Stone & Chalk is proud to announce a new partnership with Bentleys, bringing specialist financial and business advisory expertise into Australia's largest innovation community to help startups and scaleups build stronger, more resilient businesses.
As Australia's innovation ecosystem continues to mature, founders are navigating increasingly complex decisions around funding, governance, tax and commercialisation. While world-class ideas are essential, turning those ideas into sustainable businesses requires access to trusted expertise that can help founders make confident decisions as they grow.
This partnership brings together Stone & Chalk's national innovation ecosystem with Bentleys' deep experience supporting innovative Australian businesses, creating greater opportunities for founders to access practical advice, maximise available incentives and build companies designed for long-term success.
Stone & Chalk's community spans many of Australia's fastest-growing technology sectors, including fintech, space, AI and quantum. These industries are shaping Australia's future economy and align closely with Bentleys' longstanding commitment to supporting innovation-led businesses.
Together, the two organisations will support founders across Stone & Chalk's Sydney Tech Central Innovation Hub and Adelaide's Lot Fourteen, providing specialist guidance throughout every stage of the startup journey.
Stela Solar, CEO of Stone & Chalk, said strong innovation ecosystems are built by bringing together complementary expertise that helps founders move faster and scale with confidence.
"Australia has no shortage of ambitious founders with world-changing ideas. What often determines success is whether those founders have access to the right people, advice and networks at the moments that matter most.
"Our role at Stone & Chalk is to surround founders with the capabilities they need to build globally competitive companies. Bentleys brings decades of experience helping innovative businesses navigate growth, making them an incredibly valuable addition to our ecosystem."
At the centre of the partnership is Bentleys' specialist expertise in the Research and Development (R&D) Tax Incentive, helping founders understand and access one of Australia's most important innovation support mechanisms.
Alongside R&D tax incentive advisory and compliance, Bentleys will provide tailored support across company structuring, corporate governance, taxation consulting, cashflow modelling and CFO advisory services, giving founders access to strategic financial expertise designed specifically for startups and scaleups.
The partnership also extends well beyond advisory services.
Throughout the year, Bentleys will become an active contributor to the Stone & Chalk community, delivering educational workshops and consultation sessions. Peter Wirtz, Partner at Bentleys, will also host fortnightly office hours at Tech Central Innovation Hub, creating another accessible touchpoint for founders seeking guidance as they grow.
The first of these sessions will focus on the latest Federal and State Budget changes and what they mean for startups and scaleups, helping founders better understand the evolving landscape for innovation funding, R&D incentives, tax policy and business growth.
Peter said the partnership reflects a shared commitment to supporting the next generation of Australian innovators.
"We're proud to partner with Stone & Chalk. We believe the future of Australia includes investing in next-generation thinking - thinking ahead - to build our economy for generations to come. We're excited about what this means for our clients and the broader innovation community."
The timing of the partnership is particularly significant as governments continue to increase investment in innovation while evolving the way that support is delivered.
"With both the Federal and South Australian budgets doubling down on innovation, R&D and startup growth, founders need trusted advisors who can translate complex policy settings into real, accessible funding outcomes," said Stela.
"In a budget environment focused on productivity and return on investment, partners like Bentleys help de-risk innovation, ensuring funding is used effectively and R&D claims are robust and defensible.”
She added that the pace of regulatory change means founders benefit from having experienced advisors embedded within the innovation ecosystem.
"With significant proposed changes to capital gains tax, trust structures and R&D incentives, founders need trusted advisors who can help them make confident long-term decisions.
Peter said, "The latest reforms increasingly favour younger, high-growth and innovation-led businesses. Together, Stone & Chalk and Bentleys will help founders structure their businesses from day one to maximise access to evolving funding models, R&D incentives, tax offsets and other forms of non-dilutive capital."
Through ongoing workshops, office hours, educational content and one-on-one support, Stone & Chalk and Bentleys will continue to equip Australia's founders with the expertise they need to build resilient businesses, commercialise innovation and go further, faster.
