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Tell Us About Your Business
Pre-Screening
Primary industry
Years in business
Number of employees
New or improved products, formulations or materials
(e.g. coatings, concrete mix, medical devices, food
products)
New or improved production / construction / manufacturing
process
(e.g. assembly line, onsite construction method,
sterilization process)
New or improved equipment, tools or machinery
New or improved software / digital systems used in your business
Prototypes, pilot runs or test batches before full roll-out
The credit is not just for “tech companies” – it can apply to
construction, manufacturing, pharma, food, agriculture,
healthcare, and many other sectors.
Our project aimed to create or improve a product, process, formulation, construction method, piece
of equipment or software – not just cosmetic changes.
The work relied mainly on engineering, science or technical disciplines (e.g. civil/structural,
mechanical, chemical, biomedical, software).
At the start, we did not know for sure if the idea would work or how to make it work (there was real
technical uncertainty).
We tried different approaches – designs, materials, parameters or methods – and tested or evaluated them
to see what worked best.
If you can comfortably tick 4 boxes, your projects are very likely to meet the IRS “qualified
research” definition.
Software, SaaS, IT services
We build new software platforms, modules or major features (not just bug fixing and small tweaks).
We design new system architectures, integrations or performance improvements that require significant technical problem-solving.
We regularly run sprints or projects where the outcome or optimal solution is uncertain at the start.
Manufacturing, industrial, engineering
We develop or improve production processes (e.g. cycle time, yield, scrap reduction, automation).
We experiment with new materials, formulations or specifications to meet performance or cost targets.
We design or customize tooling, jigs, fixtures or equipment for our own production.
Construction, civil, infrastructure
We develop unique construction methods or sequences to handle challenging sites or structures.
We trial new materials, mixes or structural designs (e.g. concrete formulations, facade systems, modular methods).
We use engineering analysis, modeling or BIM to test different approaches before deciding on the final solution.
Hospitals, clinics, healthcare providers
We participate in or run projects to develop or validate new clinical protocols or treatment pathways.
We collaborate with technical teams to design or adapt software, devices or diagnostic workflows for clinical use.
We systematically test and evaluate new methods to improve accuracy, safety, or efficiency of care.
Medical devices, diagnostics
We design or significantly improve medical devices, instruments, diagnostics or related software.
We perform bench, pre-clinical or clinical testing to prove safety, accuracy or performance.
We iterate on designs, materials or algorithms in response to test results or regulatory feedback.
Pharma, life sciences, biotech
We carry out lab or pilot-scale experiments on new or improved drugs, biologics or therapies.
We develop or optimize formulations, delivery mechanisms or manufacturing processes.
We generate and analyze experimental data to decide which candidates or approaches to move forward.
Food & Beverage, FMCG
We develop or reformulate recipes to achieve taste, texture, shelf life or nutritional targets.
We trial new processing, packaging or preservation methods.
We run pilot batches or line trials before full-scale launch.
Agriculture, AgTech
We run structured field trials on seeds, crops, feed, inputs or agronomy practices.
We develop or test new equipment, sensors or software for precision agriculture.
We collect and analyze data to compare different treatments or approaches.
Other industries – use the previous steps to think about experimentation, uncertainty and technical work. During a full study we will map your specific projects to the R&D rules.
Role Type
People
% Time On R&D
Avg. Annual Salary (USD)
Engineers / Developers
Primary industry
Primary industry
Primary industry
R&D / Tech Leads
Primary industry
Primary industry
Primary industry
Technicians / Support
Primary industry
Primary industry
Primary industry
Contract research (USD)
Supplies / prototyping (USD)
Cloud / hosting for R&D (USD)
