Arjun Kumar, Founder, Taxd

Today we're meeting Arjun Kumar, Founder of Taxd. They specialize in simplifying the daunting process of tax filing for the average UK taxpayer.

Over to you Arjun - my questions are in bold:

Who are you and what's your background?

I started out working at PwC, a big four accountancy firm, in their international tax department. During my time there, I realised that tax returns, particularly when filing in multiple countries, are complex, expensive and time consuming. This inspired me to simplify this issue using technology.

Four years ago, I left my job as a PwC manager and took a leap of faith to co-found Taxd with my colleague Eamon. Driven by a passion for financial accessibility and a deep understanding of tax complexities, I wanted to simplify the daunting process of tax filing for the average UK taxpayer.

Despite initial scepticism from my recently emigrated parents, I persevered, recognising the significant pain point of tax returns. The UK's complex tax system and lack of financial education often leave individuals overwhelmed, opting for either expensive accountants or a stressful DIY approach, prone to errors.

What is your job title and what are your general responsibilities?

Along with Eamon, I handle the day-to-day running of Taxd, managing our fast-growing team and our expanding customer base.

My time has specifically focused on support and marketing. I work directly with clients to understand their pain points, and tweak the product to ensure we are providing the best approach possible.

We're a big fan of doing 'things that don't scale' by offering a human approach supported by software. Over time, we will implement these learnings to become more hands-off and automated.

In addition to the more traditional elements of running a business, I'm also the face of Taxd's TikTok, delivering helpful tax tips and explainers to our audience.

Can you give us an overview of your business?

Taxd offers a user-friendly, affordable solution that empowers taxpayers to file their returns efficiently and accurately. By automating much of the process and providing expert guidance, Taxd significantly reduces the time and cost associated with tax preparation. This is particularly beneficial for expats, who can save substantial sums compared to traditional international tax services.

A unique feature of Taxd is its ability to identify potential tax relief opportunities, maximising savings for users. To build trust in a relatively new field, Taxd combines cutting-edge technology with human expertise, offering a hybrid approach that ensures both efficiency and accuracy.

Initially focused on personal tax returns, Taxd has expanded our services to cater to solo entrepreneurs and small limited companies, serving 10,000 customers. To support this growth, the team has scaled to ten full-time members.

In 2025, we see a substantial market opportunity, especially in international taxes. There are huge numbers of individuals leaving the UK at present, who will create a lot of opportunities from a tax perspective.

For expats, it is challenging to find reliable advice and support, especially when paying taxes in two countries or more. This is because there are different tax years, rules and taxation agreements to handle. Traditional accountancy in these circumstances quickly becomes extremely expensive. Therefore, next year, our focus will be supporting expats with their UK and international tax requirements. We are already working on a Spanish offering, with other countries on our radar.

Tell us how you are funded?

We started off bootstrapped, using savings we had after leaving PwC. This got us through our first few months until we were able to validate the product and idea worked. We had clients!

We then raised a family and friends round, which helped to see us through until we raised from cashed out entrepreneur/angel investors and VC (QVentures). This allowed us to really grow with the support and advice of those who have done it before.

Although we were perhaps naive previously, we now realise the costs involved of getting a B2C fintech in front of potential clients. We've always been keen to get to a point of break-even profitability as quickly as possible, so that we're not reliant on external funding.

What's the origin story? Why did you start the company? To solve what problems?

Specifically in the big accounting or tax firms, we see a lot of outsourcing to lower cost locations like India. Whilst this helps keep profit margins higher, there's no investment in long-term technology. This is partially due to the partnership model.

We knew we could simplify tax filing, specifically for expats with international/cross-border tax matters. We had the niche knowledge and the technology experience. We knew clients were spending up to £2,500 for simple tax returns, and we could disrupt this market by coming in at a low, fixed fee.

We analysed the tax software market, and there was no one supporting those with the international complexities. Even the UK-focused software seemed old-school and did not move with the times. We knew with our expertise and focus on the client experience, we could change this for the better.

Who are your target customers? What's your revenue model?

Currently, our target customers are anyone who does a UK tax return. This includes self-employed people, landlords, business partners and high earners.

We will soon be launching our technology for expats, those who do tax returns in two or more countries. For these individuals, filing in two or more jurisdictions can be extremely complex and costly. By automating much of the process and providing expert guidance, Taxd significantly reduces the time and cost associated with tax preparation.

If you had a magic wand, what one thing would you change in the banking and/or FinTech sector?

If I had a magic wand, I'd create a fully integrated, AI-driven financial ecosystem where banking, taxes, and financial planning work together seamlessly. Currently the different aspects of FinTech do not have a joined up approach, which results in confusion for end-user clients. Working together, individuals can receive tailored insights that work for them, not against them.

At Taxd, we're already making tax filing autonomous, imagine a world where the entire financial system follows suit!

What is your message for the larger players in the Financial Services marketplace?

The FinTech world moves quickly. Customers no longer accept complexity, hidden fees, or clunky legacy systems. They expect seamless, AI-driven experiences that work for them, not against them.

Financial services are aware of this and moving in the right direction. Bringing the right technology, experts and partners to support clients with a joined up approach will enable clients to leverage AI to fully manage their finances.

Where do you get your Financial Services/FinTech industry news from?

I have daily Google Alerts set up with keywords I'm interested in i.e. Tax, HMRC etc - so get news around the industry for the topics I'm interested in.

What FinTech services (and/or apps) do you personally use?

This might be a boring response, but I use all the challenger banks (Monzo, Starling, Revolut). I use these either personally, for business or when travelling or for international payments. For me, they each have a specific use that I benefit from.

Finally, let's talk predictions. What trends do you think are going to define the next few years in the FinTech sector?

Very soon, I expect tax filing will become fully autonomous, with AI optimising calculations, deductions, and submissions in real-time. Embedded tax solutions will integrate seamlessly into banking and payroll, ensuring effortless compliance for individuals and businesses. As global workforces grow, demand for cross-border tax solutions will rise, pushing institutions to simplify international tax obligations.

Read more about Arjun on LinkedIn and find out more about Taxd at www.taxd.co.uk.