Mehrsa Raeiszadeh knows SR&ED inside and out. As the founder of several startups—including her latest, the online car marketplace Mintlist—she once saw SR&ED applications as an all-hands-on-deck challenge.
“It felt a lot like the work I did during my PhD,” Mehrsa shares. Just gathering payroll data and involving her technical teams could easily turn into a 10-hour project for several people.
“This isn’t something I’d hand off to a junior developer,” Mehrsa adds. Even an intermediate developer might not have the SR&ED experience—or the deep knowledge of Mintlist’s technology—to write a technical report that meets the program’s strict requirements. “I’d have to bring in my tech lead and my product lead—and those are the highest-paid people in the company,” she says.
The real issue was how much SR&ED applications pulled top developer talent away from new R&D. That’s what made Mehrsa rethink how Mintlist was recovering costs and making the most of non-dilutive government funding.
That’s when a contact in the BC tech community told her about what Boast AI was doing.
The outcome? “Two big fat checks” each exceeding six digits—and countless hours saved. Mehrsa and the Mintlist team unlocked major capital, giving them more runway and fueling even more innovation.
“Boast feels like an extension of my team,” Mehrsa says. “I can reach out anytime—they’re incredibly supportive. If anything comes up, they’re the experts and always available! I don’t need to hire someone full-time for that.”
That support included government grant programs. When Mehrsa had a one-off question about eligibility, Boast AI’s CTO got back to her the same day—with a strategy to help Mintlist maximize their funding.
In the first episode of Boast AI’s What The Tech podcast, Mehrsa shares how she worked with Boast to file two years’ worth of SR&ED claims at once.
Watch the full interview and more conversations with innovative startup founders on Boast’s YouTube Channel.
Across Canada, both federally and provincially, there’s a wealth of innovation funding available through tax credits and grants—giving founders access to non-dilutive capital to help extend their runway.
Our latest guide breaks down the most popular government-backed funding programs—and shows you how to start using them to grow your business.
