In this episode of The CTO Show with Mehmet, we sit down with Michael Cutajar, CEO of AI Partners, who’s on a mission to fix the broken world of accounting through the power of AI agents. From his early days as a PwC accountant in Malta to founding multiple startups—including a VR venture and now an AI-driven automation company—Michael shares what it takes to go from employee to entrepreneur, how to close six-figure enterprise deals, and why cultural resistance to failure is holding regions like Europe and MENA back.

🎯 What You’ll Learn

• Why the accounting industry is broken—and how AI agents can fix it

• How to sell automation without triggering fear of job loss

• Michael’s approach to closing large deals through trust and patience

• Why he traveled to Silicon Valley to build founder confidence

• How to reframe failure as feedback

• The hidden importance of storytelling in tech entrepreneurship

• Why personal touch still matters in a world of AI

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🧠 Key Takeaways

• “Build for free to earn trust” can break through even the most skeptical industries

• Defensibility in AI isn’t just about code—it’s about context, geography, and relationships

• Europe’s fear of failure is cultural, not intellectual—founders need a new narrative

• The future of junior roles in accounting (and tech) is advisory, not operational

👤 About the Guest

Michael Cutajar is the founder and CEO of AI Partners, a startup creating AI agents tailored for finance and accounting workflows. A qualified accountant turned tech entrepreneur, Michael is passionate about solving real-world problems with automation and building in public with a practical, test-first mindset.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelcutajar/

https://www.ai-partners.ai/

🕒 Episode Highlights (Timestamps)

00:00 – Intro & Michael’s background

02:30 – From accounting to entrepreneurship

04:45 – Spotting opportunities in AI automation

06:15 – Why accounting is a broken industry

07:40 – Real-world impact of AI agents (150% efficiency gains)

09:30 – Selling automation without triggering fear

11:00 – Lessons from closing six-figure enterprise deals

13:00 – Playing with pricing models in an evolving AI economy

14:50 – Can Big Tech kill your AI startup?

16:30 – Will AI make purchasing decisions?

17:30 – Are junior accounting jobs disappearing?

19:00 – How Michael built confidence through pitching

20:30 – Going to Silicon Valley for real-world feedback

22:00 – Why failure is taboo in Europe and MENA

26:30 – How to change a risk-averse culture

29:00 – Why schools need entrepreneurship education

31:00 – AI Partners’ roadmap and UK expansion

32:00 – The truth about “one-person unicorns”

37:00 – Final thoughts: Learn, test, and take the leap