What Advanced does

Advanced (legal entity: Finance Innovations Pty Ltd) is an Australian private fintech founded in 2023 and headquartered at the Peregian Digital Hub on Queensland's Sunshine Coast, with a 1-10 person team led by Founder & CEO Alex Knight. The company's core business is advancing funds against anticipated R&D Tax Incentive (RDTI) refunds issued by the Australian Taxation Office. Australian companies that conduct eligible R&D typically wait 6-12 months after EOFY to receive their RDTI refund; Advanced shortens this gap by lending up to 100% of the expected refund, enabling clients to reinvest in R&D, hiring, and operations months earlier without issuing equity.

The product is delivered through a digital platform consisting of three connected components: a public website (getadvanced.com.au), an online application portal (application.getadvanced.com.au) for submitting business and R&D information, and a client portal (app.getadvanced.com.au) for managing facilities. Pricing is usage-based: a $950 flat setup fee, interest at 1.38% per month, $0 closing fee, and no lock-in contract, with the facility repaid automatically when the ATO refund lands. Differentiators versus competing R&D lenders are explicit: 100% LVR against a market-standard 80%, no closing fee versus 1-2% elsewhere, no lock-in versus 0-3 year contracts, and an internally funded $25 million R&D lending facility rather than a brokered lending model.

Advanced monetizes through monthly interest income plus setup fees on each facility, with the underlying collateral being the anticipated ATO refund. Its target customers are Australian startups and scale-ups from Seed through Series A and beyond that have annualized R&D expenditure exceeding A$20,000, spanning SaaS, deep tech, IoT, agritech, medtech, AI, quantum, biotech, robotics, defence, and manufacturing. Distribution is direct-to-business via the online application portal, supplemented by content marketing on owned channels and earned media in Australian business publications. The firm is backed by a 2024 A$2.3 million seed equity raise (part of a A$25 million lending facility) and additional 2025 capital raises, with strategic advisers from StepStone Group, Partner Ventures, and Modus Partners.

Name

Advanced

Legal name

Finance Innovations Pty Ltd

Website

https://getadvanced.com.au

Company type

Private

Founded year

2023

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Advanced is an Australian fintech that provides non-dilutive R&D tax incentive financing to innovation-led startups and scale-ups, advancing up to 100% of their anticipated ATO R&D refunds within 24-48 hours of application.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

R&D Tax Incentive Financing

NAICS

Sales Financing (52222)

SIC

Short-Term Business Credit Institutions (6153)

akta.pro primary industry

Tax Refund Anticipation Loans (RAL) & Refund Advances (FSAKAOAG)

akta.pro secondary industry

Refund Anticipation Loans (RAL) & Tax Advance Credit (FSAKAMAH)

Keywords

• R&D tax financing
• Non-dilutive funding
• Tax incentive advance
• Startup lending platform
• R&D capital advance

Headquarters

HQ city

Brisbane

HQ country

Australia

HQ region

Oceania

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. R&D Finance Interest/Fees: Advanced earns revenue through financing fees charged on R&D tax incentive advances. The company charges 1.38% per month on facilities, with a $950 flat setup fee and $0 closing fee. There is no lock-in contract. The facility is repaid when the ATO refund arrives.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Advanced provides non-dilutive R&D financing to Australian innovation-led companies by advancing their anticipated Australian R&D Tax Incentive (RDTI) refunds. Companies apply online and receive approvals within 48 hours, with funds available within 24 hours of document signing, instead of waiting 6-12 months for the ATO to process refunds. The service charges a $950 flat setup fee and 1.38% per month interest, with a 100% loan-to-value ratio and zero closing fee.

Product overview

Advanced offers a single core product: R&D Finance — a non-dilutive lending service that advances Australian businesses their anticipated R&D Tax Incentive refunds before the ATO processes them. The offering consists of the R&D Finance lending service, a Client Portal for account management, and an Online Application Form for submissions. All three components are unified under a single brand serving Australian startups and innovators in sectors including SaaS, deep tech, IoT, tactical tech, and agritech.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• R&D Finance A commercial lending service that provides advances against Australian R&D Tax Incentive refunds, allowing businesses to access anticipated refunds within 24-48 hours instead of waiting months for ATO processing. Available to Australian companies spending over AU$20,000 annually on eligible R&D.
• Client Portal A web-based platform for clients to manage their R&D finance applications, track funding status, and access account information throughout the lifecycle of their facility.
• Online Application Form A digital application portal where companies submit business information, R&D details, and tax information to apply for R&D finance advances; takes 60 seconds to complete and yields a 48-hour response time.

Quantifiable outcome

• Access capital within 24-48 hours vs 6-12 months waiting for ATO refund
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• AusAgritechminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership to connect regional and rural Australian founders with R&D capital they qualify for but often cannot access. Initiative to extend R&D finance reach beyond metropolitan areas.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Radium Capital: Australia's largest specialist R&D Tax Incentive finance provider, offering advance funding against anticipated ATO R&D refunds to Australian companies. Direct head-to-head competitor on the same product, customer segment and regulatory framework.
• Tractor Ventures: Australian fintech providing revenue-based and R&D-backed financing to startups. Closely comparable on customer base (Australian early-stage companies), non-dilutive capital model, and fintech-style online application experience.
• Skipper Capital: Australian non-dilutive lender targeting startups and small businesses with revenue-based and R&D-tied funding. Comparable customer profile, similar fast-approval fintech onboarding, and overlap on R&D advance products.
• Moula: Australian online lender providing working capital to SMBs and startups, including R&D-tied products. Comparable on digital-first application, fast turnaround, and the Australian non-bank lending space.
• Lumi: Australian fintech offering R&D tax incentive loans, business loans and lines of credit to startups and SMBs. Direct overlap on R&D advance products and on the founder/early-stage customer segment.

Broad incumbents

• Prospa: Largest Australian online small business lender, providing working capital, loans and lines of credit. Broader product set and larger balance sheet, but overlapping customer base and a potential entrant into R&D-specific financing.
• GetCapital (ScotPac): Australian business finance provider (acquired by ScotPac) offering loans, lines of credit and R&D advance products. Larger, broader product portfolio but overlapping on Australian SMB and R&D lending.

Regional players

• Capify: Australia- and UK-based alternative lender providing working capital and loans to SMBs. Comparable business model and customer base in the alternative/SME lending space.

Emerging players

• Research & Development (R&D) Tax Loan providers (e.g. LoanOptions): Smaller Australian brokers and specialty lenders that pair clients with R&D advance facilities. Partial overlap on the R&D advance product but typically operating as intermediaries rather than principal lenders like Advanced.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/getadvancedfunding

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds2 records

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Advanced