Technology Intelligence

You are building IP. You are not protecting it.

Technology business intelligence for UK tech companies means identifying and claiming every financial advantage built into the system: ERIS R&D credits at 27% for loss-making SMEs, RDEC at 20% for profitable companies, Patent Box reducing corporation tax to 10% on qualifying IP income, grant matching via Innovate UK, and structured IP protection so the technology you build cannot be taken.

Published 27 Apr 2026  ·  Updated 18 May 2026

R&D tax credits left unclaimed. Grants you qualify for but never find. IP you have built but not ringfenced. BRG watches the funding landscape, compliance deadlines, and scaling opportunities that technology founders miss because they are too busy building product.

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What Technology Businesses Face

What problems are throttling your technology company's growth?

These are not generic startup challenges. These are technology-specific funding and compliance gaps that cost you real money every quarter you ignore them.

R&D credits left on the table

If you are writing code, building algorithms, solving technical uncertainty, or integrating systems in novel ways, you almost certainly qualify for R&D tax credits. Most tech SMEs either do not claim or under-claim significantly because they do not know what qualifies.

ERIS scheme: current scheme rate where eligible for loss-making SMEs

Grant blindness

Innovate UK, UKRI, Horizon Europe successor programmes, local enterprise partnerships, and sector-specific funds publish opportunities constantly. Most tech founders do not have the bandwidth to monitor, assess eligibility, and apply. The money goes to the companies that have the systems to find it.

Over £1.5B in UK innovation grants available annually

IP without protection

You are building proprietary technology, algorithms, datasets, and processes. But without Patent Box structuring, proper IP assignment, and trade secret protocols, your most valuable asset is unprotected. Competitors can replicate what you have not ringfenced.

Patent Box reduces corporation tax to 10% on qualifying IP income
Your Technology Team

Which agents are working your technology business every day?

Each agent is a specialist. They run every day whether you are shipping code or pitching investors.

STERLING
R&D tax credit scoring. Analyses your development work against HMRC qualifying criteria. Flags eligible projects automatically.
// ERIS eligibility reviewed
HUNTER
Grant intelligence. Monitors Innovate UK, UKRI, LEPs, and sector-specific funds for matching opportunities.
// scanning grants daily
OTTO
Finance matching. Revenue-based finance, SEIS/EIS structuring, venture debt, equipment finance for tech infrastructure.
// a mapped lender and product panel mapped
ZARA
Compliance monitoring. Companies House filings, GDPR obligations, data protection registrations, annual returns, director duties.
// tracking every deadline
PERCY
Procurement intelligence. Cloud infrastructure costs, SaaS tool benchmarking, vendor comparison across your stack.
// optimising spend
Intelligence Tool

How does the R&D Eligibility Scorer work for your tech projects?

Describe your technology development work. STERLING analyses it against HMRC's qualifying criteria and scores your R&D eligibility across every active project. You get a clear view of what you can claim -- before you speak to an accountant.

This is not a generic checklist. STERLING cross-references your project descriptions against the five categories of qualifying expenditure, identifies technical uncertainty, and maps your work to HMRC's advance in science or technology test.

What you get back
  • R&D eligibility score per project with qualifying rationale
  • Estimated claim value based on qualifying expenditure
  • Grant matches from Innovate UK and sector-specific funds
  • IP protection recommendations for qualifying technology
Score Your R&D Eligibility
Technology

Claim what you have earned.

Most tech companies under-claim by 30-50%. STERLING identifies qualifying work you did not know counted, maps it to HMRC criteria, and gives you a clear brief to take to your R&D adviser or accountant.

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Technology Outcome Pattern

What does a representative technology result look like?

Representative example based on verified BRG technology sector work, anonymised for confidentiality.

Problem: SaaS company with 12 developers had never claimed R&D tax credits. Assumed their work did not qualify because they were building a commercial product. No grant applications submitted despite qualifying for Innovate UK Smart Grants.
STERLING saw: 4 qualifying R&D projects across backend architecture, ML model training, and API integration work. Total qualifying expenditure: £380K over two accounting periods. Estimated ERIS credit: £103K.
HUNTER matched: Innovate UK Smart Grant round open with £25K-£500K available for the company's category of AI/ML development. Application deadline: 6 weeks out.
£103K
R&D tax credit identified
£175K
Grant application submitted
Frequently Asked Questions

Technology funding questions answered

The questions UK technology founders ask most about R&D credits, Patent Box, and innovation grants.

How does BRG help tech companies claim R&D tax credits?
STERLING analyses your development work against HMRC's five categories of qualifying expenditure, identifies technical uncertainty, and maps your work to the advance in science or technology test. The ERIS scheme offers a current scheme rate where eligible for loss-making SMEs, while RDEC provides a 20% credit rate for profitable companies and larger businesses. Most tech companies under-claim by 30-50%.
Can BRG find grants for technology businesses?
HUNTER monitors Innovate UK, UKRI, Horizon Europe successor programmes, local enterprise partnerships, and sector-specific funds daily. Over £1.5B in UK innovation grants is available annually — HUNTER matches opportunities to your technology category and alerts you before deadlines close.
Does BRG help with IP protection and Patent Box for tech companies?
BRG identifies qualifying IP and recommends Patent Box structuring, which reduces corporation tax to 10% on qualifying IP income. Without proper IP assignment and trade secret protocols, your most valuable proprietary technology, algorithms, and datasets are unprotected.
Who qualifies for the ERIS scheme and what is the credit rate?
The Enhanced R&D Intensive Support (ERIS) scheme is available to loss-making SMEs where qualifying R&D expenditure represents at least 30% of total expenditure. Qualifying companies receive a 27% payable credit rate — meaning HMRC pays you cash even if you have no tax liability. Tech startups and scale-ups with heavy development spend and pre-profitability status are the primary beneficiaries. See the full HMRC guidance on SME R&D relief for eligibility details.
What technology income qualifies for Patent Box and how do you apply?
Patent Box applies to profits from patented inventions — including software patents, process patents, and patents on physical products involving novel technology. The reduced 10% corporation tax rate applies to profits attributable to qualifying IP. Companies must elect into Patent Box via their corporation tax return and maintain streaming calculations to separate qualifying from non-qualifying profits. STERLING identifies your qualifying IP assets and models the tax saving before you commit to election.
How do Innovate UK grants work and what sizes are available for tech companies?
Innovate UK offers several funding routes for technology businesses. Innovate UK Smart Grants typically range from £25K to £500K for innovative projects with a clear route to market. Innovate UK Edge provides growth coaching and connections, while Knowledge Transfer Partnerships (KTPs) fund collaboration between businesses and UK universities. Applications are assessed on innovation potential, market opportunity, and team capability. HUNTER monitors all open rounds and matches them against your technology category automatically — you get an alert before the deadline, not after.
Sources & Further Reading
HMRC — R&D Tax Relief Guidance HMRC — ERIS Scheme (SME R&D Relief) HMRC — Patent Box Guidance Innovate UK — UKRI Companies House

Are you leaving R&D funding and grant money on the table?

Talk to MAYA about your technology business and let STERLING score your R&D eligibility while HUNTER scans for matching grants.

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