Navigating Complex R&D Tax Claims & Compliance

R&D tax incentives remain one of the most valuable funding mechanisms available to innovative Australian businesses, but the compliance landscape has become significantly more demanding. Increased scrutiny from AusIndustry and the ATO has placed greater pressure on companies to properly document technical uncertainty, substantiate experimental activities, and justify expenditure classifications in ways that withstand detailed review. For many businesses, the challenge is no longer simply accessing incentives — it is protecting claims from audit risk while building sustainable funding strategies that support long-term growth.

This session explores the practical realities of managing complex R&D tax claims within Australia’s evolving regulatory environment. Participants will gain insight into how robust claim methodologies are developed, how common compliance failures are identified, and how businesses can align tax incentives, grants, and investment strategies to strengthen both innovation funding and commercial outcomes.

Key Topics Discussed:

• Current ATO and AusIndustry compliance focus areas
• Common audit triggers and high-risk claim patterns
• Core versus supporting R&D activity classification
• Documenting technical uncertainty and experimental processes
• Eligible expenditure and overhead allocation challenges
• Building defensible R&D claim documentation
• Audit readiness and responding to regulator reviews
• Combining R&D incentives with grants and funding programs
• Early Stage Investor Tax Offset and capital raising strategy
• EMDG and commercialisation funding opportunities
• Technology-enabled compliance and documentation workflows
• Practical lessons from real-world claim reviews and disputes