SR&ED Consulting
Academy™
Training · Certification · Best Practices
Professional development for SR&ED consulting firms and in-house R&D teams. Build the expertise, documentation discipline, and audit readiness your organization needs to operate at the highest level.
Two Paths. One Standard of Excellence.
Whether you’re building a consulting practice or strengthening your internal SR&ED capability, the Academy delivers practical, field-tested knowledge.
SR&ED Consulting Firms
Train your team to the highest professional standards. Whether you’re onboarding new consultants or upskilling existing staff, the Academy delivers structured, practical training — from claim writing fundamentals to advanced audit defence strategies.
Companies with In-House SR&ED Teams
Your internal team manages R&D documentation and claim preparation. The Academy gives them the tools, frameworks, and best practices used by Canada’s leading SR&ED consultants.
Knowledge Built on Real Practice
The Academy curriculum is grounded in published work authored by Q-Minded’s own experts — not borrowed frameworks.
Essential Guide to R&D and SR&ED
Research. Innovate. Thrive.
The Academy’s curriculum is built on the same intellectual foundation as this book — authored by Dr. Hamed Taherdoost. Every framework taught has been battle-tested across hundreds of real SR&ED claims and CRA reviews.
Academy participants get exclusive access to supplementary materials drawn directly from the book.
Dr. Hamed Taherdoost — Award-winning R&D Professional with 20+ years of experience. Professor at University Canada West (Canada), Westcliff University (USA), GISMA University of Applied Sciences (Germany), and Victorian Institute of Technology (Australia). 300+ academic publications.
Innovation Through Research and Development
Strategies for Success
Published by Springer Nature — one of the world’s leading academic publishers. This work brings together 20+ years of R&D expertise across industry and academia.
Provides the strategic and theoretical foundation underpinning the Academy’s advanced modules on R&D program design and innovation management.
Dr. Hamed Taherdoost — Professor & Chair of RSAC at University Canada West (Canada), Westcliff University (USA), GISMA University of Applied Sciences (Germany), and Victorian Institute of Technology (Australia). 300+ academic publications · Springer Nature author.
What’s Included in the Academy
Every participant gets access to a comprehensive set of learning materials developed by practicing SR&ED experts.
Expert-Authored Content
Course materials written by Dr. Taherdoost — drawing from 300+ academic publications and 13+ years of SR&ED consulting practice.
Claim Optimization Frameworks
Proven strategies for maximizing SR&ED credit value — the same frameworks behind $50M+ in successful claims.
Audit Defence Templates
CRA-tested documentation templates and response frameworks that have withstood real audits and technical reviews.
R&D Growth Playbooks
Strategic guides for building an SR&ED program that scales with your client’s R&D activities year over year.
Process & Workflow Systems
Step-by-step operational systems for managing the full SR&ED consulting workflow — from intake to CRA submission.
Industry Knowledge Base
Sector-specific guidance covering software, manufacturing, life sciences, cleantech, and more — with real case examples.
SR&ED Claim Optimization
Already know SR&ED? This focused course is for practitioners who want to ensure every claim is performing at its absolute maximum — tips, tricks, and the gaps most consultants miss.
A practical deep-dive for SR&ED practitioners — covering optimization tactics, cost alignment, manufacturing complexity, and the role of AI in claim preparation.
Is Your Claim at Maximum?
Most companies leave money on the table without knowing it. Learn the critical diagnostic questions: Are all eligible activities identified? Are expenditures fully captured? Is the SR&ED percentage applied correctly to every cost pool?
Cost-to-SR&ED Alignment
The most common optimization gap: a weak link between actual expenditures and SR&ED-eligible activities. Learn how to build airtight connections between your cost records and technical narratives — so every dollar has a defensible SR&ED story.
Manufacturing & Industrial SR&ED
Manufacturing claims are significantly more complex than software. Beyond labour costs, you need to correctly capture: raw materials consumed in experiments, machinery & equipment used in R&D, laboratory costs and testing equipment, and process trials with scrap and waste. Most consultants underreport in this sector — this module closes that gap.
Tips & Tricks from the Field
Practical optimization tactics drawn from 13+ years of real SR&ED claims: how to document uncertainty properly, how to frame incremental advances as eligible work, how to handle contractor and subcontractor costs, and how to prepare for CRA’s most common challenge points.
AI in SR&ED: Software vs. Manufacturing
In today’s world, AI can aggregate consensus sources and help prepare SR&ED technical narratives for software projects — pulling from documented methodologies, open-source references, and industry benchmarks. But can it walk the floor of a manufacturing facility? Can it identify which production run was an experiment, which batch of raw material was consumed in testing, which machine hours qualify?
The answer is no — and that gap is where human expertise becomes irreplaceable. This module explores what AI can and cannot do in SR&ED claim preparation, and how to use it as a tool without letting it create compliance risk in complex industrial claims.
The SR&ED Optimization Book
Dr. Hamed Taherdoost is currently authoring a dedicated book on SR&ED Claim Optimization — the first of its kind. Academy short course participants will receive early access upon publication.
Expected in market soon · Early access for Academy participants
SR&ED Claim
Optimization
Q-Minded Publishing
Choose Your Learning Path
Two distinct programs — one comprehensive, one focused. Both built on real SR&ED expertise.
SR&ED Consulting Mastery™
Complete zero-to-expert training covering the full SR&ED consulting lifecycle — from client onboarding and eligibility assessment to CRA-approved submission and audit defence.
Six core modules covering the complete SR&ED consulting lifecycle — from first client contact to successful claim approval.
SR&ED Fundamentals & Onboarding
The foundation every practitioner needs.
- CRA program overview & regulations
- Eligibility criteria in depth
- T661 form mechanics
- Client onboarding workflow
Technical Writing for SR&ED
Write narratives that pass CRA scrutiny.
- Scientific language requirements
- Three-part test documentation
- Describing technological uncertainty
- Common writing mistakes to avoid
Documentation Best Practices
Build a documentation system that holds up under review.
- Contemporary records requirements
- Project tracking templates
- Time tracking methodologies
- Digital documentation tools
Claim Writing & Preparation
From interview to submission-ready claim.
- Client interview techniques
- Extracting technical content
- Expenditure allocation strategies
- Claim review process
Audit Readiness
Prepare for CRA reviews before they happen.
- CRA audit triggers & red flags
- Response strategies
- Defending technical positions
- Dispute resolution process
Industry-Specific Applications
SR&ED across sectors — software, manufacturing, life sciences.
- Software development claims
- Manufacturing & process R&D
- Life sciences & biotech
- Case study analysis
Learn Your Way
Flexible hybrid delivery — combine self-paced learning with live instruction from practicing SR&ED experts.
Online — Self-Paced
Access structured course modules on your schedule. Ideal for individuals and distributed teams.
- Video lectures & written materials
- Downloadable templates & checklists
- Knowledge assessments per module
- Lifetime access to course content
Live Workshops
Interactive sessions with Q-Minded’s senior SR&ED experts. Deep dives, case studies, and live Q&A.
- Monthly group workshops (virtual)
- Private team workshops available
- Real claim review exercises
- Direct access to expert instructors
Canada’s SR&ED Knowledge Leaders
Q-Minded’s Academy is built on real-world SR&ED consulting experience — not theory. Our instructors have prepared, defended, and optimized hundreds of successful claims across every major industry sector.
This is the same knowledge that has driven over $50 million CAD in successful SR&ED claims for Canadian businesses.
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Authors of Canada’s Only SR&ED Book
Published academic work — the definitive reference for the industry.
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$50M+ in Successful Claims
A track record that validates every framework you’ll learn.
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Academic & Practical Expertise
Led by a Full Professor with 300+ publications and 13+ years in SR&ED.
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CRA Audit-Tested Methods
Every framework taught has been tested against real CRA reviews.
Ready to Build SR&ED Expertise?
Whether you’re a consulting firm looking to train your team or a company building an in-house capability — let’s talk.
Individual & Team Enrolment Available · Live & Self-Paced Options
