Boast
Boast is an AI-powered SaaS platform combined with in-house tax and technical expertise that helps North American companies identify, document, claim, and finance federal and state R&D tax credits, serving roughly 2,000+ clients across startups, SMBs, and mid-market firms in software, life sciences, manufacturing, and other R&D-intensive verticals.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2015
- HeadquartersSan Francisco, United States
- Headcount101–250
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingSoftware
What Boast does
Boast is a North American fintech platform that helps companies identify, document, claim, and finance federal and state R&D tax credits and government incentives. The company serves roughly 1,960-2,000+ clients across the United States and Canada, with the customer mix spanning early-stage startups, SMBs, and mid-market companies in industries such as software, biomedical and life sciences, cloud computing, manufacturing, energy and utilities, telecommunications, and satellite services. Boast positions itself as a hybrid technology-and-expertise provider, combining an AI-driven SaaS platform with in-house technical and tax specialists to reduce the typical 60+ hour client time commitment to approximately 5 hours per claim while delivering 3x higher returns than tech-only competitors and 30-50% higher credit values than Big 6 accounting firms.
The Boast AI Platform is the core product: machine learning algorithms identify qualifying R&D activities and Qualified Research Expenses (QREs) from structured data (payroll, accounting, project management) and code repositories (GitHub, GitLab, Bitbucket), allocate time across federal Section 41 and multiple state programs, and produce audit-ready contemporaneous worklogs. The platform integrates natively with 20+ systems including Jira, GitHub, GitLab, Azure DevOps, NetSuite, QuickBooks, Xero, Sage Intacct, ADP, Ceridian, Gusto, Paychex, and Rippling, and is SOC2 Type II certified. Bundled around the core platform are AuditShield (audit defense with 95%+ success rate and 90%+ recovery rate on challenged claims), the new CDAE-IA solution for Quebec's AI-focused tax credit, Quickfund (rapid financing against credits), and industry/size-specific solution packages (Biomedical, Cloud, Manufacturing, Energy, Startups, SMBs, Mid-Market, plus US Section 41, Canadian SR&ED, and IDMTC programs).
Boast monetizes via a value-based pricing model tied to credit value delivered rather than hours billed, typically structured as multi-year engagements. Reported outcomes include $900M+ in R&D tax credits accessed for clients between 2018-2024, an average claim value of $768,233, a median client recovery of $114,800, and 245% average annual claims growth since 2018. Capital structure includes a $23M Series 2 (Radian Capital, December 2020) and a $100M financing (Brevet Capital Management, February 2021), with the legal entity organized as Boast Capital LP, headquartered in Vancouver with operations across Canada and the United States.
Boast firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Boast
- Legal name
- Boast Capital LP
- Website
- https://boast.ai
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2015
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 101–250 employees
- Short description
- Boast is an AI-powered SaaS platform combined with in-house tax and technical expertise that helps North American companies identify, document, claim, and finance federal and state R&D tax credits, serving roughly 2,000+ clients across startups, SMBs, and mid-market firms in software, life sciences, manufacturing, and other R&D-intensive verticals.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Boast industry classification
Industry- Product category
- R&D Tax Credit Software
- NAICS
- Accounting, Tax Preparation, Bookkeeping, and Payroll Services (5412)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Expense Management & T&E Audit (Employee Expenses, Corporate Cards) (BPAAAGAE)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- B2B SaaS & Enterprise Personalization (CRM, Sales, Support) (HDAAAGAJ)
Keywords
Where Boast is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- San Francisco
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Boast business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Software
- Cost components
- Personnel, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- R&D Tax Credit Claim Services: Boast charges based on credit value delivered, not hours spent. Clients know costs upfront without surprise invoices or scope creep. Pricing typically runs 40-60% lower than Big 6 firms while delivering 30-50% higher credit values. This is a performance-based value model where fees are tied to successful credit recovery.
- Expert Consulting Services: In-house technical and tax experts review and validate claims, provide eligibility guidance on Section 174 capitalization impacts, and walk clients through the AI-powered claim process. These expert services are bundled into the overall engagement model.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Outcome Based/ Performance | Multi-year contract | Value-based pricing tied to credit value delivered |
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels8 records
Boast product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Boast operates an AI-powered SaaS platform, supported by in-house technical and tax experts, that helps North American companies identify qualifying R&D activities, automate contemporaneous documentation, and maximize federal, state, and provincial R&D tax credit claims. The offering combines machine learning-driven activity identification and QRE calculation with expert validation, audit-ready documentation, and included audit defense (AuditShield) for IRS and CRA examinations across the US and Canada.
Product overview
Boast is a unified R&D tax credit intelligence platform that combines an AI-powered SaaS platform with in-house technical and tax expertise to help companies in the US and Canada identify, document, and claim federal and state R&D tax credits. The portfolio consists of the Boast AI Platform (core product) at the center, paired with two flagship add-on modules: AuditShield for comprehensive audit defense and the CDAE-IA Solution for Quebec's AI-focused tax credit program. Underneath, Boast offers industry-specific solutions (Biomedical & Life Sciences, Cloud Computing, Manufacturing, Energy & Utility, and more), company-size solutions (Startups, SMBs, Mid-Market), and program-specific solutions covering US R&D Tax Credits (Section 41), Canadian SR&ED, and IDMTC. The platform integrates with project management (Jira, GitHub, Asana, Linear, Monday, etc.), accounting (NetSuite, QuickBooks, Xero, Sage Intacct), and payroll (ADP, Ceridian, Gusto, Paychex, Rippling) systems to automatically extract and analyze R&D activity data.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Boast AI Platform Central AI-powered SaaS platform that combines machine learning algorithms with in-house technical and tax expertise to identify qualifying R&D activities, automate documentation, and maximize federal and state R&D tax credit claims across the US and Canada. Targeted at companies with R&D activities seeking to claim federal Section 41, state, and provincial tax credits.
- US R&D Tax Credits (Section 41)
- SR&ED (Scientific Research and Experimental Development) Boast's core Canadian R&D tax credit solution covering the federal Scientific Research and Experimental Development (SR&ED) program, helping Canadian companies identify and claim eligible R&D expenses under the Canadian government's SR&ED tax incentive program.
- CDAE-IA Solution for Quebec Tech-enabled solution dedicated to Quebec's CDAE-IA tax credit program (effective January 1, 2026), integrating with Jira and GitHub to automatically collect AI-related activities and generate audit-ready documentation for Investissement Québec. Targeted at Quebec tech companies transitioning from the traditional CDAE program to the AI-focused framework.
- IDMTC (Interactive Digital Media Tax Credits) Provincial tax credit solution covering Canada's Interactive Digital Media Tax Credits, expanded beyond gaming studios to include AR/VR applications in manufacturing and healthcare, with provincial programs in British Columbia (25% rate) and Ontario (up to 40% refundable).
- Quickfund Rapid financing solution enabling fast access to R&D tax credit funds, offered as part of Boast's Canadian tax credit solutions portfolio for companies seeking accelerated liquidity from their R&D tax credits.
Quantifiable outcome
- 245% growth in average annual claims since 2018, with average claim values reaching $768,233
- +9 more outcomes
Companies that use Boast
Customer profileNamed customers13 records
Segments12 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Boast technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration24 records
AI capability5 records
Feature8 records
Boast partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
One partnership is on record.
- VizworXcoreCalgary-based advanced software company VizworX partnered with Boast to streamline its Scientific Research and Experimental Development (SR&ED) documentation process using Boast's AI-powered SaaS platform. The partnership significantly reduces internal hours previously spent on retroactive claim preparation, freeing engineering talent to remain focused on complex R&D work rather than navigating tax policy requirements. VizworX developed its Virtual Operations Environment (VOE) platform combining AR, VR, AI, and IoT data for defense, emergency response, and critical infrastructure operations.
Scale indicators17 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Boast competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Neo.Tax: Direct competitor offering R&D tax credit software for startups and tech companies. Boast explicitly benchmarks against Neo.Tax, claiming 3x higher returns — both serve the same North American startup and SMB market.
- MainStreet: Tech-enabled platform helping startups claim R&D tax credits and government incentives. Identified by Boast as a direct competitor where they claim 3x returns, operating in overlapping startup and SMB segments.
Broad incumbents
- Deloitte: Big 4 accounting firm offering R&D tax credit advisory as part of a broad tax services portfolio. Boast positions against Deloitte as a specialized, AI-driven alternative claiming 30-50% higher credit values at 40-60% lower cost.
- PwC: Big 4 firm with R&D tax credit services as part of a wider tax and advisory practice. Comparable incumbent competitor that Boast targets for displacement with value-based, AI-powered offerings.
- EY (Ernst & Young): Big 4 accounting firm providing R&D tax credit consulting among many tax services. Competes with Boast in mid-market and enterprise R&D credit work, particularly for multi-state claims.
- KPMG: Big 4 firm with established R&D tax credit practice. Competes in the same enterprise and mid-market segment Boast serves, though typically with higher-cost, broader-scope engagements.
- BDO USA: Top-10 accounting firm with significant R&D tax credit practice serving mid-market and SMB clients. Directly comparable to Boast in target customer profile though operating as a generalist firm.
- Ryan LLC: Large tax services and consulting firm specializing in credits and incentives, including R&D credits. Directly comparable to Boast in helping companies identify and claim federal/state tax credits, though with a more consulting-led model.
- Capstone (now MorganFranklin): Tax credit and incentives advisory firm (now part of MorganFranklin). Comparable in R&D tax credit services for mid-market clients, competing in the same audit-supported credit recovery space.
Emerging players
- Avalara: Tax compliance SaaS platform with broader scope than Boast but emerging overlap in tax credit automation. Both serve mid-market and enterprise with software-driven tax workflows, though Avalara is primarily indirect tax focused.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat6 records
Key risks4 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Boast social profiles
Digital presenceBoast compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance1 record
Boast financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Boast leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
Boast funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds2 records
Investors2 records
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Boast M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Boast
What does Boast do?
Boast operates an AI-powered SaaS platform, supported by in-house technical and tax experts, that helps North American companies identify qualifying R&D activities, automate contemporaneous documentation, and maximize federal, state, and provincial R&D tax credit claims. The offering combines machine learning-driven activity identification and QRE calculation with expert validation, audit-ready documentation, and included audit defense (AuditShield) for IRS and CRA examinations across the US and Canada.
Is Boast a public or private company?
Boast is a private company. It is classified as venture growth investor backed and is currently operating.
When was Boast founded?
Boast was founded in 2015. It employs 101 to 250 people.
Where is Boast based?
Boast is headquartered in San Francisco, United States, in the North America region.
How does Boast make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. R&D Tax Credit Claim Services are the primary driver. The others are expert Consulting Services.
Who are Boast's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Neo.Tax and MainStreet. Broad incumbents are Deloitte, PwC, EY (Ernst & Young), KPMG, BDO USA, Ryan LLC and Capstone (now MorganFranklin). Avalara is listed as an emerging player.
Does Boast have an API?
No public API is recorded for Boast.
What industry is Boast in?
Boast's product category is R&D Tax Credit Software. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAAAGAE, Expense Management & T&E Audit (Employee Expenses, Corporate Cards), with a secondary code of HDAAAGAJ, B2B SaaS & Enterprise Personalization (CRM, Sales, Support). Its NAICS code is 5412.