Sample Report — Fictional Company
Important notice
This is a fictional sample report. It is designed to show the type of pathway report a customer may receive after completing the NZ Funding Pathways checker and free report request.
This report provides general funding pathway information only. It does not provide tax advice, accounting advice, legal advice, financial advice, investment advice, grant writing, application management, eligibility confirmation or a funding guarantee.
Before acting, the company should confirm all details with the relevant official agency, accountant, RDTI adviser, lawyer, bank, capital adviser or other qualified professional.
1. Executive summary
Based on the fictional answers supplied, Kiwi Sensor Co. should check RDTI first, provided the company can clearly define the technical uncertainty in its product development work and keep suitable R&D evidence.
The company is an early-revenue New Zealand hardware / IoT business developing sensor technology for export markets. It expects material technical development spend over the next 12 months and is preparing for international market entry.
Primary pathway
RDTI may be relevant.
Secondary pathway
NZTE/export support may be worth checking.
Parallel pathway
Capital readiness may be relevant if export growth requires working capital, hiring, inventory or offshore setup.
Weak-fit pathway
Generic startup grants are probably not the first route unless tied to a defined R&D, capability-building, export or sector-specific project.
The key warning is that routine product development does not automatically make RDTI relevant. The company needs to be able to describe the technical or scientific uncertainty being resolved, show the development work undertaken, and maintain records of eligible expenditure.
The next best step is not to apply for everything. The next best step is to prepare a short project summary, identify the technical uncertainty, gather spend records, and speak with an accountant or RDTI adviser before making any claim or application.
2. Business snapshot
| Company | Kiwi Sensor Co. |
|---|---|
| Location | New Zealand |
| Stage | Trading, early revenue |
| Sector | Hardware / IoT / advanced technology |
| Current revenue | Under $1m |
| Primary activity | Developing sensor hardware and software for industrial customers |
| Funding need | R&D, product testing, export preparation and growth funding |
| Planned spend | $250k to $1m over the next 12 months |
| R&D activity | Technical development, product testing and firmware/software integration |
| Export status | Preparing to export |
| Asset purchases | Some testing equipment and production tooling likely |
| Capital plans | Considering external capital within 12 months |
| Previous support | No major prior government funding confirmed |
| Main question | Which funding pathway should we check first? |
3. Pathway ranking
| Rank | Pathway | Initial fit | Why it appears relevant | What to check next |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | RDTI | Possible first check | The company expects material R&D spend and appears to be undertaking technical development. | Define the technical uncertainty and speak with an accountant or RDTI adviser. |
| 2 | NZTE/export support | Worth checking | The company is preparing for international market entry. | Clarify export market, customer traction and growth plan. |
| 3 | Capital pathway | Possible parallel route | Export growth may require working capital, inventory, hiring or offshore setup. | Prepare use of funds, forecast, governance and investor-readiness materials. |
| 4 | New to R&D | Conditional / weaker fit | May be relevant only if the company is genuinely building formal R&D capability for the first time. | Compare against RDTI and current programme criteria. |
| 5 | Asset finance / tax treatment | Specific-use only | Equipment or tooling may be better handled through finance or tax treatment rather than a grant. | Speak with accountant and finance provider before purchasing. |
| 6 | Generic grants | Weak first route | Generic grant searching may waste time unless linked to a defined programme fit. | Avoid unless a specific official pathway is identified. |
4. Primary pathway: RDTI may be relevant
Why this came up
RDTI is the strongest first pathway to check because the company appears to be undertaking technical development activity and expects material spend over the next 12 months.
The relevant indicators are hardware / IoT development, technical product testing, firmware or software integration, product uncertainty, planned R&D-related spend, early revenue but ongoing product development, and possible staff, contractor or prototype expenditure.
This does not mean the company is eligible. It means RDTI is worth checking before spending time on broader grant searches.
What needs to be clarified
- What technical or scientific uncertainty exists. For example, what is technically uncertain about the sensor, firmware, integration, data accuracy, operating environment, reliability, calibration, manufacturing process or performance target?
- What work is being done to resolve that uncertainty. The company should separate genuine experimental or investigative work from ordinary engineering, commercial development or routine feature build.
- What expenditure relates to the activity. Staff time, contractors, prototypes, testing, materials and supporting records need to be traceable.
- Whether records are adequate. If the company cannot show what was done, when, by whom and why, the pathway becomes weaker.
Main warning
RDTI is not a general reward for being innovative. Routine product development, normal software build, ordinary engineering work or general commercialisation activity may not be enough. The company should not assume the pathway fits until the technical uncertainty, activity and records have been reviewed.
Suggested next step
Prepare a one-page R&D summary before speaking with an accountant or RDTI adviser.
- project name
- technical problem being solved
- uncertainty or unknown being addressed
- development work already completed
- work planned over the next 12 months
- staff or contractors involved
- estimated expenditure
- records currently available
- key evidence gaps
5. Secondary pathway: NZTE/export support may be worth checking
Why this came up
The company is preparing for export. That makes NZTE or export-related support worth checking.
The export pathway may be relevant if the company is moving from New Zealand sales or pilots into international customers, distributors, offshore market validation, regulatory requirements, channel development or in-market setup.
What needs to be clarified
- target market
- customer segment
- current traction
- export milestone
- sales model
- channel strategy
- required spend
- timing
- whether support needed is advice, introductions, capability, market validation or capital
Main warning
Export support is not the same as growth capital. If the company needs cash for inventory, hiring, working capital, product development or offshore establishment, then export support alone may not solve the funding problem.
Suggested next step
Prepare a short export-readiness note covering target country or market, why that market is next, target customers, evidence of demand, current sales pipeline, expected costs, internal capability gaps and the next six-month export milestone.
6. Parallel pathway: capital readiness may be relevant
Why this came up
The company is considering external capital within 12 months and may need broader growth funding beyond a specific R&D or export support programme.
Capital may become relevant if the company needs funding for working capital, inventory, hiring, offshore sales, product certification, manufacturing scale-up, market entry, customer support, longer runway or strategic partnerships.
What needs to be clarified
- exact use of funds
- amount required
- runway created
- milestones funded
- current cap table
- current shareholder structure
- founder roles
- forecast
- gross margin assumptions
- customer pipeline
- governance readiness
- likely investor type
Main warning
Capital raising is not just a funding source. It changes the business. Investors will expect a clear strategy, realistic use of funds, governance discipline, financial information, customer evidence and credible execution plan.
Suggested next step
Prepare a capital-readiness checklist before approaching investors. At minimum, the company should have a current cap table, short business plan, use-of-funds summary, 12 to 24 month forecast, current financials, customer evidence, product roadmap, founder and team summary, governance summary, legal structure reviewed and shareholder/IP position understood.
7. Conditional pathway: New to R&D
Why this may be relevant
New to R&D may be worth checking if the company is genuinely at the start of formal R&D capability-building and has not yet become an established R&D performer.
It may be relevant where the company has a defined first R&D project, a clear technical problem, a project budget, ability to fund its share, need to build R&D capability and limited prior formal R&D activity.
Why it may be weaker
For Kiwi Sensor Co., this pathway may be weaker than RDTI if the company is already carrying out material ongoing R&D activity.
Main warning
This should not be treated as a general startup grant. The company should check current criteria, co-funding requirements and programme availability before spending time on an application.
8. Asset finance or tax treatment
Why this came up
The company expects to purchase testing equipment, tooling or production-related assets.
That does not automatically make a grant relevant. Equipment and plant purchases may be better considered through asset finance, bank finance, lease finance, tax treatment, depreciation treatment, sector-specific support or capital raise use of funds.
Main warning
Do not assume asset purchases belong in an R&D grant or support pathway. The accounting and tax treatment of asset purchases should be checked with an accountant. Funding structure should be checked with the bank, finance provider or capital adviser.
Suggested asset list
| Asset | Estimated cost | Timing | Purpose | Essential or optional | Adviser to check |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Testing equipment | TBD | 0–6 months | Product validation | Essential | Accountant / finance provider |
| Tooling | TBD | 3–9 months | Production scale-up | Possible | Accountant / bank |
| Software tools | TBD | 0–12 months | Development workflow | Possible | Accountant |
9. Pathways probably not worth chasing first
Generic startup grants
This is probably not the best first route unless a specific programme clearly matches the company’s project, stage, sector and timing.
Grant writing before pathway confirmation
The company should not pay for grant writing before confirming which pathway is actually relevant. The first issue is pathway fit, not application writing.
Bank finance as the only answer
Bank or asset finance may be relevant for specific equipment or working capital, but it may not fully solve the growth funding need if the business requires risk capital, product development runway or export market investment.
Sector funding without a clear sector pathway
Sector support may become relevant if the product clearly maps to a specific pathway. It should not be chased generically.
10. Key warnings
- RDTI depends on activity and evidence. The company should not assume technical product development automatically fits.
- Matched funding requires cash capacity. If any programme requires co-funding, the company needs to be able to fund its share.
- Export support does not replace working capital. Market entry support may help, but export growth often creates cash pressure.
- Capital raising needs preparation. A weak first approach can reduce credibility.
- Old programme names can mislead. The company should check current official sources before acting.
11. Documents and information likely needed
For RDTI / R&D pathway checks
- R&D project summary
- technical uncertainty statement
- development timeline
- staff time records
- contractor invoices
- prototype or testing records
- experiment notes
- technical reports
- product roadmap
- budget for next 12 months
For NZTE/export support
- target market summary
- current traction
- export plan
- customer pipeline
- market-entry budget
- sales channel plan
- export capability gaps
- regulatory or certification issues
- team capacity
For capital readiness
- cap table
- shareholder structure
- company constitution and shareholder agreement
- financial statements
- management accounts
- forecast
- use-of-funds table
- pitch deck or business summary
- customer evidence
- governance summary
- legal/IP position
For asset finance / tax treatment
- asset list
- supplier quotes
- timing
- purpose of each asset
- finance options
- accountant review
- tax treatment review
12. Adviser handoff
The next adviser depends on the question being answered.
| Question | Best first conversation |
|---|---|
| Is RDTI worth checking? | Accountant or RDTI adviser |
| Is this genuine R&D? | RDTI adviser / technical adviser / accountant |
| What records are needed? | Accountant or RDTI adviser |
| Is export support relevant? | NZTE or export adviser |
| Is this really a capital problem? | Capital adviser |
| Should we raise investment? | Capital adviser, lawyer, accountant |
| Can we finance equipment? | Bank, asset finance provider, accountant |
| What legal documents are needed? | Commercial lawyer |
| Are we too early? | Founder adviser, accountant, capital adviser or sector specialist |
13. Suggested next 30 days
Week 1: Define the funding question
Write a one-page summary, define what the company is trying to fund, separate R&D, export, asset and general growth spend, and identify the top three business milestones.
Week 2: Prepare R&D evidence
Draft a technical uncertainty statement, list R&D activities completed and planned, pull spend records, and check evidence gaps.
Week 3: Check export and capital needs
Prepare export readiness notes, identify target market, build a use-of-funds table and decide whether the need is non-dilutive support, finance or capital.
Week 4: Speak with the right people
Speak with an accountant or RDTI adviser first, then check export support and capital readiness in parallel if needed.
14. Official sources to check
The company should use official sources before acting. These may include:
The company should not rely only on old search results, cached pages, social media posts, adviser marketing pages or historic programme names.
15. Final pathway view
Best first check
RDTI may be the most relevant first pathway to check. The fit depends on whether the activity, uncertainty and evidence meet current requirements.
Best second check
NZTE/export support may be worth checking. The export plan needs to be sufficiently clear.
Best parallel business decision
Capital readiness should be reviewed. The company may need capital or finance beyond non-dilutive support.
Pathways to avoid chasing first
Generic startup grants, grant writing before pathway confirmation, broad funding searches, and old programme names without official checking.
16. Recommended next action
- Prepare a one-page R&D project summary.
- Define the technical uncertainty.
- Pull together spend and evidence records.
- Prepare a simple export milestone and market-entry budget.
- Prepare a use-of-funds table for the next 12 months.
- Speak with an accountant or RDTI adviser first.
- Then decide whether to check NZTE/export support and capital readiness in parallel.
17. Report conclusion
Kiwi Sensor Co. appears to have a clearer path through RDTI, export support and capital readiness than through generic grant searching.
The company should check RDTI first, but only after defining the technical uncertainty and reviewing evidence with an appropriate adviser.
NZTE/export support may be relevant if the export plan is sufficiently clear.
Capital may become relevant if the company’s actual funding need is broader than a defined R&D or export support pathway.
The main risk is wasting time on the wrong type of funding before clarifying the project, budget, evidence and adviser pathway.
Final disclaimer
This sample report provides general funding pathway information only. It does not provide tax, accounting, legal, financial, investment or grant-approval advice. It does not confirm eligibility and does not guarantee funding.
Funding availability, programme criteria, tax treatment, eligibility requirements and application processes can change. The company should confirm current information with the relevant official agency and qualified advisers before acting.
NZ Funding Pathways is an independent information resource. It is not affiliated with, or endorsed by, any New Zealand government agency.