R&D Tax Incentive Claims for Australian Startups
Claim back up to 43.5% of your eligible R&D spend – without the headache.
R&D Tax Incentive claims, done properly
If you’re building something new, solving tough problems or developing technology, there’s a good chance you’re doing eligible R&D. The R&D Tax Incentive can put serious cash back into your business – and at Standard Ledger, we make sure you claim every dollar you’re entitled to.
We work with startups and scaleups across Australia, handling everything from eligibility through to lodgement. With hundreds of tech and startup claims behind us, complex R&D is what we do best.
- Refunds of up to 43.5%
- R&D tax expertise
- Simple fee structure
- R&D finance option
- No refund, no fee
Fixed pricing based on your R&D spend.
Extra fees may apply for complex claims or detailed technical narratives – we'll always flag this first. You'll also need a company tax return to access your refund; our startup tax return has you covered.
Startup founders ♥ Standard Ledger
Don’t just take our word for it. Here’s what our clients have to say about working with us.
“Closing our £2.5m round with Octopus Ventures was a huge milestone for HealsGood AI. Standard Ledger were instrumental throughout the process – helping us stay investor-ready, manage due diligence and present a clear financial story. They brought real structure and focus, which made a complex raise feel controlled and achievable. Having that level of financial leadership on our side gave us the confidence to move fast and negotiate from a position of strength.”
Jack Henderson
“The grant application for the Australian Government’s Boosting Female Founders Initiative is an absolute beast of a process. I’ve really enjoyed working with John to secure it.”
Jeanette Cheah
“Standard Ledger’s fractional CFO services identified KPIs driving operational improvements, making us an attractive acquisition target. Strategic exit planning structured our finances to maximise returns, and negotiating the complexities of the sale process secured us a deal that recognised our full value.”
Peter Neal
“Standard Ledger saved us from trouble during our UK setup. They turned around crucial work in 48 hours, preventing fines. Having the support you can trust, who knows what they’re doing, means less stress and frees up a lot of mental space.”
Peter Cole
“Standard Ledger was incredibly helpful in reviewing and modelling our finances. Thanks to their support, we reshaped our strategy and identified areas for growth. We are now ready for expansion into new sports and markets.”
Iggy Jovanovic
“John and the team have really understood our R&D story from day one, and have always had a plan for it. We’re in the third year of working together now, and it’s been really great.”
Nadun Hennayaka
How the R&D claim process works.
We make the R&D Tax Incentive process smooth, accurate and founder-friendly – here’s how it works:
1. Eligibility
We’ll start by confirming whether your company and activities meet the government’s R&D eligibility criteria. This includes assessing the technical challenges you’re tackling, the type of product, process or service you’re developing, and whether your work can be shown as a series of experiments with unknown outcomes.
2. Narrative
We help you articulate what you’ve been working on in a way that fits AusIndustry’s requirements. If you need help preparing the technical descriptions, we can handle that too – and we’ll always flag any additional cost upfront.
3. Calculation
We’ll work closely with you (and your bookkeeping or finance team, if needed) to calculate the eligible R&D expenses for the previous financial year. These must total at least $20k and can include salaries, Australian contractors, equipment, rent, overheads and other claimable costs.
4. Application
We prepare and lodge your R&D application with AusIndustry, and we’ll also generate the tax schedule required by the ATO. Everything is packaged up and aligned so your company tax return reflects your R&D claim accurately.
5. Registration + payment
Once your application is registered with AusIndustry – before the 30 April deadline for the previous 30 June year – we’ll issue our invoice for the agreed fee. If we don’t move forward to lodgement for any reason, you don’t pay. Simple as that.
6. Cash injection or tax offset
If your annual turnover is under $20 million and you’re in a loss position, you’ll receive up to 43.5% of your eligible R&D spend as a cash refund. If you’re profitable, your tax bill is reduced by 18.5% of eligible R&D costs. If your turnover is over $20 million, the incentive works differently – but we can still help you navigate it.
Our promise: If we don’t move forward to lodgement, you don’t pay. No refund = no fee.
R&D Tax Incentive eligibility
You
- Must be a company that is developing (or planning) a unique, non-trivial software, hardware, engineered or manufactured product, process or service
- Need to be able to describe these developments as a series of experiments with unknown outcomes from which you’ve learned along the way
Your costs
- Must total at least $20,000 on eligible R&D expenses in the last financial year
- That can include employees and Australian contractors
- Can also include equipment, rent and other R&D related overheads
Access your R&D refund early with R&D finance
What if you need cash before your R&D Tax Incentive refund comes in? R&D finance lets you unlock that money early – without giving up equity.
It works as a loan against your expected R&D Tax Incentive refund, repaid when your refund arrives from the ATO. It’s a practical way to keep building and growing while you wait, on your own terms.
We work with specialist R&D lenders including Radium Capital, who can advance up to 80% of your expected refund – either as a single payment or in quarterly instalments.
We charge up to $2,200 to prepare the supporting documentation your lender requires. This typically includes your expected R&D expenditure and refund figures, a support letter, verification of your tax position and – in some cases – a forward cashflow projection.
If you draw down multiple R&D loans throughout the year, documentation may be required for each drawdown. We’ll always confirm this with you before any additional costs are incurred.
Ready to see what you can claim?
Book a free eligibility call with our R&D team – no jargon, no pressure.
Frequently asked questions
How much can I actually get back from the R&D Tax Incentive?
If your startup’s annual turnover is under $20 million and you’re making a loss, you can get up to 43.5% of your eligible R&D spend back as a cash refund. If you’re profitable, you’ll get an 18.5% reduction on your tax bill.
What's the minimum R&D spend to qualify for the incentive?
You need at least $20,000 in eligible R&D expenses from the previous financial year. This can include salaries, Australian contractors, equipment, rent and other R&D-related overheads.
How much does Standard Ledger charge for R&D Tax Incentive claims?
We use a flat fee model based on your R&D spend – ranging from $5,500 for up to $100k spend to $25,000 for $1M, $50,000 for $2M and $75,000 for $3M. Extra fees may apply for complex claims or detailed technical narratives, and we’ll always flag that upfront. Best part? If we don’t move forward to lodgement, you don’t pay.
What happens if I need the cash before the R&D refund comes through?
You can access R&D finance – a loan against your expected refund. We work with lenders like Radium Capital to help you access this and prepare the supporting documentation. They can advance up to 80% of your expected refund, either as a lump sum or in quarterly instalments. You pay it back when your R&D refund arrives.
Does my software startup qualify for the R&D Tax Incentive?
Software R&D is eligible when you’re solving a technical problem with an unknown outcome, not just building features. Eligible work often includes system architecture, algorithms, ML/AI development, performance optimisation, new integrations or overcoming technical limitations. We can help assess your eligibility in a free consultation.