Hidden Capital for Innovators
Turning R&D Into Cash
with Cecile Arendas and Milanpreet Kaur
Many founders assume SR&ED is complicated, risky, or only for “real” R&D teams - but in reality, thousands of Canadian startups qualify every year.
In this webinar, Movement51 is joined by EY to share what Scientific Research & Experimental Development (SR&ED) is and how it supports innovation by offering refundable and non-refundable tax credits.
How to access SR&ED funding to offset development costs and reduce project timelines through annual tax filings.
Eligibility requirements for the program and tips to maximize your access and success.
How SR&ED can help you engage industry partners for pilots and trials, reducing the economic risks of technology adoption.
Register Now
March 9, 2026
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How SR&ED
really works
SR&ED is Canada’s largest source of non-dilutive funding for innovation - and also one of the most misunderstood.
Join Movement51 and EY Canada for a practical, founder-focused session on how SR&ED really works. We’ll bust common myths, explain eligibility in plain language, and show you how to turn everyday product development into meaningful cash flow for your startup.
If you’re building, testing, or improving technology in Canada, this webinar is for you.
About the Speakers
CECILE ARENDAS
CPA, Senior Manager, SR&ED and Business Tax Incentives, Ernst & Young
Cecile is a CPA and Senior Manager in the Business Tax Incentives group at
EY, specializing in the Scientific Research and Experimental Development
(SR&ED) program. She has worked with clients in a variety of industries
including agriculture, biotech, IT, manufacturing, clean technology, carbon
capture and oil and gas. By serving clients in this sector Cecile has
developed an appreciation and admiration for the innovative,
entrepreneurial and passionate spirit of her clients. She is involved from the
very first eligibility meeting, to helping clients identify eligible costs,
preparing a comprehensive claim and supporting them throughout the
potential audit process. Being able to play a part in the growth and
sustainability of innovation in Canada is what makes her role so fulfilling.
Providing excellent customer service is Cecile’s top priority. By asking the
right questions she strives to build the strongest, supportable claim to
maximize the benefit clients can realize from the SR&ED program. Having a
dependable, timely and detailed-orientated team is what clients can learn to
expect working with EY’s cohesive group of SR&ED experts.
She applies a similar approach to discretionary non-dilutive incentives,
helping clients identify and strategically prioritize opportunities, and
providing full lifecyle support from application to compliance. Her strong
foundation in tax is key to ensuring clients maximize the benefits of funding
opportunities and the Clean Economy tax credits driving the energy
transition in Canada.
After earning degrees in both Biology and Business, Cecile started her
accounting career in public practice, articling with a mid-size firm before
moving into the SR&ED specialization in early 2019. Cecile earned her CPA
designation in 2017 and completed the In-Depth Tax course in October
2021.
Connect with Cecile on LinkedIn.
MILANPREET KAUR
Ph.D, Senior, SR&ED and Business Tax Incentives, Ernst & Young
Milan is a scientist and Senior Consultant in the Business Tax Incentives group
at EY, specializing in the Scientific Research and Experimental Development
(SR&ED) program. Her extensive experience encompasses working with diverse
clients and involvement in conducting meetings with clients to extract crucial
information for preparing comprehensive project descriptions that
demonstrate program eligibility. Additionally, she is responsible for managing
technical submission process, which involves framing and writing technical
SR&ED submissions. The opportunity to contribute towards the growth of
research and development sector is what she finds most rewarding about her
position.
Managing client expectations and delivering exceptional service is the core of
Milan’s working philosophy. Her strong background and deeper admiration for
the innovation serves as a driving force, propelling her to thoroughly
comprehend intricate project from a unique perspective, which in turn enables
her to prepare a robust claim, maximizing the benefits her clients can receive
through the SR&ED program.
Milan’s academic background includes a Bachelor of Science and Master of
Science in Chemistry from the University of Delhi. In 2024, she obtained a
Doctorate in Organic Chemistry from the University of Calgary which focused
on developing novel methods for site-selective C-H functionalization. During
her doctoral program, Milan was actively engaged in the entrepreneurial
sector, participating in start-ups including one focused on developing novel
clean hydrogen technology. These experiences have provided her with
valuable insights into the challenges entrepreneurs encounter when bringing
innovative solutions to market. Throughout her studies, she earned multiple
prestigious scholarships and engaged in interdisciplinary research across
physics, botany, chemical engineering, and chemistry.
Connect with Milanpreet on LinkedIn.
About EY
EY believes a better working world is one where economic growth is sustainable and inclusive. The pursuit of a better working world has been their purpose for over a decade as they work continuously to improve the quality of all their services, investing in people and innovation. This is especially true for their Incentives team that bring together broad cross-sector expertise through a collaborative team of scientists, engineers, and tax specialists who strive daily to reduce barriers for Canadian innovators across industries - including Agriculture, Clean Technology, Energy (Oil & Gas and Renewable Energy), Information Technology, Biotechnology, Production Chemistry, Environmental Science, Construction and Manufacturing, and Automotive – enabling these sectors to address complex challenges, drive meaningful innovation, and create positive impact.
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