Balanced Labs, a start-up company, is developing a cloud-based tax application. Founded by two former Xero executives, Balanced Labs also plans to develop collaboration and workflow tools for accountants, according to a bare-bones website established by the company, which is based in San Francisco, Calif., and Sydney, Australia.

Exact intends to introduced a version of its Exact Online Software for accountants, this summer. And within about a year, it plans to bring a practice management application to accounting firms in the United States. It marks a significant increase in involvement with American accounting organizations by the Netherlands-based software publisher.

Intuit has introduced Intuit QuickBooks Fund, which is designed to improves the chances of small businesses in obtaining financing. The company, which says it has already facilitated $150 million in loans in a test program, said it has established a $100 million fund.