Why Hiline Is Buying Calculate

By Annie Baker • Feb 9, 2024

Hiline (a leading provider of financial-operations-as-a-service that helps growth-minded organizations manage risk, improve outcomes, and make better decisions) announced it acquired Calculate, a New York-based outsourced accounting and finance firm dedicated to supporting the financial processes at emerging companies. This strategic deal represents a significant milestone for Hiline as it strengthens its position in the market and expands its offerings to serve its growing roster of clients better.

As part of Hiline’s commitment in providing a comprehensive suite of financial solutions to small and midsize businesses, start-ups, and nonprofits, this deal will aim further to drive innovation in Hiline’s leading technology solutions and deliver exceptional value to its clients through broadened industry and financial expertise. And Hiline will meaningfully bolster its service portfolio by combining additional talent and technology while materially expanding its client base and geographic presence.

This deal comes on the heels of a strong year for Hiline, including an investment by Red Iron Group in September.

This strategic move significantly enhances Hiline’s capabilities, especially by retaining Calculate’s talented and tenured team, composed of high-level finance talent with backgrounds from leading financial institutions and accounting firms. And through leveraging Calculate’s expertise, in conjunction with Hiline’s existing team, technology, and comprehensive services across accounting, finance, tax, human resources, and payroll, Hiline will significantly scale operations and strengthen its CFO and FP&A-led advisory services.

KEY QUOTES:

“We’re sending a clear signal to the market about the growing need for outsourced financial operations. As businesses navigate challenging headwinds such as rising rates and a more conservative fundraising environment, the demand for outsourced services and fractionalized financial support is evident. High-growth companies can now grow efficiently without the time and cost of building an in-house finance team. Merging Calculate with Hiline strengthens our established position as we continue to challenge the traditional accounting firm model as a financial-operations-as-a-service offering. By combining forces, Hiline now stands among the top firms in the space, positioning us with an expanded suite of services and a broader market reach.”

– Hiline Co-Founder and CEO, Matt Gardner

“Together, we will aim to further empower founders and management teams with insights and financial clarity that scale to meet the diverse needs of today’s high-growth companies. Matt’s leadership and vision reflect our shared commitment to help modern companies make better, more timely decisions through a combination of technology solutions and human expertise.”

– Alison Cuzzolino of Calculate’s executive team and is assuming the position of VP of Operations at Hiline

“Calculate has built an outstanding team of professionals focused on delivering differentiated value to their customers. We are excited to see the Hiline and Calculate teams combine as an important step in expanding the resources and capabilities that distinguish Hiline in this market. We are proud to continue our partnership with Matt and the entire team.”

– Ben Bisconti, Co-CEO of Red Iron Group