Tech & AI

R&D tax relief rewards companies that resolve genuine scientific or technological uncertainty, such as building novel software, AI models, or platforms. In the UK, qualifying SMEs claim enhanced deductions or a payable credit against Corporation Tax through HMRC. In the US, the federal R&D tax credit offsets income tax and, for eligible startups, up to a set amount of payroll tax. We assess eligibility and prepare the technical claim.

SEIS and EIS are UK schemes that give investors generous income tax and capital gains reliefs for backing early-stage companies, making your startup far more attractive to fund. Companies must meet HMRC conditions on age, size, and trade. Securing advance assurance before a raise reassures investors. There is no direct US equivalent, though US investors may benefit from Qualified Small Business Stock rules.

A UK SaaS business must register for VAT once taxable turnover exceeds the HMRC threshold, and digital services sold to consumers abroad can trigger overseas VAT obligations. In the US there is no VAT, but selling software into US states can create sales tax nexus once you exceed economic thresholds for revenue or transactions in a state, requiring registration and collection there.

Burn rate is the pace at which you consume cash, and runway is how many months of cash remain at that rate. Accurate management accounts and rolling cash flow forecasts let founders see runway clearly and plan the next raise before cash runs low. We build investor-ready forecasts that separate operating burn from one-off costs so your board has reliable numbers.

Employing staff overseas can create payroll, social security, and even corporate tax exposure in that country, and a remote employee can sometimes create a taxable permanent establishment. UK employers must operate PAYE for UK-based staff, while US hires bring federal and state payroll obligations. We advise on employer-of-record options, cross-border payroll, and structuring teams tax-efficiently.

A UK company raising from US investors is usually still taxed in the UK, but a US parent or Delaware flip structure introduces US federal and state corporate tax, plus IRS anti-deferral rules such as GILTI on foreign profits. The US-UK tax treaty helps prevent double taxation. We plan the group structure and transfer pricing so profits are not taxed twice across the two systems.