How do you turn promising defence and dual-use startups into real, deployable capability?
This session unpacks the DEFINE playbook — a practical, ecosystem-driven approach to funding, scaling, and integrating innovation into defence environments. Drawing from hands-on experience, it covers how targeted funding instruments, close collaboration with end-users, and structured acceleration can significantly shorten the path from idea to operational impact.
The talk will share key lessons learned, including what works (and what doesn’t) when building a defence innovation ecosystem, how to design funding mechanisms that truly unlock growth, and how startups can effectively engage with defence stakeholders.
Looking ahead, the session will also explore future opportunities to get involved, highlighting how companies, partners, and investors can plug into the next wave of defence innovation.
Ideal for startups, industry leaders, and public sector actors, this session offers a practical blueprint for turning innovation into capability.