheets and rely on functions like VLOOKUP to reconcile transactions. Maximor seeks to shift the paradigm by introducing smart agents that connect directly to ERP, CRM, and billing systems to continuously source and harmonize financial and operational data.
Maximor emerged from stealth today, disclosing a $9 million seed round led by Foundation Capital. The startup’s AI agents for finance unify data in real time, giving organizations continuous visibility instead of waiting for month-end reporting.
Ramnandan Krishnamurthy, co-founder and CEO, told us that companies like proptech firm Rently have already seen dramatic improvements. Rently reportedly reduced its closing cycle from eight days to four and avoided hiring two additional accountants. The firm redirected nearly half of its finance team’s time toward strategic priorities.
These AI agents plug into tools such as NetSuite, Intacct, QuickBooks, Zoho Books, payroll systems, and various SaaS platforms. They generate workpapers, reviewer notes, and audit trails, significantly streamlining audit prep. While Maximor steers teams away from Excel, it maintains compatibility by letting users export reconciled data into spreadsheets. Krishnamurthy explained, “We’re interoperable with Excel … our platform can present in our UI or in Excel directly.”
In a nod to safety and reliability, Maximor also offers a human-in-the-loop option: in-house accountants can act as reviewers or deliver full accounting services for clients without internal teams. Krishnamurthy emphasized that the software remains self-sufficient: agents handle end-to-end tasks, while humans review—much like traditional junior and senior roles in accounting firms.
Krishnamurthy and CTO Ajay Krishna Amudan founded Maximor in mid-2024. Their backgrounds at Microsoft’s digital transformation and revenue systems divisions—and a 14-year collaboration dating back to IIT-Madras—helped attract angel investors from finance and tech sectors, including CFOs and leaders from Ramp, Gusto, MongoDB, Zuora, and Big Four firms. Institutional backers include Gaia Ventures and Boldcap.
Headquartered in New York with operations in Bengaluru, Maximor now employs 18 people split between the U.S. and India. It is hiring aggressively in both regions. The startup targets companies with revenue above $50 million and already supports clients in the U.S., China, and India. Its platform accommodates both GAAP and IFRS standards—ideal for global enterprises.
By ushering in AI agents for finance, Maximor hopes to transform how finance teams operate—phasing out spreadsheet drudgery and enabling continuous, real-time financial workflows.