João Pedro Pinto, Partner at Aliados Consulting
In 2024, SIFIDE exceeded €875 million in tax expenditure — the equivalent of lowering CIT by 0.3 percentage points. It’s a historic figure, but what is really behind this number?
In this article, we analyze the data, what it reveals about the state of R&D in Portugal, and why SIFIDE is no longer just an opportunity — it is now a choice capable of shaping companies’ future.
Growth is clear. But what does it mean?
In 2024, SIFIDE accounted for 40% of corporate income tax expenditure, reaching €875.5 million, according to the Ministry of Finance. That’s more than double the amount recorded in 2019 (€370 million).
This growth is not explained solely by higher uptake. It reflects something deeper: companies are embedding SIFIDE as a central financial and technical planning tool to sustain their R&D investments.
💬 “SIFIDE is not an add-on benefit. It’s a choice that completely repositions the company.”
SIFIDE’s historic rise
The peak growth occurred in 2022, with an increase of 39.1% versus the previous year. This jump coincided with a context of heavy pressure on corporate cash flow and cemented SIFIDE as a resilience lever for those investing in innovation.
Evolution of SIFIDE tax expenditure (2019–2024)
Results require more than numbers
The figures impress, but they’re not enough. SIFIDE is not a simple reward. It’s a demanding, technical, and competitive process.
To ensure you capture the benefit, it’s essential to:
- Anticipate tax planning
- Build solid technical foundations
- Ensure documentation coherence from day one
Many applications fail not for lack of investment but for lack of framing or rigor in execution.
Professionalism pays off
At Aliados Consulting, we’ve followed this evolution on the ground, and we can confirm:
When SIFIDE is handled with method, professionalism, and strategy, it becomes a real growth lever. When it’s treated as a bureaucratic formality, the risk of failing — or losing a significant portion of the benefit — rises dramatically.
More than taxation: growth, teams, and technology
SIFIDE influences structural decisions:
- How and where to invest
- When to reinforce teams
- Which technologies to integrate
- Which markets to explore
In a context of tight margins and rising demands, underutilizing SIFIDE is wasting a legitimate, available competitive advantage.
Structure before you execute
If you’re planning a new project with a research, development, or innovation component, talk to us.
The best time to structure your SIFIDE application isn’t after execution. It’s before you start.
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🖊 Article by João Pedro Pinto, Partner at Aliados Consulting
#SIFIDE #Innovation #R&D
