Eligibility assessment
- Analysis of your research and innovation projects
- Review of the CIR and CII eligibility criteria
- Estimate of the tax credit you can claim
Research and Innovation Tax Credit: funding and securing your R&D in France
We assess, structure and secure your innovation funding claims: from CIR and CII to IP Box, the Young Innovative Company status, CIFRE and Bpifrance grants.
Verified client reviews- 20+ years of experience
- Member of ODEC & CNCC
From startups to large corporations, they trust us to succeed in France.
Our areas of expertise
Five areas of expertise to fund and secure your innovation
Complete support across every innovation funding scheme, from the eligibility assessment to defending your claim in the event of an audit.
Building and securing claim files
- Drafting of the technical, financial and administrative sections
- Substantiation of R&D work and eligible expenses
- Compliance with the requirements of the tax authorities
Securing public grants
- Identification of regional, national and European grants
- Preparation of grant and funding applications
- Optimisation of the funding plan for your projects
Filing and monitoring of claims
- Filing with the relevant bodies and authorities
- Tracking of progress and processing deadlines
- A single point of contact throughout the process
Support in the event of an audit
- Advance preparation for any tax audit
- Drafting of responses to the tax authorities' requests
- Defence and argumentation of your claim
The schemes in detail
How each scheme works, explained in detail
For how each scheme works in general (conditions, eligible base, caps, deadlines), we have a site entirely dedicated to innovation funding: keypoint-subvention.com.
CIR
Research Tax Credit
30% of your eligible R&D spending, up to 100 million euros, then 5% above that.
Learn moreCIIInnovation Tax Credit
20% of your spending on designing new products, capped at 400,000 euros per year.
Learn moreIP BoxPatent and software taxation
10% corporate tax instead of 25% on your industrial property income.
Learn moreJEIYoung Innovative Company
Tax and social contribution exemptions for young companies investing in R&D.
Learn moreCIFREHiring a PhD candidate
42,000 euros of funding over three years to bring a PhD candidate into your teams.
Learn moreBpifranceGrants and advances
Grants, repayable advances and innovation loans: building and defending the application.
Learn more
Alongside international and French companies since 2003
Our approach
A proven method, from eligibility to securing your claim
Structured, transparent support designed to turn your R&D work into secure funding.
- 01
Qualify your projects
We analyse your research and innovation work against the CIR and CII eligibility criteria.
- 02
Quantify your tax credit
We estimate the tax credit and public grants you can genuinely claim.
- 03
Structure and file your claims
We build the technical, financial and administrative files, then handle filing and follow-up.
- 04
Secure your position in an audit
We prepare your responses and defend your claim before the tax authorities.
2003
Funding innovation for international and French companies in France.
+90%
International clients, from tech to industry.
Innovation funding under control and secured
We combine tax expertise with an understanding of your projects to maximise and secure your innovation funding.
- Claims assessed, structured and secured across every scheme
- Regional, national and European public grants secured
- A defensible claim and full support in the event of an audit
- Our priority is fast, precise and professional support.
Estimate your funding in two minutes
Free calculators and eligibility tests, scheme by scheme, on Keypoint Subvention.
Testimonials · 5.0 / 5 on Google
They trust us
Anton and the team have been very helpful in setting up and automating our Shopify transactions with Pennylane. Communication has been clear and responsive throughout, and they provided excellent technical support to ensure everything worked correctly. We have been very pleased with their service.
D
David Riley
Google review
We have had the pleasure of working with this accounting firm for several years, and we could not be more grateful for their continued support and dedication. From the very beginning, they have always been highly committed, incredibly responsive, and truly attentive to our needs. Their patience, professionalism, and willingness to take the time to explain things clearly have made a real difference in our day-to-day work.
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Their exceptional attention to detail and the high quality of their work save us valuable time every year and give us great confidence when preparing for financial audits. Thanks to their expertise and reliability, we are able to approach these important periods with much more peace of mind.
C
Clémentine
Google review
I have the good fortune of working with KeyPoint International from Canada to grow our business in France, and their support has been a real asset for OVA.
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Thanks to their team, we were able to structure our setup in France thoroughly and efficiently, with very complete support ranging from company formation to payroll, including bank accounts, administrative procedures, cards and the various files tied to our local development.
I work in particular with Lisa, who is extremely reliable, rigorous, punctual and always very quick to reply. For a Canadian company growing its business in France, having someone like her on the ground makes a real difference day to day.
More broadly, the whole KeyPoint International team has always been available, professional and a pleasure to work with. They allowed us to focus on our growth while knowing that the administrative, financial and operational side was in good hands.
I recommend them without hesitation to any foreign company looking to set up or grow in France.
H
Harold
Google review
I have been working with VMI, now Keypoint, since July 2019, when I became CFO of my company.
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Throughout these years, Keypoint has demonstrated outstanding responsiveness, flexibility, and reliability. Their team is highly professional, business-oriented, and always a pleasure to work with.
I would highly recommend Keypoint to any organization looking for a reliable and proactive business partner.
B
Benjamin Pommelet
Google review
We're working with KeyPoint (VM before) for a long time now to our complete satisfaction. Our regular contact person responds quickly and is well informed about French legislation, which is very convenient for us as a Dutch company. In addition, our French is not enough, so it is especially nice that they are good at English, allowing us to communicate well with them.
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I would definitely recommend KeyPoint to other companies in the Netherlands that have French branches.
A
Anita Barkel
Google review
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
Can a French branch of a foreign company claim the CIR?
Yes. A French branch is taxed in France on its French-source profits and can claim the CIR for R&D expenses incurred and deducted through the branch's French accounts.
Must the R&D expenses be booked in the French entity to qualify?
Yes. Only expenses recorded in the French entity's accounts and deductible for French tax purposes are eligible; costs booked and deducted abroad do not qualify, even within the same group.
Which five criteria make an activity eligible for the CIR?
The tax authorities apply five criteria drawn from the OECD's Frascati Manual: novelty of the results sought, creativity of the concepts and hypotheses used, uncertainty over the outcome or how to reach it, a systematic approach to planning and recording the work, and transferability of the results to other researchers. An activity must meet all five to qualify as CIR-eligible R&D.
Does the CIR scientific report have to be written in French?
No, French law does not require the report to be in French, but the tax administration reviews it in French, so we always prepare it in French to avoid delays if your claim is reviewed.
Are patent filing costs still eligible?
No. Patent filing, maintenance and defence costs have been excluded from the general CIR expense base since the 2025 Finance Law. A narrow, capped exception remains for small and medium enterprises under a separate innovation sub-scheme.
How long does the tax authority take to refund the CIR?
The CIR is immediately refundable for SMEs, young innovative companies and new companies. For large companies, it is first offset against corporate income tax for the following three financial years before any remaining balance is refunded.
How likely is a CIR claim to be audited?
Audits remain relatively rare given the number of CIR claimants, but the tax administration increasingly uses data-mining to select files. A well-documented file substantially limits your exposure.
Can the CIR be combined with JEI status and the CII?
Yes. CIR, CII and JEI status can all be combined, but the same expense cannot be claimed under both CIR and CII; where staff split time between R&D and innovation work, you allocate their cost between the two schemes accordingly.
How do you charge for CIR/CII support?
Our fees are set according to the engagement, whether assessment, building the claim or defence during an audit, and not solely as a percentage of the credit obtained. We give you a clear proposal before starting.
Our Services
Additional Services to Maximize Your Business Potential
Contact
A question? A project? Let's talk!
Our team supports you at every step of your establishment and growth in France. Let's discuss your needs.
Benjamin Chemoul & David Jian
Partners & Certified Public Accountants