Official DPRTE event partner, the Defence and Security Accelerator (DASA), has launched a new competition: the Defence Innovation Loan, which has £10 million to lend for innovative defence solutions.
Accessible to SMEs, and with a below market interest rate of 7.4% per annum, the DASA Defence Innovation Loan provides an excellent opportunity to apply for affordable funds to help bring solutions into the hands of defence frontline services.
This new opportunity is delivered by a unique partnership between DASA and Innovate UK. It builds upon DASA’s goal of helping to convert mature defence innovation into a viable business proposition that can compete for Defence procurement.
The total of £10 million is available for the Defence Innovation Loan competition this year.
You can apply for a loan between £250,000 and £1.6 million with a below market interest rate of 7.4% per annum. This loan can cover up to 100% of eligible project costs to aid the commercialisation of the solution and overall term of the loan must not exceed 7 years.
Please note, Innovate UK will be carrying out the Defence Innovation Loan credit evaluation of this competition and you will enter into a loan agreement and security agreement with Innovate UK Loans Ltd
Read the full DASA competition document for more information on Defence Innovation Loans.
To apply for a Defence Innovation Loan you must:
- be a UK registered SME
- intend to exploit the results in the UK or overseas to make a significant and positive impact on the UK economy and/or productivity
- give evidence that your business is suitable to take on a loan
Please note, individuals, academic institutions, research organisations and large companies are not eligible for innovation loans.
The Defence Innovation Loan is open to innovative ideas to improve the defence of the UK. Your innovation must be mature at TRL 6 or above, to ensure the solution can be commercialised within the time scale of the Innovation Loan. There also must clearly be evidence of a defence need for the innovative solution.
Click here for the full DASA Competition document and submit your idea.
image © Crown Copyright
DASA is an official DPRTE event partner
Taking place at Farnborough International on October 5th with elements of the event streamed online, DPRTE 2021 is the UK’s leading defence procurement and supply chain event.
For all involved within buying for or supplying to the defence sector, it’s an unmissable opportunity to hear from and engage with industry leaders, influencers and stakeholders.
To register today as a delegate, follow this link.
To take advantage of exhibitor or sponsor opportunities, please click here.
With DPRTE 2021’s Booking Confidence Guarantee you can now prepare to join the UK’s defence procurement community at DPRTE 2021.
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DASA Defence Innovation Loan DPRTE
Post written by: Matt Brown
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