PE-CDT student Jameel Marafie (Cohort 5) talks about the consultancy business he's developed during his PhD.

Over the last few years, whilst working towards my PhD, I have been running my own consultancy business, which helps UK based science and technology companies obtain funding from the UK government through research and development (R&D) tax credits. 

Radar Consultants Ltd

Prior to starting my PhD, I had worked in the industry as a R&D consultant and had helped over a hundred innovative companies with the preparation of these R&D claims. This gave me the opportunity to work closely with the directors and technical leads of companies across a range of industries, including: food manufacturing, chemical, pharmaceutical, biotechnology, software, and several engineering-based industries. As I wanted to retain this expertise and develop an improved process, especially for start-up companies and small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs), I founded Radar Consultants Limited, with the aim to build a network of specialist consultants that can assist companies with R&D tax claims and grants.

Helping R&D Businesses with Tax Relief

The R&D tax relief scheme in the UK allows SMEs to get back up to a third of qualifying R&D costs, and is therefore a highly beneficial incentive for companies looking to innovative in the UK. However, the rules surrounding the scheme are complex and hence these funding claims are often completed incorrectly by claimants, even when advised by their accountants and tax advisors. As a result, there are now many R&D tax specialists across the country that help businesses get it right. 

Different R&D tax specialists provide varying levels of service, although most providers charge via a success fee. Despite the growing number of providers, the fees remain high, and in many cases the companies are parting with around a quarter of their funding as payment! I realised that there was a better way to provide businesses with the same level of specialist service, and ensure they keep a larger portion of their funding. This is now being achieved through Radar Consultants.

Growing the Company

The foundations of the company have now been laid, but I’m now looking to grow the business. I would love to hear from anyone who has had experience with R&D tax claims or grants, both positive and negative!

I’m also looking to develop some new processes for the business and grow the network, so please get in touch if you are a:

• Small business owner who already claims R&D tax credits/relief or looking to claim
• Software developer with experience developing online and offline platforms
• Scientist or engineer that is interested in consulting
• Scientist or engineer with experience writing and submitting grant applications

You can contact me via j.marafie@radarconsultants.co.uk to find out more about how it works, or to get involved. I hope to hear from you soon.