The R&D Tax Incentive Explained

Could your startup be missing out on up to 43.5% of your R&D costs?

The R&D Tax Incentive isn’t complicated to understand – it’s just complicated to get right. This free guide, written by our R&D specialist John Nixon, cuts through the jargon and gives you the practical information you need to claim with confidence.

Get your free R&D guide

More cash in the business, less left on the table.

Nearly $5 billion in R&D Tax Incentive funding is distributed to Australian companies every year. Here’s why understanding it properly could make a real difference to your runway.

Recover up to 43.5% of your R&D spend

If your annual turnover is under $20 million, you could receive a cash refund of 43.5% of your eligible R&D costs – without giving up equity or taking on debt. That's non-dilutive capital you've already earned.

Know exactly what you can claim

The RDTI has strict rules about what qualifies – and getting it wrong can cost you the entire claim. This guide gives you a clear picture of eligible costs, eligible activities and the record-keeping that protects you if you're ever reviewed.

Access the money faster with R&D finance

Can't wait for the end of the tax cycle? We'll walk you through R&D financing – a way to access up to 80% of your expected claim upfront, so you can keep building without selling equity before you're ready.

What's inside the guide

The R&D Tax Incentive is one of the most valuable funding sources available to Australian startups – and one of the most misunderstood. This guide, written by our R&D specialist John Nixon (15+ years’ experience, including AusIndustry and KPMG), gives you everything you need to make an informed decision about claiming.

With this free guide, you’ll learn how to:

Understand how the RDTI works and whether your startup’s activities are eligible (if you’re developing something new and non-trivial, there’s a good chance they are)
Identify exactly which costs you can claim – and which ones will get your application rejected
Set up the record-keeping that’ll protect you from an AusIndustry review or ATO audit
Navigate the trickier questions around overseas activities, contracted R&D and joint ventures
Access your claim faster through R&D financing – without giving up equity
Avoid the most common mistakes founders make when lodging an RDTI claim

"The RDTI is reasonably simple in theory – but not so much in practice. Getting it right means more cash in your business. Getting it wrong means potentially losing the entire claim."

Who is this guide for?

If your startup is developing new technology, software or processes, and you haven’t claimed the R&D Tax Incentive before – this is your guide.

Tech & Software Founders

You're building something new and want to know whether your development work qualifies as eligible R&D.

Deep Tech & Hardware Startups

Your R&D involves experimentation with uncertain outcomes – exactly the kind of activity the RDTI was designed for.

Founders Watching Their Runway

You need non-dilutive capital to keep building and want to understand whether R&D funding or financing could help bridge the gap.

Ready to find out what you could be claiming?

Download the guide and get the practical information you need to claim the R&D Tax Incentive with confidence – no jargon, no waffle.