When Solace Boats set out to redefine high-performance boating, they didn’t just build stronger vessels; they built a business on continuous improvement, experimentation, and engineering excellence. Based in Florida and backed by an engineering team of 15–25 professionals, Solace has spent years developing new designs, optimizing materials and systems, and refining every element of each model for performance and durability.

Although Solace’s leadership already knew about the R&D tax credit, they hadn’t realized how much of their design and engineering work actually qualified. Partnering with B10 Capital revealed just how much of their daily innovation could be claimed. Over a multiyear review (2021–2024), B10 Capital identified nearly $1 million in federal R&D tax credits, including a net credit of $787,114. These newly secured funds are now driving prototype development, performance upgrades, and future growth initiatives for Solace.

Why The Work Qualified

Unlike routine production, the Solace team conducts applied engineering research: new design development, material testing, structural optimization, and system integration. These efforts meet the IRS four-part test for qualified research, including technical uncertainty, experimentation, engineering basis, and a defined business or product improvement. In short, they are true R&D.

Key Takeaway

‍Innovation happens anywhere people push boundaries, not just in labs or tech firms. By documenting their engineering process, Solace transformed ongoing design work into nearly $1 million in tax savings and unlocked resources for their next phase of growth.

“B10 Capital showed us that our daily work to improve our product was real R&D. They equipped us to claim the credit correctly and eliminated the burden on our internal team.”
— Sarah Dougherty, Co-Owner, Solace Boats

If you’d like to see how your own manufacturing or engineering work might qualify, we can show you how a structured, compliant review turns innovation into measurable financial benefit.

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