Research and Development Tax Incentive

Apply for the research and development (R&D) tax offset

for income years commencing on or after 1 July 2021.

Turn your innovation into funding fuel

The R&D Tax Incentive (RDTI) is a Federal Government program designed to reward businesses that invest in innovation, experimentation and technical problem-solving.

If your business is developing new products, improving processes, or building new technology, you may be eligible to receive a refundable tax offset of up to 43.5% of your eligible R&D expenditure.

Why the RDTI Matters

  • Offsets up to 43.5% of your innovation and development costs

  • Helps you reinvest more cash back into growth

  • Strengthens your case for future grants and funding rounds

  • Acknowledges your work as genuine innovation — not just standard product development

Who It’s For

You may qualify if your business:

  • Is registered and operating in Australia with an active ABN and incorporated structure

  • Is conducting eligible R&D activities — such as controlled experiments, prototyping, technical validation, or developing new IP

  • Is pursuing innovation not already commercially available

  • Spends $20,000+ per year on R&D (or is willing to partner with a Registered Service Provider if under this threshold)

  • Can track or is willing to start tracking R&D activity, assumptions, and learnings

Take the RDTI Readiness Check and find out in under 2 minutes.

Eligible R&D Activities Can Include:

Maximise your funding potential with our Definitive Grants Guide Listing, a comprehensive resource designed to help businesses, organisations, and entrepreneurs navigate the vast landscape of available grants. This guide serves as your ultimate roadmap to uncovering funding opportunities and securing financial support for your projects.

This guide provides an extensive listing of Australian grants, covering a wide range of industries and funding categories, ensuring you have the knowledge and tools to access the right opportunities for growth and innovation.

  • Designing and testing new products, platforms, or processes

  • Experimental development to solve technical uncertainty

  • Prototyping and validation with controlled testing

  • Building IP or new methods that advance knowledge within your sector

How We Help

Growology supports you with:

  • RDTI project assessment — confirm if your activity qualifies

  • Documentation & technical narrative preparation

  • AusIndustry registration and ATO claim support

  • Ongoing R&D tracking guidance to maximise future claims and funding leverage

When Is the Best Time to Apply for RDTI?

The R&D Tax Incentive is not something to leave until the end of the year.

The most successful applicants start early, because:

  • RDTI registration must be lodged within 10 months of year-end, miss the deadline and the opportunity is lost permanently.

  • Documenting as you go leads to higher-quality claims (and reduces ATO audit risk).

  • Registering early places your business in a stronger position for R&D extension grants, commercialisation funding, MVP programs and export support.

  • Using RDTI strategically builds your eligibility profile, signalling to future assessors and investors that your business is innovation-forward.

If you are already developing something new — you are already in “RDTI territory.” The sooner you register, the more leverage you gain.