When we first met Aman Puri and Molly Liu, MAVI was already profitable. They had bootstrapped the business, built a real customer base, and weren’t looking for a check. They were looking for a partner.

We led MAVI’s Seed round in 2025. Now that MAVI is out of stealth, we want to share why.

Our thesis is simple. AI tools alone won’t solve the finance talent shortage. As more entry-level work gets automated, experienced accountants who can use AI and still apply judgment become more valuable, not less. MAVI connects businesses to exactly that talent.

A talent problem that looks like a tooling problem

Aman spent his career close to finance, from Wall Street training to investing in fintech. As an investor, he kept seeing portfolio companies struggle with month-end closes stretching past 20 days and limited cash flow visibility.

The easy diagnosis is “they need better software.” But these companies had tools. What they lacked was skilled people. At well-known venture-backed companies, even junior accounting roles sat open for six months or longer. And the incumbent staffing firms, many founded in the 1900s, still generate billions in revenue because there hasn’t been a better option.

What MAVI built

MAVI is a modern finance talent engine that combines AI-driven matching with human expertise. Companies get access to 3,000+ vetted, AI-proficient finance professionals across 20+ countries and can hire in as few as five days, while MAVI handles matching, onboarding, compliance, and payments.

MAVI now works with VC and PE-backed businesses, CFO services firms, and public companies, including finance teams at Public.com, Athena Club, Crisp, and Budderfly. The company has grown to 100+ customers without doing any marketing. That kind of pull tells you the product solves something people feel every day.

Won’t AI just replace accountants?

It’s the right question to ask. Our view is that automation removes tasks, not accountability. Someone still has to review the output, understand the business context, and make the call a CFO will stand behind. As routine work gets automated, what remains requires more judgment, and experienced, AI-fluent talent becomes even scarcer.

As our Managing Partner Henri Pierre-Jacques II put it: “The future isn’t AI or accountants. It’s accountants who know how to leverage AI.”

What founders can take from this

Profitability buys you choice. It let Aman and Molly pick a partner rather than take whoever said yes first. And before you automate any function, ask whether the bottleneck is tasks or judgment. The companies that get this right will pair great tools with great people.

Welcome to the world, MAVI. We’re proud to have backed you early.

All Winners Welcome.

To learn more about MAVI or book a call with their team, visit https://www.maviwork.com/.

About Harlem Capital

Harlem Capital is a venture capital firm that backs the next generation of winners. The firm partners with exceptional founders with the irrational motivation to build generational companies. All Winners Welcome.

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