Kene Partners
Kene Partners is a UK R&D tax credit and innovation funding consultancy that helps SMBs across 17+ sectors secure R&D tax credits, Patent Box reliefs, and innovation grants. Founded in 2017, it has delivered 2,000+ claims and £164m+ in client benefit through a PhD-qualified team.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2017
- HeadquartersSpitalfields, United Kingdom
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Kene Partners does
Kene Partners is a UK-based R&D tax credit and innovation funding consultancy founded in 2017 by CEO Adam Kene and headquartered at 10 Devonshire Square, London. The firm helps innovative UK businesses — primarily SMBs across at least 17 sectors including advanced manufacturing, software, construction, clean energy, health and life sciences — secure R&D tax credits, Patent Box reliefs, and innovation grants, and has reported securing over £164 million in client benefit across more than 2,000 successful claims since inception. Its offering is built around three core services (R&D Tax Credits, Grant Funding, Patent Box), supplemented by a subscription product (Kore) for ongoing claim management, a review service (ClaimSure) for prior claims, and HMRC Enquiry Support for compliance disputes. A self-service ScoreApp-powered R&D Eligibility Scorecard serves as a top-of-funnel lead-generation tool, while a network of accountant and industry-association referrals feeds the sales pipeline.
The company's competitive positioning rests on a PhD-and-chartered-tax-qualified team (engineers, chartered tax advisers, specialists in chemistry, chemical engineering and software) producing HMRC-defensible claims, augmented by B Corp and Cyber Essentials certifications and a 4.8/5 Trustpilot score with 90%+ client recommendation. The technology stack is intentionally lean: First AML handles compliance and CDD workflows, ScoreApp powers the public-facing eligibility assessment, and AI tools are used internally for operations within a UK GDPR-compliant environment; there are no proprietary AI/ML products or platform plays. Kene operates a sales-led go-to-market motion with free consultations and personalised advisory delivery, targeting UK SMBs either directly, via professional adviser referrals, or through the self-service scorecard, and is governed by a full leadership team including a COO, CFO, and heads of Delivery, Compliance, Grants, Operations and Marketing.
Kene Partners firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Kene Partners
- Legal name
- Kene Partners Limited
- Website
- https://kene.partners
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2017
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Kene Partners is a UK R&D tax credit and innovation funding consultancy that helps SMBs across 17+ sectors secure R&D tax credits, Patent Box reliefs, and innovation grants. Founded in 2017, it has delivered 2,000+ claims and £164m+ in client benefit through a PhD-qualified team.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Where Kene Partners is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Spitalfields
- HQ country
- United Kingdom
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
Kene Partners business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- R&D Tax Credit Advisory Services: Professional consultancy fees for comprehensive R&D tax credit claim support, ensuring HMRC compliance while accurately quantifying R&D investment and maximising returns.
- Grant Funding Advisory: Fees for identifying grant opportunities, crafting applications, managing reporting and claims for innovation grants.
- Patent Box Advisory: Expert guidance through the Patent Box scheme to help reduce corporation tax on patented innovations.
- HMRC Compliance and Enquiry Support: Support services for HMRC compliance checks and dispute resolution related to R&D tax claims.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Pay-as-you-go | Free initial consultation to assess eligibility and funding potential |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels8 records
Kene Partners product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Kene Partners is an R&D funding consultancy that prepares and submits R&D tax credit claims for UK businesses, advises on Patent Box corporation tax relief on patented innovations, and identifies and manages applications for innovation grants. The firm also provides HMRC enquiry support, subscription-based ongoing R&D claim management (Kore), and review of prior R&D claims (ClaimSure), with delivery led by engineers, chartered tax advisers and PhD-qualified specialists.
Product overview
Kene Partners is an R&D funding consultancy offering a suite of advisory services to help UK businesses secure government funding for innovation. The core offering consists of three main services: R&D Tax Credits (comprehensive claim support ensuring HMRC compliance while maximising returns), Grant Funding (end-to-end support from opportunity identification through application and reporting), and Patent Box (guidance on reducing corporation tax on patented innovations). Additional modules include Subscription R&D Support (Kore) for ongoing claim management, ClaimSure for reviewing existing claims, and HMRC Enquiry Support for compliance disputes. The R&D Eligibility Scorecard serves as an entry point, offering a free self-assessment tool that identifies potential funding opportunities. The company operates primarily as a professional services firm with human-led delivery rather than a software platform.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- R&D Tax Credits Comprehensive support for UK businesses preparing and submitting R&D tax credit claims, ensuring HMRC compliance while accurately quantifying R&D investment and maximising returns.
- Grant Funding End-to-end support identifying UK and European innovation grant opportunities, crafting applications, and managing reporting and claims for R&D grant funding.
- Patent Box Expert guidance through the Patent Box scheme, helping UK businesses reduce corporation tax on patented innovations with clarity and confidence.
- Kore - Subscription R&D Support
Quantifiable outcome
- £164m+ secured for UK businesses in R&D funding
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use Kene Partners
Customer profileNamed customers17 records
Segments7 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Kene Partners technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration2 records
Feature2 records
Kene Partners partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
One partnership is on record.
- First AMLoperationalKene uses First AML, a verification and workflow management application, to conduct Customer Due Diligence (CDD) checks on clients in accordance with Anti-Money Laundering requirements. This is a compliance partnership to meet regulatory obligations as R&D tax advisors required to adhere to PCRT guidance.
Scale indicators7 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Kene Partners competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Forrest Brown: UK specialist R&D tax credit consultancy serving SMEs and corporates, with a comparable professional-services model and focus on HMRC-compliant claims. Directly overlaps Kene on core offering and target customer profile.
- EmpowerRD: UK R&D tax credit consultancy offering claim preparation and enquiry support to SMEs across multiple sectors. Operates in the same niche with similar eligibility-led funnel mechanics.
- RIFT Tax Refunds: UK-headquartered R&D tax credit specialist with a strong SME and contractor client base. Competes head-to-head for the same claim-driven, fee-based engagements.
- MPA Group: UK R&D tax credit and innovation funding specialist serving SMEs with claim preparation and advisory services. Comparable in scale, focus, and target customer.
- Catax: UK tax advisory focused on R&D tax credits and capital allowances, serving innovative SMEs. Closely aligned with Kene on customer segment, services, and go-to-market.
- GrantTree: UK innovation grants consultancy helping SMEs access R&D and innovation funding. Overlaps with Kene's Grant Funding Advisory stream and similar SME customer base.
Broad incumbents
- Ayming UK: Global innovation funding consultancy offering R&D tax incentives, grants, and Patent Box in the UK. Broader geographic footprint and service range than Kene, with direct overlap on R&D claims.
- Leyton UK: International innovation funding consultancy with UK R&D tax credit, grants, and Patent Box practices. Larger and broader portfolio than Kene, but competes directly on R&D tax advisory.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Kene Partners social profiles
Digital presenceKene Partners compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance2 records
Kene Partners financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Kene Partners leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles11 records
Kene Partners funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Kene Partners 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 Kene Partners
What does Kene Partners do?
Kene Partners is an R&D funding consultancy that prepares and submits R&D tax credit claims for UK businesses, advises on Patent Box corporation tax relief on patented innovations, and identifies and manages applications for innovation grants. The firm also provides HMRC enquiry support, subscription-based ongoing R&D claim management (Kore), and review of prior R&D claims (ClaimSure), with delivery led by engineers, chartered tax advisers and PhD-qualified specialists.
Is Kene Partners a public or private company?
Kene Partners is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Kene Partners founded?
Kene Partners was founded in 2017. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Kene Partners based?
Kene Partners is headquartered in Spitalfields, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.
How does Kene Partners make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. R&D Tax Credit Advisory Services are the primary driver. The others are grant Funding Advisory, patent Box Advisory and HMRC Compliance and Enquiry Support.
Who are Kene Partners's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Forrest Brown, EmpowerRD, RIFT Tax Refunds, MPA Group, Catax and GrantTree. Broad incumbents are Ayming UK and Leyton UK.
Does Kene Partners have an API?
No public API is recorded for Kene Partners.