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Could Your Technology Have a Defence Application? Manchester Summit to Address the Route In

Homeland July 17, 2026

The UK National Defence Procurement and Supply Chain Summit returns to Manchester’s Kimpton Clocktower Hotel on Thursday 22 October 2026, and one of its most anticipated sessions will speak directly to a question that is increasingly on the minds of businesses across the UK’s technology, cyber, advanced manufacturing, and energy sectors: could what we do have a defence application, and if so, how do we actually get in?

The session, titled “Crossing the Line: Dual Use Technologies, Regional Clusters and Routes into Defence,” is designed for exactly that audience. Not for established defence primes, but for companies that have built credible capabilities in adjacent markets and are either actively considering defence or have already recognised the opportunity but are uncertain where to start.

The Moment Has Changed

Defence is spending at a scale not seen in a generation. A confirmed £15 billion funding boost forms part of a near-£300 billion investment programme over four years, and the MOD is actively and urgently seeking capability from sectors it has not traditionally worked with. Cyber security, artificial intelligence, data analytics, advanced manufacturing, energy resilience, autonomous systems, and life sciences all have clear and growing defence applications, and procurement reform through the Procurement Act, the Integrated Procurement Model, and the creation of UK Defence Innovation has created entry points that did not exist in the same form five years ago.

The gap between “MOD wants what we do” and “MOD has contracted with us” can still be significant. This session is designed to close it.

What the Session Will Cover

Rather than offering a high-level view of the opportunity, the panel will address the practical realities of crossing into defence from an adjacent sector. That includes which capability types MOD is most urgently seeking from non-traditional suppliers right now, what the compliance, security, and vetting baseline actually requires as opposed to the intimidating informal version that circulates in the market, and what a realistic timeline from first engagement to first contract looks like.

The session will also examine how UK Defence Innovation works as an entry route, where it is genuinely useful, and critically where it falls short for companies with established products rather than early-stage concepts. For businesses that have something that works, has been commercially deployed, and has an obvious defence application, understanding the distinction between an innovation funding route and a procurement channel is essential.

The First-Mover Case

One of the more provocative questions the session will address is whether there is a genuine first-mover advantage to entering defence now, while the Defence Investment Plan is creating new demand and the MOD is actively opening doors to non-traditional suppliers. The argument is that the advantage available today will be harder to establish in three or four years when the market is more crowded. The panel will stress-test that case honestly and explore what a company would need to do in the next twelve months to realise it.

The Role of Regional Clusters

For companies with no prior defence track record, navigating the route to market without support can be a slow and costly process. Regional defence clusters and growth hubs are actively connecting businesses from adjacent sectors with primes, mid-tiers, and MOD innovation programmes, and a cluster-brokered introduction can compress a qualification journey that might otherwise take years. The session will address how companies can make the most of that infrastructure rather than attempting a standalone approach.

Join the Conversation in Manchester

The summit runs from 08:30 to 17:00 on Thursday 22 October 2026 at the Kimpton Clocktower Hotel, Manchester. Confirmed speakers across the day include Luke Pollard MP, Minister of State for Defence Readiness and Industry; Admiral Sir Tony Radakin, former Chief of the Defence Staff; Victoria Cope, Commercial Director at Defence Digital; and Tim Ketton-Locke, Director of the Defence Office for Small Business Growth at the MOD.

For companies with genuine dual-use technology capability, the Crossing the Line session represents a rare opportunity to get honest, practical answers from people who understand both sides of the line, in a room full of the buyers, primes, and cluster organisations who can help make the crossing a reality.

Full details, the event programme, and registration are available at dprte.co.uk/defence-summit/

Post written by: Vicky Maggiani

Vicky has worked in media for over 25 years and has a wealth of experience in editing and creating copy for a variety of sectors.