Defence and Security Accelerator
Finding, funding and exploiting innovative ideas to meet UK defence and security challenges
Lucy Mason, Head of Defence and Security Accelerator
DSEI 2017
3. OFFICIAL
10.00 Defence and Security Accelerator Dr Lucy Mason
overview
10.15 Challenge and opportunity Jim Pennycook
Showcases
Close Air Solutions Mike Squires
Oxbotica Dr Graeme Smith
11.00 Innovation network event Joint Zone; Stand N3-576
10.50 Questions & answers All presenters
accelerator@dstl.gov.uk
4. OFFICIAL
Our mission is for the UK to have strategic
advantage through the most innovative defence
and security capabilities in the world. We will
find, fund and exploit innovations which support
the defence and security of the UK faster and
more effectively, and seek to generate
economic value for the UK.
accelerator@dstl.gov.uk
5. OFFICIAL
The Defence Innovation Initiative was launched by the Defence
Secretary in 2016:
Defence Innovation Fund
£800m over ten years
Defence and Security Accelerator
launched in December 2016, building
on the Centre for Defence Enterprise
accelerator@dstl.gov.uk
9. OFFICIAL
Introducing ...
• the Open Call One pager
• 12 week trial
• quick turnaround
• signposting
• access through our website
no wasted time, no wasted meetings
Any level of development – from ideas on a page through to initial research and developed products or services;
Any science and technology including social, human and behavioural sciences;
Anyone with a good idea including UK-based private sector companies, especially Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises (SME), third sector organisations, academics and spin-outs, innovators, and relevant partner organisations overseas;
Any exploitation pathway including other Government and non-Government customers, and exports.
We achieve this by -
Identifying science and technology opportunities for exploitation
Bringing together innovators and build connections;
Supporting the strongest opportunities
Helping innovators build and grow successful businesses of benefit for the UK’s defence and security
Why work with us
money – we provide funding to develop promising and game-changing ideas
• access – our networks and access to the customer and end users are invaluable
• proactive – we scout for ideas and actively pursue them
• contract terms – we offer quick, easy and beneficial contractual terms
• events – we provide opportunities to explore challenges and network with Government officials in
defence and security, such as hackathons, sandpits, pitch panels, competitions and exhibitions
• guidance – our Innovation Partners and team provide guidance for your idea
• exploitation – we will help bridge the ‘valley of death’ and help get the best innovations through
to exploitation
• purpose – we want to keep our country and our people safe from our adversaries and support
economic growth and prosperity
• trust – we are open and fair and provide transparency data on our website
OLD TEXT
Be a simple and straightforward way for UK defence and security to find new ideas and solutions
Proactively scout for new opportunities and introduce them to you
Understand your problem space and help you identify the best way to solve it
Offer a range of options such as hackathons, sandpits, competitions and events to explore the problem and potential solutions
Provide funding to develop promising ideas
Bridge the ‘Valley of Death’ and help get the best innovations through to exploitation, with an evidenced business case
Our aim is to create a route into defence and security whereby anyone with a good idea – from an idea on a page to a ready-to-use product - can easily and quickly suggest it, and receive a rapid response. We should be able to offer them a range of possible support, including funding but also potentially access to business support, mentoring, introductions to end-users, or signposting to other possible sources of funding (e.g. Innovate UK).
This will be phased in over the coming months starting XXXXXX
Reasons
In line with Defence innovation fund remit
Focus on higher maturity innovative ideas / exploitable quick wins
Allows us access to alternative funds
Expands the remit to include security not just defence
Opens up competition to those providing services as well as technology
Images represent
Range of support we provide will increase:
Funding
Business support & mentoring
Brokering introductions
Advising on alternative funding routes
Funding caps will be lifted.
Ideas, products or services at any level of maturity will be welcomed.
Multi-year funding to be introduced.
We will cater for academic timescales.
New criteria for proposal assessment.
From 19 September … Open call One pager.
Accessible from our website
Simple, straight forward one page form outlining innovation.
We will give you a straight answer if we think it’s worth your time and ours to put in a full proposal under the Open Call
Quick turnaround, typically 5 working days
We will either give you the green light or if we can signpost you to someone can help.
Another great offer from the Accelerator
Benefit – doesn’t waste your time (or ours).
Achievements
546 assessed proposals received from:
200 proposals from 175 micro organisations
120 proposals from 76 SME organisations
132 proposals from 40 large organisations
94 proposals from 47 academia organisations
The majority of proposals are from UK based companies, only 30 were non-UK.
On average both the themed and open call competitions fund 1 in 5 proposals
The average funding is £83k
The majority of contracts are placed within 3 weeks of funding decision
103 contracts have been placed; 25 with academia, 19 with large, 22 with SME and 37 with micro organisations.
£9.2m has been allocated to phase 1 funding
Over 40% of proposals received into each Accelerator competition have been from ‘new’ organisations
We have over 650 assessors across government, academia and in-house
What we have trialled recently:
Fast track
Multi-TRL
Short form contract
