The Mission:

Positioning EmpowerRD as the de facto solution for R&D tax credit claims

The Brief:

EmpowerRD is a technology firm helping UK businesses unlock the true value of their R&D tax credit claims from HMRC. Founded in 2017, the company has built a strong client base across manufacturing, transport, finance and more, offering a seamless combination of cutting-edge technology and human expertise to make the claims process accurate, efficient and defensible. 

Against the backdrop of heightened HMRC compliance measures and growing complexity in the R&D relief scheme, many businesses are hesitant to claim or risk costly mis-claims. EmpowerRD addresses these concerns head-on, positioning itself as the trusted partner for ambitious SMEs, scale-ups and VCs seeking to unlock innovation and drive economic growth. 

To achieve this, EmpowerRD appointed Element Communications to raise awareness of its unique platform, educate key audiences on best practice, and elevate the profiles of founder Hari Sandhu and CEO Rob Whiteside as thought leaders in the space. 

 

What EmpowerRD needed:  

• To build brand awareness among UK businesses, accountancy firms and venture capital audiences 

• To highlight the risks of R&D mis-claims and showcase EmpowerRD’s platform as the secure, future-ready solution 

• To establish the company’s leadership team as authoritative voices on R&D policy, compliance and innovation 

• To drive credibility through national and trade media, supporting EmpowerRD’s position as the “de facto solution” for R&D tax relief claims 

• To generate momentum and visibility that could support growth and investment 

 

“Element brings the expertise and creativity we need to cut through a complex policy landscape and position EmpowerRD as the go-to partner for UK businesses. They’re a trusted extension of our team – shaping bold ideas, delivering impactful coverage, and helping us tell our story in ways that resonate with SMEs, investors and accountants alike. With their support, we’re not just driving awareness,
we’re building lasting credibility as the de facto solution for R&D tax credit claims.”  

Ross Taylor
Head of Marketing, EmpowerRD

The Campaign:

Element Communications designed a campaign rooted in thought leadership, media relations and research-driven storytelling to rapidly elevate EmpowerRD’s profile. The campaign was structured around three core pillars: 

National and business media

With R&D tax credits under the spotlight following new HMRC measures and government reforms, the topic was already part of the national conversation. Element tapped into this agenda, securing coverage in tier-one outlets by positioning EmpowerRD spokespeople as experts able to cut through the complexity and comment on the economic stakes of R&D policy. 

Trade and vertical media

 Targeting accountancy, tax and industry publications ensured EmpowerRD’s insights reached the decision-makers closest to the claims process. Consistent contributions from Hari Sandhu and Rob Whiteside, as well as commentary tied to fiscal events and compliance updates, established EmpowerRD as a go-to source of expertise. 

 

Research-driven insights

To further fuel the conversation and help EmpowerRD set the news agenda themselves, we worked closely with the marketing team to produce landmark market research on UK innovation and investor attitudes towards R&D, resulting in The UK Innovation Report 2025.  

As well as equipping EmpowerRD’s team with a powerful keystone asset to support lead generation, this data-driven approach unlocked the opportunity for press coverage across national, tech, investor and business media, reinforcing EmpowerRD’s credibility as a forward-thinking authority on the future of R&D tax relief and an asset that will continue to fuel content creation going forwards.  

 

Our campaign explored the following topics: 

• R&D mis-claims as a hidden risk for investors 

• How SMEs can unlock innovation through R&D tax relief 

• Compliance challenges and best practice for finance leaders 

• The impact of policy reforms on the UK’s innovation landscape 

• Why scaling businesses need future-ready solutions for R&D claims 

The Results

Element has secured extensive coverage across EmpowerRD’s priority media targets, with earned media hits in the likes of Sifted, City AM, Entrepreneur, Startups Magazine, The Engineer, Accountancy Daily, Maddyness, and BusinessCloud, as well as seeing EmpowerRD named the UK’s number one fintech scale-up by TechRound in its 2025 Fintech50. 

Highlights include: 

• Profile features for both founder Hari Sandhu and EmpowerRD itself, positioning the brand as one of London’s 100 leading scale-ups 

• High-profile commentary from CEO Robert Whiteside in Sifted on HMRC’s tax credit crackdown and in City AM on the economic impact of R&D policy 

• National coverage of EmpowerRD’s insights into the Government’s Spring Statement and government fiscal policy 

• A string of sector-specific features in Tax Journal, Taxation, The Engineer and Accountancy Daily, cementing EmpowerRD as a trusted authority among accountants and CFOs 

• Widespread coverage of EmpowerRD’s research report across UKTN, World of Software, Startups Magazine, City AM, MSN and more, highlighting UK investor confidence in innovation and the ambition of UK businesses to invest in R&D this year 

 

Within the first few months of the campaign, our proactive PR and communications campaign has seen EmpowerRD become a consistent voice across both national debates and specialist industry media. By combining proactive commentary with original, proprietary research, Element has helped EmpowerRD strengthen its market position, build credibility with SMEs, investors and accountants, and take major steps towards cementing its role as the de facto solution for R&D tax credit claims.