Claim back your R&D costs
Are you investing in innovation? Kiwi businesses doing R&D can claim back cash or tax credits through two R&D tax incentive programmes, reducing costs by up to 43%. The rules are complex and there are hoops to jump through. We simplify the process with a milestone-based partnership that lowers your risk and increases your chances of success.
Am I eligible for RDTI?
If you're a private-sector business developing innovative new products or services in New Zealand, you're likely eligible for the RDTI.
Care must be taken to frame your work correctly for the regulators, to pass the R&D tests and get your full entitlement, every year.
How we help you claim RDTI credits
We simplify what feels overwhelming
Predict your RDTI benefits
Not sure how much time and effort to invest in a process with an uncertain outcome? We give you early, accurate estimates of how much you could get back. That lets you make better cost-benefit decisions and de-risk the process from the start.
Write your application
We've done the hard yards and know the R&D rules inside out. While you focus on your business, our specialists write your technical narratives to pass the R&D tests. We handle the complexity so you don't have to.
Prepare your tax claim
We're also experts in claim calculation and compliance. We make sure the tax office gets accurate figures and complete supporting documents, so your records are in order when it counts.
Get your credits, fast
Got better things to do than studying tax law and depreciation schedules? We simplify and streamline the whole process so you get the credits you deserve, with refunds brought forward as early as possible.
What you actually get from us
When you engage a BlueRock grant consultant, you get comprehensive support including:
- Free consultations for new clients.
- Independent pre-assessment advice, before you approach the regulators.
- Confidential workshop to review your innovation projects and expenses.
- Estimates of credit and refund benefits under both programmes.
- Writing your detailed technical narratives needed to pass the R&D tests.
- Submitting your application and supporting liaison with the regulators.
- Preparing the supporting documentation for your tax return. (IRD's number one mistake is omitting this.)
- Reviewing your end-of-year accounts to calculate final eligible R&D expenditure. (Claiming ineligible costs is mistake number two.)
- Training key staff on R&D eligibility and record-keeping processes.
- Ongoing regular catchups to ensure you access your full entitlements, every year.
What sets BlueRock apart?
We're built for New Zealand businesses. We move fast, charge fairly, and deliver great commercial outcomes. See what our clients say...
Tom Moore - Director
Tom leads BlueRock's New Zealand office and heads the Grants and Incentives teams across Australia and New Zealand. He's an expert in R&D tax incentives and funding, with global experience in NZ, Australia and the UK. With degrees in both science and finance, and extensive experience in business advisory, Tom has worked with garage startups, listed tech companies and everything in between.
Corey Laverty - Manager
Corey specialises in research funding, with over 11 years' experience in research management and advisory for leading Australian and European universities and research organisations. As a scientist who's also trained in economics, Corey brings the detailed understanding needed to write technical narratives and project pitches that hold up under scrutiny.
Get cash now to improve your cash flow
Although less widely promoted than the RDTI, the R&D Loss Tax Credit is also available to most early-stage, private-sector businesses. If your business is pre-revenue, growing rapidly, or heavily investing in early R&D, you might be making a net loss. The R&D Loss Tax Credit gives you up to 28% of those losses back as a refund, for the same tax year. That improves your cash flow and lets you keep investing in R&D.
R&D Tax Incentive FAQs
We’ve been able to help hundreds of innovative businesses just like yours to get the funding they need. If your questions aren't answered here, get in touch for a chat to learn more.
The Research and Development Tax Incentive (RDTI) is New Zealand's R&D tax credit programme. It gives eligible businesses a 15% tax credit on qualifying R&D expenditure. In some cases, that credit can be paid as a cash refund. The programme has been open to NZ businesses since 2019.
Most private-sector businesses carrying out genuine R&D in New Zealand can apply. Your work needs to pass the statutory R&D test set by IRD, which is not the same as everyday commercial or accounting definitions of R&D. Most businesses will also need a general approval from IRD before they can claim. How your projects are described and documented makes a significant difference to the outcome.
Eligible R&D for businesses goes far beyond laboratory research. It can include product development, software development, process improvements and technical problem-solving, provided the activity meets the statutory definition. This R&D definition is specific to the RDTI programme and covers more than traditional scientific research. Two key points are showing your work involves genuine technological uncertainty and a systematic approach to resolving it.
Yes. R&D carried out in a manufacturing context, including developing new products, materials, or production processes, can qualify for the RDTI. The activity must still pass the statutory R&D test. The most common challenge is not eligibility itself, but capturing the correct scope of work, and documenting the work in a way that satisfies IRD. BlueRock works with businesses across manufacturing and other industries to get this right.
The RDTI offers a 15% credit on eligible R&D expenditure. There is a minimum spend threshold of NZ$50,000 per year in most cases, and a cap of NZ$120 million on eligible expenditure. If your business is in a loss position, you may also qualify for the R&D Loss Tax Credit, which provides a cash refund of up to 28% of qualifying losses in the same tax year. Some businesses access both programmes.
We’ve been able to help hundreds of innovative businesses just like yours to get the funding they need. If your questions aren't answered here, get in touch for a chat to learn more.
No adviser can guarantee approval, because IRD makes the final call. What we do is make sure that if your work is eligible, the application is built properly. That means assessing eligibility early, documenting the right costs, and writing technical narratives that hold up under review. When the underlying R&D is solid and the records are in good shape, we are seeing great results from RDTI claims.
Yes, end to end. We cover eligibility assessment, application drafting, technical narrative writing, claim preparation, and direct liaison with IRD and MBIE. The goal is to take the process off your plate so you can stay focused on your business while we manage the complexity.
The R&D Loss Tax Credit and the New to R&D Grant are two of the most accessible forms of support for early-stage businesses investing heavily in R&D.Both can provide cash to help finance your R&D. Other business grants in NZ may be available depending on your industry, stage of development, and the nature of your R&D. BlueRock can advise on what fits your situation.
Most businesses need general approval from IRD before filing their R&D supplementary return. Applications are due by 30 June following the end of your income year in most cases, and IRD does not accept late applications. Getting your application in early is good practice, particularly if your R&D expenditure is still being confirmed. BlueRock helps manage the timeline so nothing is missed.
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