R&D and Innovation
Maximize your funding and secure your tax position
Developing an innovative project often involves overcoming technical, scientific, or technological challenges.
Public R&D and innovation funding schemes can significantly reduce project costs — provided that the right funding opportunities are identified and the approach is properly structured.
Why leverage public funding for your R&D and innovation projects?
Public funding enables companies to:
Secure innovation-related tax benefits
Accelerate technological development
Reduce financial risk
Research & Development (R&D)
Funding projects involving strong technical or scientific uncertainty
When is a project considered R&D?
A project qualifies as Research & Development (R&D) when it aims to resolve a technical or scientific challenge for which existing solutions are insufficient.
R&D activities recognized by public authorities fall into three categories:
- Fundamental research
- Applied research
- Experimental development
These activities may be conducted internally or through collaborative projects and apply to all industries.
Eligible R&D expenses
- Salaries and social charges of R&D personnel
- Operating expenses: flat rate of 40% of personnel costs
- Technical equipment and depreciation related to R&D work
- Subcontracting with approved organizations
- Patent-related expenses (filing, maintenance, legal protection)
Eligibility primarily depends on the nature of the work performed rather than the business sector.
Key R&D funding schemes
AREAD supports companies in accessing major R&D funding mechanisms:
Research Tax Credit (CIR)
CIR Accreditation
Young Innovative Company Status (JEI)
Collaborative R&D Projects
European R&D Grants
Innovation
Funding the transformation of a project into a product or service
When does a project move from R&D to innovation?
Innovation begins once the project moves beyond pure research and enters phases such as:
- Feasibility validation
- Prototyping
- Market readiness preparation
Unlike R&D funding, innovation funding supports the development of new products or services rather than scientific research itself.
Eligible innovation activities
Innovation funding may cover:
- Feasibility and evaluation studies
- Project design and definition
- Techno-economic validation
- Strategic positioning studies
- Design, ergonomics, and eco-design
- Prototypes and pilot installations
- Recruitment of R&D or innovation specialists
Depending on the project, some schemes may cover up to 70% of eligible expenses.
Key innovation funding schemes
AREAD supports companies through major innovation programs:
Innovation Tax Credit (CII)
CII Accreditation
Bpifrance Innovation Grants
How AREAD supports you
AREAD assists companies at every stage of their R&D and innovation projects:
Audit & Eligibility
Identification of funding opportunities
Project structuring
Application preparation and submission
Administrative follow-up
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An initial discussion allows rapid identification of funding opportunities aligned with your project maturity.
