Starling Bank has acquired Ember, a UK-based accounting software startup, to strengthen its support for small business customers. The deal is Starling’s first since 2021 and reflects the bank’s plan to offer more integrated financial services. Ember, founded in 2018, provides digital bookkeeping and tax tools designed to simplify financial management for small firms.
Expanding Starling’s Small Business Capabilities
According to Business of Apps, Starling already serves over 400,000 small and medium-sized businesses in the UK. By bringing Ember on board, it aims to create a single platform where business owners can manage banking, bookkeeping, and tax submissions in one place. The integration will remove the need for separate accounting tools, making financial tasks simpler and more efficient for users.
Impact of Making Tax Digital
The move comes ahead of the government’s new “Making Tax Digital” rules, which will require businesses earning more than £50,000 to report income and expenses quarterly to HMRC. By incorporating Ember’s software, Starling can help its business customers meet these new obligations with less effort. The technology will allow smoother data sharing between accounts and tax systems, supporting compliance and reducing admin time, something many accountants Chippenham, like https://chippendaleandclark.com, and across the UK are preparing their clients for.
What the Deal Means for Ember
Ember’s software will now become exclusive to Starling, ending its partnerships with other banks and discontinuing its advisory services. The founders say the deal allows them to expand their mission of making accounting easier for small businesses.
Starling’s purchase of Ember marks a key step in reshaping digital banking for UK entrepreneurs.