DPRTE Engage: Interview with DASA’s Andy Caldwell

Homeland September 3, 2020

As part of our countdown to DPRTE Engage 2020 taking place on 3rd September, Defence Online chatted with Andy Caldwell, Interim Head of the Defence and Security Accelerator (DASA), about his hopes for the hotly-anticipated virtual defence procurement event.

Why is it important for DASA to be an official partner at DPRTE Engage?

DASA has been attending DPRTE for many years and we have always enjoyed meeting the varied mix of supply chain professionals both from the customer and supplier side of defence contracting. This year more than ever with the innovative online platform it seems so appropriate to partner with DPTRE Engage. We look forward to reaching out to innovators particularly those that may not have heard of DASA or who are new to the defence market. DASA’s mission is to find and fund exploitable innovation and events such as DPRTE provide an excellent opportunity for meeting innovators and discovering the latest ideas.

What are the benefits of bringing together buyers and suppliers together in events like DPRTE Engage?

Events that bring together suppliers and buyers are hugely beneficial as they offer an opportunity for conversation. It is only by working together and talking with others that we can make sure that we realise the opportunities for innovation and turn good ideas into reality. We are very much looking forward to meeting a range of people at DPRTE Engage this year.

Andy Caldwell, Interim Head of DASA

What do you see as the main challenges facing defence and security at this point in time?

Globally we are entering a period of persistent competition between states and the threat of non-state actors has not gone away. New technologies, for example those emerging in cyber or space, are creating both new challenges and also new opportunities for the nation’s security. Against this backdrop of rapid innovation, to get ahead of and stay ahead of potential threats is really important. This is why participating in events such as DPRTE is important for us, we need to stay one step ahead of those who do not share our values, way of life and freedoms. DPRTE is a good way to connect with those we may not have worked with before.

How important is engaging with the private sector in helping to combat modern threats?

The private sector is critical for combatting modern threats. With the exception of some niche capabilities the vast majority of our defence capability is built and delivered by the private sector. In this period of evolving threats to our security we are fortunate that here in the UK we have some of the best innovators and inventors the world has to offer. The answers to many of the security challenges we face will come from the private sector and it’s really important that Government and the private sector work together to bring those ideas through to support our Armed Forces and others who work tirelessly to keep us safe.

How is the relationship between the MOD and SMEs changing?

DASA is well equipped and tasked on behalf of MOD and other Government departments to work with SMEs. Over 55% of our funding goes to SMEs, and that equates to 100s of ideas and innovations funded over the last three years. For example, at the start of the pandemic DASA ran two COVID related competitions tapping into the innovators across the UK and SMEs were prominent in putting forward suggestions as part of those competitions.

Working with MOD can seem daunting if you are an SME so DASA has specialist staff, our Innovation Partners, to help guide companies through the process to access funding for potential solutions to National Security challenges. Innovation Partners, are DASA regional representatives based all across the UK, who are our suppliers’ first port of call when engaging with DASA. Also, suppliers can even come and speak to us and end users about their ideas before they put in a proposal. This is our Innovation Outline Process and it has great benefits for suppliers, in particular SMEs, as it enables them to get a feel for whether a particular idea is worth doing a full proposal on.

What would be your advice to an SME who has an innovative idea concerning defence applications – what should they do next?

Quite simply – come and speak to us at DPRTE Engage! We have two main routes for suppliers to work with us. There is the Open Call for Innovation where suppliers can submit their ideas to defence and security stakeholders, ideas can address any defence challenge or a specific Innovation Focus Area. The Open Call is open for proposals all year round, with assessment dates scheduled across the year. And then there are the Themed Competitions which offer suppliers the opportunity to submit proposals around specific areas of interest. Themed competitions may only run for a short time and have set closing dates. Current Themed Competitions include Autonomy in Challenging Environments and Explosives and Weapons Detection.

More information about how to work with us and apply for funding can be found on our website, so if you don’t get the chance to talk to us at DPRTE Engage, I’d strongly recommend you have a look: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/apply-for-funding.

What are DASA’s hopes for the event?

DPRTE is a key event for DASA and this year we are looking forward to seeing how everything is going to work as the event goes entirely online. For us the event will be an opportunity to meet up with existing suppliers and also reach out to potential new innovators who have a great idea but need some support in order to help break into the complex defence and security sector. Equally, it will be a chance to talk to those in Government about how we can help them to access innovative solutions to meet their needs. 2020 has been a strange year for all of us and we hope that DPRTE Engage will help us to continue the conversation around innovation for the defence and security of the UK.

Where can attendees find DASA at DPRTE Engage and what can they expect?

We have an amazing virtual stand in the Technology and Innovation Zone. We will have DASA reps on the stand throughout the day to talk to attendees, via the chat function at DPRTE Engage, about how to work with us. So any attendee, whether they are an innovator with a great idea and want to find out how to access the defence and security market or if they are in Government and want us to help them access solutions, should make time to come and talk to us. There will also be a whole host of virtual material available for attendees to download including case studies, videos and flyers as well as our recently launched Annual Review, which is definitely worth a read!

What are you most looking forward to during DPRTE Engage 2020?

This is my first public appearance as Head of DASA (even if it is virtual!) and I look forward to renewing old acquaintances and of course meeting loads of new people. I am also looking forward to listening to some of the keynote speeches and learning more about some of the other partner organisations. Please do visit our stand and find out how DASA is helping deliver innovation for a safer future.

DASA is an Official Event Partner at DPRTE Engage Online.

The event’s virtual Technology and Innovation Knowledge Transfer Zone will bring together some of the leading technology organisations, such as DASA and Dstl, to deliver sessions designed to keep you up to date on defence technology innovations, how to access funding and how you can bring your product to the marketplace.