About the Role

We are looking for an experienced Startup Finance & Grants Associate to manage the financial operations of a growing AI technology company while actively identifying and supporting grant and non-dilutive funding opportunities.

This is not a traditional bookkeeping-only role. The ideal candidate should have strong accounting and financial management skills combined with at least 2 years of hands-on experience working with startups, grants, funding programs, financial planning, or fundraising support.

You will work closely with company leadership to maintain accurate financial operations, manage budgets and cash flow, identify relevant AI and technology grants, prepare financial components of funding applications, and keep the company financially prepared for future fundraising.

The ideal candidate should also be comfortable using AI tools and modern automation workflows to improve financial research, reporting, documentation, and operational efficiency.

Key Responsibilities

Accounting & Financial Operations

- Manage day-to-day accounting and bookkeeping operations
- Maintain accurate general ledger and financial records
- Manage accounts payable and accounts receivable
- Manage payroll records, expenses, invoices, and vendor payments
- Perform bank, credit card, and ledger reconciliations
- Manage month-end and year-end closing activities
- Prepare P&L;, Balance Sheet, Cash Flow, and management reports
- Maintain audit-ready financial documentation
- Coordinate with external accountants, tax professionals, and auditors
- Support applicable tax, regulatory, and compliance requirements

Startup Financial Planning & FP&A;

- Prepare and maintain annual and monthly budgets
- Build and update financial forecasts
- Monitor cash flow, burn rate, runway, and operating expenses
- Conduct budget vs. actual and variance analysis
- Build financial models for different business scenarios
- Support pricing, hiring, expansion, and investment decisions
- Identify opportunities for cost optimization
- Provide management with actionable financial insights

Grants & Non-Dilutive Funding

- Research relevant AI, technology, innovation, R&D;, government, and startup grants
- Identify suitable funding opportunities based on company eligibility
- Evaluate grant requirements, funding amounts, deadlines, restrictions, and strategic fit
- Maintain an organized pipeline of grant opportunities and application deadlines
- Prepare financial information required for grant applications
- Develop grant budgets, forecasts, cost breakdowns, and supporting financial documentation
- Work with leadership and technical teams to support strong grant applications




- Track submitted applications and funding status
- Manage financial reporting requirements for awarded grants
- Track grant-funded expenditure and ensure proper utilization and documentation

Fundraising & Investor Readiness

- Maintain investor-ready financial statements and financial models
- Prepare financial information required for fundraising and due diligence
- Support company valuation and fundraising scenario analysis
- Maintain financial documentation required for investor data rooms
- Support leadership in answering investor-related financial questions
- Model equity, debt, grant, and other financing scenarios
- Support financial planning for future fundraising rounds

Treasury & Capital Management

- Monitor company liquidity and working capital requirements
- Maintain short and medium-term cash forecasts
- Support treasury and cash allocation decisions
- Evaluate financial risks associated with company funds
- Support management in making risk-aware capital allocation decisions
- Maintain appropriate controls over company funds and financial transactions

AI & Finance Automation

- Use AI tools for grant research, financial analysis, reporting, and documentation
- Identify repetitive accounting and finance processes suitable for automation
- Improve financial reporting and reconciliation workflows
- Work with technical teams where required to develop AI-assisted finance workflows
- Use up-to-date accounting, spreadsheet, analytics, and automation platforms
- Maintain proper financial controls and human review of AI-generated outputs

Required Qualifications & Experience

- Minimum 2 years of hands-on experience in startup finance, grants, non-dilutive funding, fundraising support, or closely related financial responsibilities
- Strong practical experience in accounting, bookkeeping, financial reporting, and reconciliation
- Demonstrable experience researching, evaluating, preparing, or managing grant applications
- Experience preparing grant budgets, financial projections, or supporting financial documentation
- Experience with startup budgeting, cash-flow forecasting, burn rate, and runway management
- Experience preparing financial statements and management reports
- Strong understanding of AP/AR, payroll, expenses,



and month-end accounting
- Experience with accounting platforms such as QuickBooks, Xero, Zoho Books, NetSuite, or similar
- Advanced Excel or Google Sheets skills
- Strong financial modeling and analytical capabilities
- Excellent attention to detail and financial accuracy
- Strong written and spoken English
- Ability to independently manage responsibilities in a remote startup environment
- Comfortable using AI tools and modern digital workflows

Preferred Qualifications

- CA, CPA, ACCA, CMA, CFA, MBA Finance, or equivalent qualification
- Experience working with AI, SaaS, software, technology, or R&D; startups
- Experience with US-based startups or international companies
- Experience with US government, state, technology, research, or innovation grant programs
- Track record of contributing to successful grant applications
- Experience supporting startup fundraising or investor due diligence
- Experience with Power BI or similar financial analytics tools
- Exposure to venture capital, private equity, treasury, asset management, investment analysis, or hedge fund environments
- Experience implementing finance automation or AI-assisted workflows

What We Are Specifically Looking For

We are not looking for someone with only traditional accounting experience.

The ideal candidate should be able to demonstrate at least 2 years of practical experience across startup finance and funding-related activities and confidently explain:

- Grants: Which grants or funding programs they have researched, applied for, managed, or helped secure.
- Startup Finance: How they have managed budgets, cash flow, burn rate, runway, forecasting, and financial reporting.
- Accounting: Which accounting processes they have personally owned from transaction recording through monthly reporting.
- Funding: Their experience supporting fundraising, investors, due diligence, or other financing activities.
- AI & Automation: How they have used AI or automation to improve financial research, accounting, reporting, or operational workflows.

What Success Looks Like

Success in this position means the company's books are accurate, management always has visibility into cash flow and runway, financial forecasts are reliable, relevant funding opportunities are consistently identified, grant applications are financially well-prepared, and the company remains ready for investor or funding due diligence.

Pay: ₹50,000.00 - ₹60,000.00 per month

Benefits

- Work from home

Experience:
- Hands-on with US grants or non-dilutive funding: 2 years (Preferred)

Work Location: Remote

📌 Startup Finance & Grants Associate (India)
🏢 Alpha Labs
📍 India