Non-Dilutive R&D Finance for Businesses With Active R&DTI Claims
We provide fast, flexible funding against eligible R&D Tax Incentive claims—helping Australian businesses access the cash flow they’ve already earned, sooner. No equity. No personal guarantees. No monthly repayments.
Fast Access to Your R&D Rebate
Bridge the gap between your R&D spend and your government refund with funding delivered within weeks. Available for businesses planning to lodge or already lodging an R&D Tax Incentive claim.
Minimise Risk, Maximise Stability
Non-dilutive financing means no equity given up and no personal guarantees required. Your funding is secured against eligible R&D expenditure you’ve already incurred—not projections.
Tailored R&D Finance Solutions
Flexible funding from $50K to $10M designed around your claim cycle. Lump sum or quarterly drawdowns, with the loan settled when your ATO rebate arrives.
Find Out How Much R&D Finance You Can Access
This calculator is designed for businesses that are eligible for the R&D Tax Incentive and have incurred qualifying R&D expenditure. If you haven’t yet spoken with an R&D tax consultant about your eligibility, we can connect you with a trusted advisor in our network—get in touch.
Calculate how much of your R&D tax rebate you can access in less than 60 seconds
Access up to 80% of your expected R&D Tax rebate early with Rocking Horse R&D Finance. Funding is based on your eligible R&D spend already incurred, and requires confirmation from an approved R&D tax consultant to proceed.
Calculate how much of your R&D tax rebate you
can access in less than 60 seconds!
Access up to 80% of your annual R&D tax refund with Rocking Horse R&D Finance.
calculated as 60 days after tax filing date
R&D Finance for Businesses Actively Investing in Innovation
Whether you’re an early-stage company or an established enterprise, our R&D financing is built for businesses that are already conducting eligible R&D and want to access their refund before EOFY.
R&D-Active Start-Ups
Building something new and investing heavily in development? If your start-up is conducting eligible R&D and planning to lodge an R&DTI claim, our financing can help you access your refund early—so you can keep building, testing, and launching without the cash flow gap slowing you down. Funding starts from $50K with no personal guarantees required.
Growing Businesses
Scaling fast and feeling the pressure of R&D costs landing well before your rebate? Our flexible R&D finance gives you early access to your accrued refund, so you can reinvest in development, expand your team, and maintain momentum. Ideal for growing businesses with an established R&DTI claim history looking to smooth out their cash cycle.
Innovative Enterprises
Are you an innovative enterprise investing significantly in R&D across multiple projects or financial years? We work with larger businesses to structure R&D finance—including multi-year facility agreements—that align with your claim cycle and keep capital flowing to where it matters most. No equity dilution, no tying up working capital.
Assess Your R&D Finance Options
Our Team
Giles Karhan
DIRECTOR
Giles has worked in management, sales and marketing and operations across both equities and funds management for over 15 years. He has worked in both large Australian banks, wealth mangers as well as boutique funds management. His strong commercial experience is a valuable asset in his role running Rocking Horse. Giles has been a keen entrepreneur for many years and invested in a number of innovations over the past 10 years.
Contact Us Today
Could R&D Finance Work for Your Business?
This form is for Australian businesses looking to access funding against an eligible R&D Tax Incentive claim. If you’re unsure whether you qualify for the R&DTI itself, no problem; we can introduce you to a trusted R&D advisor in our network.
Frequently Asked Questions About R&D Finance
Find answers to common questions about R&D financing for Australian businesses.
R&D financing is a short-term loan secured against your expected R&D Tax Incentive rebate. Instead of waiting until after you've lodged your tax return and the ATO has processed your refund, you can access up to 80% of your accrued eligible R&D spend throughout the financial year. The loan is repaid when your rebate arrives; there are no monthly repayments in the interim. It's a way to unlock cash flow you've already earned sooner.
The process follows six steps: get in touch with our team, confirm your eligibility, gather your supporting documents (including a comfort letter from your R&D tax consultant), confirm your ATO position, submit your application, and receive your funds—typically within two weeks of approval. The loan is settled automatically when the ATO pays your R&DTI rebate.
To qualify for R&D finance through Rocking Horse, your business must be eligible for the Australian Government's R&D Tax Incentive, have incurred eligible R&D expenses, and either have a history of R&DTI claims or be planning to lodge a claim with the support of an approved R&D tax consultant. You'll need a comfort letter from your advisor confirming your eligibility for expenditure. If you don't yet have an R&D advisor, we can connect you with one.
Our funding starts from $50K. The amount you can access is based on your year-to-date eligible R&D expenditure and the associated rebate—not your projected full-year spend. Businesses with higher eligible expenditure will generally be able to access more funding.
Not necessarily. You don't need to have completed or lodged your R&DTI application before applying for R&D finance. However, you do need to be conducting eligible R&D activities and have an R&D tax consultant who can provide a comfort letter confirming your eligible spend. If you're not yet working with an advisor, reach out to us, and we can introduce you to one in our network.
No. Rocking Horse Group is a specialist R&D finance lender, not an advisory firm. We don't lodge R&D Tax Incentive claims, assess eligibility, or provide tax advice. Our role is to fund against eligible R&D spend that's been confirmed by your R&D tax consultant. We work alongside your advisor—not in place of one.
There are no restrictions on how you use your R&D financing. While many businesses reinvest directly into product development or hiring, you're free to allocate the capital wherever it's needed—whether that's operations, market expansion, commercialisation, or bridging a cash flow gap.
We work with R&D-active businesses across a wide range of industries, including technology and software, pharmaceuticals and healthcare, manufacturing and engineering, renewable energy, and agriculture and food technology. If your business is conducting eligible R&D under the R&DTI program, we'd welcome a conversation regardless of your sector.
Once your application and supporting documents are in order, approval is typically fast—with funding available within two weeks. The timeline depends on the completeness of your documentation and the confirmation from your R&D tax advisor.
Still have questions?
We’re here to help you navigate R&D financing.
Ready to Access Your R&D Refund Early?
If your business has an active or upcoming R&D Tax Incentive claim, we can help you unlock funding sooner. No equity. No personal guarantees. No catch.