R&D Software and AI Development Partner for Regional Businesses and Startups

Sharktech Global is a software and AI development partner for regional Australian businesses and startups that want to invest in research and development but have no in-house IT team. We scope the technical problem, build and test the new solution, and keep clear technical records of every experiment. Your own registered tax adviser handles any R&D Tax Incentive claim. We are developers, not R&D tax consultants.

Many regional businesses have a genuinely new idea: a smarter way to schedule harvest freight, predict a machine fault or check product quality. What they lack is a team that can turn that idea into working software. That is the gap we fill.

Who is this for?

• Regional businesses with an idea and no IT team. Manufacturers, agribusinesses, logistics firms, energy suppliers and health providers outside the capital cities.
• Startups building their first product. Founders who need engineers to test whether the technology can work before raising more money. See our guide for startups looking for a technology and AI partner.
• Owners who want honest answers. If an idea is routine work rather than R&D, we will tell you, and quote it as a normal build.

What counts as R&D in software and AI?

Not every software project is R&D. According to business.gov.au, core R&D can arise when a team hits a technical hurdle that no existing knowledge, method or solution can resolve, even for experienced professionals. The team then forms a testable hypothesis and runs systematic experiments where the outcome is unknown.

The same guidance says routine work is generally not core R&D. That includes integrating third-party APIs by following vendor documentation, building dashboards with established patterns and migrating data with known tools. Software built mainly for a company's own internal administration is also excluded.

Whether your project qualifies is a question for your registered tax adviser. Our job is to do the technical work properly and record it clearly, so your adviser has what they need.

What does an R&D project with Sharktech look like? An example

The example below is illustrative. It shows how we would run a project, not a past client engagement.

The business: a grain and freight business near Wagga Wagga with 40 staff and no IT department.

The problem: trucks queue for hours at receival sites in harvest. The owner wants an AI agent that predicts queue times from weighbridge data, weather and booking patterns, and reschedules drivers automatically.

The technical uncertainty: nobody knows whether the available data can predict queue times accurately enough to be useful. Off-the-shelf scheduling tools do not do it.

1. Scope and hypothesis (weeks 1 to 2). We review the data and write down what we are testing, for example: "Queue time can be predicted within 20 minutes using weighbridge, weather and booking data."
2. Prototype and experiment (weeks 3 to 8). We build a small model, test it against last season's data, and record every attempt, including the ones that fail.
3. Evaluate and decide. If the prototype meets the target, we build the agent into the business's systems with human approval for reschedules. If it does not, the owner stops with a clear answer and a modest spend.
4. Hand over records. The business receives the hypothesis, experiment plans, results and conclusions in plain English, ready to share with its tax adviser.

What R&D ideas fit each regional economy?

These are examples of problems that may involve technical uncertainty. Each project is assessed on its own facts.

What does Sharktech do, and what does it not do?

We do:

• Scope the technical problem and write a testable hypothesis.
• Design, build and test AI models, AI agents and custom software.
• Keep technical records of hypotheses, experiments, results and conclusions as the work happens.
• Build the finished solution into your existing systems and support it afterwards.

We do not:

• Register your R&D activities, prepare tax claims or give tax advice.
• Promise that a project is eligible for the R&D Tax Incentive or any grant.
• Quote refund amounts. Speak to your registered tax adviser about those.

All of this work is delivered in Australia by our Australian-led team, from Liverpool NSW and South Yarra VIC, with regional clients supported remotely.

How does the R&D Tax Incentive relate to this work?

The R&D Tax Incentive is a tax offset, not a grant. It is run jointly by the Department of Industry, Science and Resources and the Australian Taxation Office. For eligible companies with aggregated turnover under $20 million, the ATO describes the refundable offset as the company tax rate plus an 18.5% premium.

Eligibility, registration deadlines and the final amount depend on your circumstances. Check business.gov.au and speak to your registered tax adviser before you rely on any offset.

How much does an R&D software or AI project cost?

Every project starts with a fixed-price first step, so you can test the idea before committing to a full build.

Prices are in Australian dollars, exclude GST and are confirmed in a written scope. Later build stages are each fixed-price. See all starting prices on our services page, or read more about our AI consulting and custom software development.

Who leads Sharktech Global?

Sharktech Global is led by Chief Executive Officer Dainu Devis, who holds a Master of Engineering Science from UNSW, specialising in concurrent product and process design. Sharktech builds and runs its own software platforms, so the team that tests your idea also knows how to ship and support a product.

Next step: Book a free 30-minute discovery call. Bring your idea. We will tell you honestly whether it looks like R&D, a normal build, or something you do not need.

Frequently asked questions

Is Sharktech an R&D tax consultant?

No. Sharktech Global is a software and AI development company. We build, test and document R&D software and AI projects. Registration, tax advice and claims are handled by your registered tax adviser.

Can software or AI development count as R&D in Australia?

It can, when the work resolves a technical hurdle that existing knowledge cannot, using systematic experiments with an unknown outcome. Routine work such as following vendor documentation to integrate an API is generally not core R&D, according to business.gov.au.

Can a regional business with no IT team run an R&D project?

Yes. Sharktech Global acts as the technology development partner. We scope the problem, run the experiments, keep the technical records and build the final solution, supporting regional businesses remotely across Australia.

How much does an R&D software prototype cost with Sharktech?

Software scoping and prototype starts from A$4,000 and an AI agent pilot from A$3,500, each as a fixed-price first step with a written scope. Prices exclude GST.

Do you keep records my tax adviser can use?

Yes. We record the hypothesis, experiment plans, results and conclusions as the work happens, in plain English. Your adviser decides how they are used in any claim.

Sources: business.gov.au, Software development and the R&D Tax Incentive; ATO, Rates of R&D tax incentive offset; business.gov.au, R&D Tax Incentive; Sharktech Global services and starting prices.