Fractional CFO services in Argentina

Knowledge Economy regime (Ley 27.506)

Argentina's Knowledge Economy regime provides reduced corporate tax (60% reduction for SMEs), social security contribution reductions on qualifying personnel, and export-related benefits for companies in software, biotech, professional services and other knowledge-intensive sectors. Materially reduces the post-tax cost of building tech in Argentina.

FONTAR / FONDCE grants

Argentina's ANPCyT (Agencia Nacional de Promoción Científica y Tecnológica) administers FONTAR R&D grants and the FONDCE Knowledge Economy fund. Programmes vary by call and sector focus; offer non-dilutive co-funding for qualifying innovation projects.

BICE and BNA financing

BICE (Banco de Inversión y Comercio Exterior) and Banco Nación provide development banking for SMEs and exporters. Important for working capital and growth financing alongside private VC.

Argentine VC ecosystem

Active funds include Draper Cygnus, Kaszek, Globant Ventures, NXTP Ventures, Sigular Group and various regional VCs. Cross-border participation from Brazilian, US and European investors common at growth stage.

Buenos Aires angel ecosystem

Argentina has one of the densest tech angel scenes in Latin America per capita, driven by MercadoLibre, Globant, Despegar, Auth0, OLX and Ualá alumni. Tickets typically USD 10k-100k per investor in pesos-funded angel rounds; cross-border tickets often denominated in USD via offshore structures.

Cross-border venture debt and FX considerations

Domestic Argentine venture debt is limited and complicated by capital controls. Most material venture debt arrangements happen at the offshore-parent level via cross-border lenders (Partners for Growth, Sympatico Capital). FX controls materially shape the structuring of all foreign capital into Argentine entities.

Standard stock options

Argentine stock options are typically taxed at exercise as employment income at marginal rates, with subsequent gains taxed as capital gains. Argentine tax mechanics combined with FX controls and inflation make pure-domestic options unusually difficult - most venture-backed Argentine startups avoid this route.

Offshore (Delaware) ESOPs

Most venture-backed Argentine startups operate via a Delaware (or sometimes Uruguayan/Cayman) holding parent over Argentine operating subsidiaries. ESOPs at the offshore parent benefit from cleaner cap-table mechanics; Argentine-resident employees still face Argentine tax on exercise under source rules.

Phantom shares and SARs

Cash-settled equity-like instruments are widely used in Argentine startups. The holder receives a cash bonus equal to the value of a notional option at exit. Taxed as employment income at payout.

Restricted Stock Units (RSUs)

Used at later-stage Argentine companies, particularly Delaware-parent structures with US investors. Taxed as employment income at vesting at marginal rates for Argentine-resident employees.

Option valuation

Argentine startups typically peg option strike values to the price of the most recent priced round (often in USD via the offshore parent). Independent valuations are useful for material grant programmes to support the AFIP (Argentine tax authority) position.

Reporting and AFIP

Option exercises flow through Argentine payroll for Ganancias (income tax) and social security contributions for Argentine-resident employees. Annual employer reporting required. Worth aligning between cap-table tool, Argentine payroll provider and tax advisor - particularly given cross-border source rules.

Accounting

• •Tango Gestión or Bejerman - established Argentine accounting platforms.
• •Xubio - modern Argentine cloud accounting alternative.
• •NetSuite - for late-stage companies needing multi-entity consolidation.

Payroll

• •Tango Sueldos or Bejerman Sueldos - common Argentine payroll modules.
• •Local Argentine payroll providers - common at accounting firms.
• •Deel or Remote - for hiring contractors and staff outside Argentina (often used by Delaware-parent structures).

Business banking

• •Banco Galicia, Santander Argentina or BBVA Argentina - for treasury, FX and traditional debt facilities.
• •Brubank, Ualá Bis - modern Argentine neobanks.
• •Mercury - for Argentine founders with a US C-corp parent (very common given FX considerations).
• •Wise Business - for multi-currency operations.

Cap table & equity admin

• •Carta - dominant for Argentine venture-backed companies (typically with Delaware parent).
• •Pulley - strong alternative.
• •Ledgy - alternative with cross-border coverage.

Expenses & corporate cards

• •Clara - Latin America-wide spend management platform.
• •Brex or Ramp - for Argentine founders with US C-corp parent.
• •Local Argentine corporate cards via Galicia, Santander or BBVA.