In the dynamic world of professional services, few sectors are as closely aligned with the success of start-up businesses as accountancy. Accountants are uniquely positioned as trusted advisors from the very inception of a business idea, and yet, many practices still overlook one of the most effective ways to engage prospective clients at the earliest—and most impactful—point in the entrepreneurial journey: the company formation.
At Business Data Group (BDG), we have seen first-hand how vital the company formation stage is—not just for new entrepreneurs but for the ecosystem of service providers that support them. Our platform, eFiling, powers company formation services for a wide range of partners including banks, professional services firms, and software providers. For over two decades, we’ve helped thousands of UK start-ups take their first steps with the support of our partners.
Be There at the Start: The Value of Timing
One of the most powerful lessons we’ve learned—also echoed in our recent editorial for UK business banks—is this: if you want to build a long-term relationship with a business, the best time to connect is at the moment of formation. It’s when decisions are being made. It’s when trust is still forming. And it’s when entrepreneurs are looking for support, guidance, and recommendations.
Banks recognise this, which is why so many are prioritising partnerships that bring them closer to the start-up moment. Accountants should be doing the same. By offering company formation as a seamless, branded service on your website or client portal, you position yourself not just as a professional who reacts to financial events, but as one who helps create them.
Regulated and Ready: Why You’re Already Set Up for Formations
Accountancy, as a regulated profession, already adheres to stringent client onboarding and due diligence procedures. Anti-money laundering (AML) checks, Know Your Customer (KYC) protocols, and ethical compliance are all routine. This means accountants are already equipped with the compliance infrastructure needed to offer company formation responsibly and securely.
This contrasts with other intermediaries who may need to build such processes from scratch or risk non-compliance. For accountants, it’s a value-added service that fits naturally into existing workflows—with very little operational overhead.
Marketing with Purpose: Attracting High-Value Clients
Offering company formation isn’t just a service—it’s a strategic marketing tool. It brings entrepreneurs through your digital front door at the very start of their journey. Once onboard, you have the opportunity to support them with their first-year accounts, payroll, VAT registration, and ongoing advisory services.
By embedding formation services into your marketing strategy, you turn passive website visitors into engaged prospects. With a comprehensive and easy-to-use white-label solution, you can create a branded, professional experience with minimal effort and maximum impact.
The Commercial Opportunity
The monetisation model is simple: accountants can generate revenue from the formation itself, while significantly increasing the lifetime value of the client through bundled services, advisory packages, or monthly support retainers.
Moreover, you gain valuable insights into market trends by observing start-up behaviours, industries of interest, and growth trajectories from day one. These insights can further inform your service offerings and marketing strategies.
How eFiling Helps
Our eFiling platform was built to serve precisely this need. It enables accountants to offer a fully digital, compliant, and customisable company formation service under their own brand. Connected to your website, integrate it with your CRM, with an easy to use admin portal—we make it simple.
Just as banks partner with us to reach start-ups at the moment of inception, accountants can now do the same. You don’t need to build your own formation platform or navigate the complexities of Companies House systems. We’ve already done that for you.
The company formation stage is more than an administrative process—it is a strategic point of entry into the entrepreneurial journey. For accountants, it represents a golden opportunity to build trust early, deliver value, and differentiate in a competitive market. With platforms like eFiling, this opportunity is now more accessible than ever.
Don’t wait to be brought in after the fact. Be the reason the business got started.
By Richard Osborne, Founder & CEO, Business Data Group Ltd
