Unlocking Innovation: AI, R&D Tax Relief & IP in 2025

Whether you’re innovating in any industry, understanding how to protect and maximise your ideas is essential.

Join us for this in-person event at Marks & Clerk, delivered in partnership with GM Business Growth Hub, as we explore how the evolving R&D tax relief landscape, Patent Box incentives, and intellectual property (IP) strategy can help your business thrive – especially if you’re working in or around AI and digital innovation.

With HMRC increasing scrutiny of R&D claims and 17% of all claims estimated to be receiving a compliance check, coupled with significant regime changes and growing commercial interest in AI-related IP, it’s more important than ever to ensure your claims are robust and your innovations are protected.

Our expert speakers will walk you through:

• R&D Tax Incentives: Ensuring your claims are optimised, robust and HMRC compliant
• New R&D Schemes: What these are and the potential pitfalls and opportunities they bring for future claims
• IP Strategies for AI and Software Innovation: Protecting algorithms, data, and software
• Patent Box: Unlocking tax incentives if you have or are developing patented inventions
• Technology in Tax: The opportunities and challenges of integrating technology and automation into the tax function

Who should attend?

This session is designed for decision-makers, founders, finance and innovation leads across all industries and sectors in Greater Manchester and beyond, including:

• Innovative companies curious about IP or Innovation tax incentives
• Startups unsure if they qualify for Innovation tax incentives
• Scale-ups wanting to ensure they are HMRC compliant
• Any business developing new products, services, or software
• Businesses seeking to automate and streamline their in-house tax function

Agenda and discussion points:

• 10:00am – Arrival and coffee
• 10:15am – The value of innovation: Why protecting and leveraging new ideas matters
• 10:25am – Automation and AI: Practical uses and opportunities for all businesses, in particular in tax transformation
• 10:35am – R&D tax relief: Latest updates and how to robustly optimise your claim
• 10:55am – Intellectual Property: Protecting your business assets
• 11:10am – Patent box: How to benefit from profits on patented innovations
• 11:20am – Final thoughts: Key takeaways and next steps
• 11:30am – Finish and networking

Speakers:

• Jack Stevenson-Hill, Principal Associate, Marks & Clerk
• Ian Rowland, Innovation Tax Partner, Grant Thornton
• Sophie Edwards, Innovation Tax Associate Director, Grant Thornton
• Gil Oglesby, Tax Transformation Partner, Grant Thornton
• Belinda Carp, Innovation Specialist, GM Business Growth Hub