Taxfix restructures into autonomous teams to become AI-native
German tax platform Taxfix has mandated AI usage and allocated 20% of work time for experimentation to transform into an AI-native company. The firm restructured its R&D into small, cross-functional teams operating within a new work-chart model focused on business impact.
Taxfix, a German tax and accounting platform operating in Germany, England, and Spain, has mandated AI usage for employees to accelerate its transformation into an AI-native company. Chief People Officer Eva Glanzer stated that the company allocated 20% of employee work time exclusively for AI learning and building, effectively creating a four-day work week for client-facing tasks. This initiative, initially called Garage Days, involved employees building productivity tools and experimental products in small teams. The company uses Claude from Anthropic as its primary general-purpose AI tool, alongside Google infrastructure, LangDoc, and n8n for automation. Taxfix developed its own internal AI infrastructure, including agent orchestration, governance, and AI gateways, which was launched as an MVP.
The company restructured its R&D into small, autonomous cross-functional teams of three to four people, referred to as Buds within Orchards, moving away from traditional functional hierarchies to a work-chart model focused on business impact. Taxfix implemented this major organizational redesign to support its AI strategy, shifting from a traditional org chart to a work chart structure. The company uses an OKR system where becoming AI-native was set as a primary company objective two and a half years ago. The new structure consists of Buds operating within Orchards, which represent business bets like DIY or Assisted products. These teams are cross-functional, with members identified as Builders rather than specific roles like engineers or designers. Supporting infrastructure includes Trunks for shared systems like payments and Roots for craft standards, all built upon a Ground layer of AI infrastructure. Glanzer noted that while some employees initially resisted, viewing AI as a threat to their job identity, the company addressed this by allowing staff to redefine their job descriptions and test hypotheses about their future roles using AI. Glanzer contends that moving away from functional silos to business-focused autonomous teams is essential for delivering direct customer impact in an AI-driven environment.