In the fast-evolving world of fintech and compliance, few have tackled the complexities of global tax challenges as innovatively as Vijay Raina. With a background rooted in enterprise SaaS technology and software design, Vijay has emerged as a thought leader in creating solutions for businesses scaling across borders. As the mind behind an AI-native tax compliance platform, his journey from running an educational marketplace to pivoting into a groundbreaking tax software venture offers a unique perspective on solving real-world problems with cutting-edge technology. In this interview, we dive into the origins of his latest venture, the intricacies of automating tax compliance, the competitive landscape, and his vision for the future of global business operations.
How did your experience with an earlier venture in the education space shape the idea for your current tax compliance platform?
My time running an educational marketplace really opened my eyes to the headaches of tax compliance, especially when operating across multiple countries. Every new market meant navigating a labyrinth of registrations, filings, and deadlines. I found myself spending more time deciphering international tax rules than focusing on growing the business. It was frustrating, and I realized there had to be a better way—a tool that could handle this burden for companies like mine. That pain point was the seed for creating a platform that automates global tax compliance.
What were some of the biggest tax-related obstacles you encountered in that earlier business, and how did they highlight a gap in the market?
One major issue was that marketplaces are often liable for taxes on their entire transaction volume, not just their cut. This meant that scaling into new countries came with a disproportionate compliance burden. There were no user-friendly tools that could seamlessly handle the end-to-end process—calculation, filing, remittance, everything. Existing solutions were either too manual or fragmented, leaving gaps that required constant attention. It became clear there was a desperate need for a modern, automated solution tailored for businesses going global.
When you pivoted to focus on tax compliance, what inspired you to retain the original name for your new venture, and what does that represent for you?
Keeping the name was a deliberate choice. It symbolized continuity and a commitment to solving real problems, even if the focus shifted. For me, it represented the idea of taking lessons from past challenges and channeling them into something transformative. It was about evolving while staying rooted in the mission of making complex systems simpler for businesses. The name became a reminder of where we started and the broader vision of enabling global growth.
Can you paint a picture of your platform’s core mission and how it supports companies navigating global tax compliance?
At its heart, our mission is to remove the friction of tax compliance for companies scaling internationally. We want to be the invisible backbone that lets businesses focus on growth rather than getting bogged down by regulatory mazes. Whether it’s calculating taxes on customer transactions, filing returns, or remitting payments to authorities, we automate the entire lifecycle. Our goal is to help companies—especially those at the Series B to IPO stage with global customers—operate confidently in any market without worrying about compliance risks.
How does your platform streamline the process of tax compliance for businesses expanding across borders?
We’ve built a system that automates every step of the compliance journey. From registering with tax authorities in over 100 jurisdictions to calculating taxes in real time, filing returns, and even handling payments, we take care of it all. The platform integrates with major billing systems to pull transaction data, assesses tax obligations using a sophisticated AI model, and ensures accuracy with human oversight. It’s designed to be a one-stop solution, so companies don’t have to juggle multiple tools or consultants when entering new markets.
What does the setup process look like for a company adopting your platform, and how do you achieve such a quick turnaround time?
We’ve worked hard to make onboarding as painless as possible, often getting companies up and running in under 24 hours. The process starts with connecting their billing or payment systems to ours through simple integrations. Once we have access to their transaction data, our system maps out their global tax exposure and sets up the necessary workflows for calculation and reporting. The speed comes from our pre-built integrations and automated processes—there’s no need for lengthy custom configurations. It’s plug-and-play for most businesses.
Could you explain how your platform connects with billing systems to manage transaction data effectively?
We’ve developed native integrations with leading billing platforms, which allows us to seamlessly pull transaction data directly from a company’s existing systems. This means we can see every sale or purchase in real time, analyze it for tax implications, and apply the correct rules based on the jurisdiction. By connecting directly to these platforms, we eliminate manual data entry and reduce errors, ensuring that the data feeding into our tax calculations is accurate and up-to-date.
Can you walk us through how your AI model determines whether a transaction is taxable or not?
Our AI model, which we call TRAM, is designed to ingest and interpret tax rules from every jurisdiction we cover. It codifies these rules into a structured framework, then analyzes each transaction against them to determine taxability. TRAM not only decides if something should be taxed but also provides reasoning and citations to back up its conclusions. This transparency is crucial because it allows for human review and ensures that the determinations are grounded in actual regulations, not guesswork.
How do you maintain the reliability of your AI model’s outputs, especially with human oversight in the loop?
While TRAM does the heavy lifting of initial assessments, we have a dedicated team that reviews and approves every output before it’s finalized. This hybrid approach combines the efficiency of AI with the judgment of human experts to catch any edge cases or nuances that the model might not fully address. It’s a safeguard against errors and ensures that what gets pushed into our tax engine for real-time application is rock-solid and compliant with local laws.
Since the tax engine itself avoids AI to prevent errors, can you describe how that component operates in real time?
Absolutely. The tax engine is a purely rules-based system, hard-coded with validated determinations from TRAM and our human reviewers. There’s no AI involved at this stage to eliminate any risk of inaccuracies or hallucinations. It operates in real time by applying pre-approved tax rules to incoming transactions as they happen. This ensures that taxes are calculated and applied instantly during a sale, giving companies confidence that they’re compliant from the moment a transaction occurs.
How does your platform help companies keep track of tax obligations across different regions?
We provide a centralized dashboard that monitors how much tax a company owes in each region where they operate. The system tracks transactions, calculates liabilities, and updates these figures continuously. It also alerts companies to upcoming filing deadlines and payment due dates. By integrating directly with over 100 tax authorities worldwide, we ensure that the data is always current and aligned with local requirements, so there’s no guesswork for the finance team.
What sets your platform apart from established players in the tax compliance space?
Unlike many legacy players, we offer a truly end-to-end solution. A lot of competitors might handle parts of the compliance process but then hand off certain geographies or tasks to third-party consultants. We’ve invested in building direct integrations into local tax systems and paired that with AI-driven automation to manage the entire process in-house. This means faster, more consistent service for our clients, without the added complexity of external partners. Our focus on modern, scalable tech also gives us an edge over older, clunkier systems.
Given that some billing platforms offer tax calculation services, how do you position yourself as a partner rather than a competitor to them?
We see ourselves as complementary to billing platforms that offer tax calculation features. Our strength lies in going beyond just calculation to cover the full compliance lifecycle—registration, filing, remittance, everything. We’ve even built native integrations with these platforms to enhance their offerings, making it a win-win. Companies using those systems can plug into our platform for deeper compliance support, addressing use cases and complexities that a standalone calculation tool might not cover.
Looking ahead, what’s your forecast for the future of global tax compliance and the role of technology in shaping it?
I believe we’re on the cusp of a major transformation in how global tax compliance is managed. As more businesses operate across borders, the demand for seamless, automated solutions will only grow. Technology, especially AI and direct integrations with tax authorities, will play a central role in simplifying this space. My forecast is that within the next five to ten years, compliance will become almost invisible for companies—handled entirely in the background by platforms like ours. The focus will shift from manual processes to predictive tools that anticipate tax obligations before they even arise, allowing businesses to expand globally with zero friction.
