Defence and Security Accelerator (DASA) Open Call for Innovation – Defence Rapid Impact

Grant Overview:

The Defence and Security Accelerator (DASA) Open Call for Innovation is a continuous funding mechanism aimed at sourcing and supporting innovative ideas that enhance the defence and security of the UK. Unlike themed competitions, the Open Call allows proposals to be presented at any time, catering to a broad spectrum of innovative concepts, technologies, or services. This call seeks to expedite the development of projects with potential rapid impact in the defence sector, aligning with specific focus areas and enduring challenges. This summary focuses on the ‘Defence Rapid Impact’ section of the competition.

Defence Rapid Impact Section - Detailed Overview

The Defence Rapid Impact section of the Defence and Security Accelerator (DASA) Open Call for Innovation is specifically designed to accelerate the development and deployment of technologies, models, or prototype demonstrations that have the potential to significantly enhance UK defence capabilities. This section seeks to support innovations that are ready to be tested in a relevant operational environment, addressing critical defence challenges with practical, impactful solutions.

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Objectives and Requirements:

· Technology Readiness Levels (TRL): Projects submitted to this section should aim to achieve TRL 6 or 7, indicating that the technology has been demonstrated in a relevant environment or is near operational use. This involves limited scale demonstrations in the hands of end users, ensuring that the solution is practical and feasible in real-world defence settings.

· Defence Lines of Development (DLOD) Consideration: Successful projects must also demonstrate how they align with and could satisfy broader MOD/Security business and capability requirements, encapsulated in the Defence Lines of Development. This ensures that innovations not only address immediate technological challenges but are also integrated and sustainable within broader defence strategies and systems.

· Impact Timeline: Proposals should outline a clear path to delivering significant defence impact within a 3-year timeframe following project completion. This criterion ensures that funded projects contribute timely enhancements to defence capabilities.

· Customer Requirement and Capability Need: Funding prioritises projects with a strong defence customer requirement and a clearly defined capability need. Proposals lacking explicit explanations of user needs may be filtered out early in the assessment process, underscoring the importance of aligning innovations with specific, articulated defence requirements.

Funding:

· Funding Range: While no fixed funding limit is set, DASA typically expects to fund projects in the range of £100K to £250K. Proposals demonstrating strong value for money—delivering significant defence enhancements at a reasonable cost—will be favourably viewed.

Proposal Submission:

· Comprehensive Proposal: Applicants must submit detailed proposals via the DASA Submission Service, clearly outlining the innovative idea, its relevance and potential impact on UK defence, and how it meets the Defence Rapid Impact section's objectives and requirements.

· Value Proposition and Deliverables: The proposal should articulate the project's value proposition, including its benefits to defence stakeholders, and include a well-defined project plan with milestones, deliverables, and a final report. The plan should demonstrate feasibility, practicality, and a clear trajectory towards achieving TRL 6 or 7 within the project timeline.

Evaluation and Selection:

· Proposals will undergo a rigorous assessment process, evaluating their potential impact, alignment with defence needs, technological innovation, and cost-effectiveness.

· DASA's decision to fund proposals will be based on their potential to address critical and immediate defence challenges effectively, contributing to the UK's strategic defence objectives.

Competition Cycles and Closing Dates:

The Open Call operates year-round with specific cycle closing dates.

Defence Rapid Impact:

Opens: 6 March 2024

Closes:14 May 2024

Results: 23 August 2024

Feedback: 6 September 2024

Call to Action: For innovators with ideas that could significantly improve UK defence and security, the DASA Open Call for Innovation presents a rolling opportunity to secure support and funding. Interested parties are encouraged to get in touch with Inventya for guidance, we can help you prepare proposals in line with the detailed requirements of this competition

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