Defence Online

DASA announce funding milestone for Scottish innovation

Homeland November 15, 2021

Official DPRTE event partner, the Defence and Security Accelerator (DASA) has funded over 60 innovators based in Scotland to help them take their ideas to the next level.

Innovators in Scotland have reached a key milestone, receiving over £10 million in DASA funding for defence and security related projects.

Since 2016, DASA has been working with innovators all across the UK to help address challenges in defence and security. This has been achieved by welcoming ideas from innovators small and large, providing support to those who have not previously worked with Government.

The Agency have strengthened and broadened its links to innovators based in Scotland – attracting the best ideas for defence and security, and helping them pull those ideas through into capability.

Scotland has thriving digital, data and space technology industries, showcasing a long tradition of tech innovation. 66 highly ambitious Scottish innovators have had their ideas funded through DASA’s Themed Competitions and Open Calls, with the underlying theme being technologies that will help solve the big challenges facing UK security, both present and in the future.

Key technology areas that received funding in Scotland include: Space Technology, Photonics, LIDAR, Ai & Robotics and Materials Science.

DASA works locally, to support and advise innovators of all shapes and sizes, providing a critical link to pull through innovation to help the Ministry of Defence, Home Office, Department for Transport and other Government departments keep the UK safe by staying ahead of the threats we face.

A team of regionally based Innovation Partners are available to give advice to suppliers about their ideas and how they can best engage with DASA.

Debra Carr, DASA Scotland Innovation Partner, said: “I’m thrilled that DASA has reached £10 million in funding for projects based in Scotland. It is a testament to the incredible work that has come through our competitions and a great showcase of Scottish contributions to vital areas of defence and security such as space, robotics, artificial intelligence and photonics. We greatly look forward to working with more Scottish innovators in the future.”

The largest funding award to a Scotland-based innovator was received by Spire Global, which received £800k for its Radio Frequency (RF) Signals Detection and Geolocation Project, as part of the Open call for Innovation.

On working with DASA, Theresa Condor, EVP & GM Spire Space Services at Spire Global Inc., said: “It is an honour for us to be selected by DASA for this mission in support of the UK Government and its defence activities and to be recognised as part of Scotland’s innovative space technology scene.

“Using Spire expertise in signal detection and geolocation, the project will take advantage of our capabilities as a space services provider and utilise the expertise and heritage of our low earth orbit nanosatellite constellation, consisting of more than 100 satellites and 17 ground stations globally.”

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DASA DPRTE Scotland

Post written by: Matt Brown