On the TechTO stage ×1
First seen on a TechTO stage in 2026. Every TechTO talk is searchable — ask the archive about Matthew ↗
In their words
The tax credits have allowed us to continue to budget and plan for the future as if we're getting a capital injection every year.
You will fail a lot. We're failing every day. If we're not failing, I get nervous. And we get to claim that, which is powerful.
Almost everyone's IP is worthless, and that's because AI has commoditized it. The only way you can be defensible is through branding, through a great team, through strong experience, but also through intellectual property protection.
Quick answers
What does Spear do?
Spear helps companies patent and protect their work. Moussallam patented his own clinic device-tracking technology, concluded the world needs more patents, and bet the company on that about seven years ago. Spear now holds a portfolio of over 55 patents, plus more than a hundred attempts that failed or overlapped with existing work.
How has Spear used SR&ED tax credits?
Working with Boast, Spear has filed successful claims for four to five years, and the claims have kept growing. Moussallam says the credits let the company budget and plan as if it received a capital injection every year, which is a big reason Spear hasn't needed to raise outside capital so far.
What is his advice for founders claiming SR&ED?
Document everything, including failures. Failed experiments are claimable, and each failure hints at what to try next. If AI wrote portions of your documentation, make sure you understand it yourself so you can support the claims and share evidence; do that and, he says, SR&ED becomes a breeze.