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At DASA, we find and fund exploitable innovation to support UK defence and security quickly and effectively, and support UK prosperity.

From:
Defence and Security Accelerator, Ministry of Defence, and Defence Science and Technology Laboratory
Published
20 May 2019
Last updated
17 April 2024 — See all updates

Open Call for Innovation

The Open Call exists to offer suppliers the opportunity to submit their ideas to defence and security stakeholders.

The Open Call welcomes innovations that address defence and security challenges. Please see some examples of work we have funded here.

The Open Call is open for proposals all year round, with assessment dates scheduled across the year. More information on assessment dates can be found here.

Closing Date Competition Title
14 May 2024 Open Call for Innovation - FY24/25 Cycle 1 - Defence Rapid Impact

Innovation Focus Areas

Whilst we welcome a range of ideas and innovations, there are also some specific Innovation Focus Areas (IFAs) where proposals are sought:

Innovation Focus Areas currently Open for application

There are currently no Innovation Focus Areas Open for Application.

Themed Competitions

Themed Competitions exist to offer suppliers the opportunity to submit proposals around specific government areas of interest. Themed competitions may only run for a short time and have set closing dates.

DASA has had various themed competitions covering a range of topics. For details on past competitions, please see here.

To see examples of projects that have been funded through themed competitions, please see here.

Themed competitions currently open for application

Closing Date Competition Title
30 April 2024 Sample Preservation, Analysis, and Attribution (SPAA)
16 May 2024 AUKUS Electronic Warfare Challenge
13 June 2024 Protection of Physical Assets from Uncrewed Aerial Systems Attack

Competitions in our pipeline

Please note that this is not confirmation that these will launch. This is a list (not extensive) of potential upcoming challenge areas.

Be the first to hear about new competitions, upcoming events and other DASA news: join the DASA Mailing List

DASA has a team of Innovation Partners that can provide you with support in working with DASA, please see how to Get in touch with DASA

Expected Launch Overarching Challenge
May 2024 Upcoming Themed Competition looking at generation after next Electro Optics.
April 2024 Upcoming Innovation Focus Area looking at novel ways for Testing and Evaluation.
May 2024 Upcoming Themed Competition looking at delivering operational advantage via improved self-sufficiency and operational energy.
May 2024 Upcoming Themed Competition looking for novel IED disruption methods.
June 2024 Upcoming Themed Competition looking at novel deception technologies for military application with land platforms and battlefield systems
TBC Upcoming Themed Competition looking at improving the universality and longevity of blood products for use in remote or austere locations.
TBC The Defence Technology Exploitation Programme (DTEP) Cycle 6
TBC Defence Innovation Loans FY2425 Cycle 1
Launched Upcoming Themed Competition that will address challenges associated with sample surface collection/preservation, analysis and attribution of hazardous chemical and biological (ChemBio) materials.
Launched Upcoming themed competition seeking innovative technologies that can provide Defence with a competitive advantage to electromagnetic (EM) targeting and protect Defence from adversary EM targeting capabilities.
Launched Upcoming Themed Competition looking for innovations to protect assets form UAS attack.

If you have any queries or questions please email: accelerator@dstl.gov.uk

Guidance

If you are interested in any of our competitions, please see the relevant guidance below.

Published 20 May 2019
Last updated 17 April 2024 + show all updates

  1. Added new Protection of Physical assets Competition which launched 17 April 2024

  2. Defence Innovation Loans moved to Pipeline section (until future cycles are confirmed) Small, Lightweight Explosives Detector removed from list of open themed competitions. Mobile Evidential Drug Testing Instrument (MEDTI)themed competition is now closed – removed description and links from the current themed competition list and removed from "launched" pipeline list

  3. - Added to pipeline: New competition for operational advantage through self sufficiency - Added to pipeline: New themed competition that seeks novel IED disruption methods - Added to pipeline: New competition looking at novel deception technologies - Rapid Detection of Toxic Gases Competition removed as it is now closed - Launch date for upcoming Themed Competition looking at generation after next Electro Optics edited.

  4. AUKUS Competition published DTEP paused following close of cycle 5 Defence Innovation Loans - table showing open cycles removed

  5. Closing date for Open Call for Innovation - FY24/25 Cycle 1 - Defence Rapid Impact changed from 15 May 2024 to 14 May 2024 in line with competition document.

  6. Edited to reflect the fact that the next cycle for the Defence Innovation Loans will be in FY24/25 (not cycle 8 of FY23/24).

  7. Open Call section updated to FY24/25 Cycle 1 - Defence Rapid Impact. Innovation Focus Areas section updated to reflect there are currently no IFAs open for application.

  8. Added new competition - Sample Preservation, Analysis and Attribution (Phase 1) Removed competition - Remote Monitoring of Sensitive Sites Phase 2

  9. Removed: DASA GAN Comms and Network upcoming phase. DASA remain committed to maximise the value of this competition, however, in order for MoD to focus resources on other priorities, the Generation After Next Communications & Networks Competition will be paused on completion of the FY24/25 Discovery Phase A. The team remain committed to exploit the activities sponsored under the Discovery Phase A within the MOD research portfolio. DASA expect to announce a future Communications and Networks focused competition in Jan 2025. In the meantime please continue to submit proposals to the DASA Open Calls and tag the relevant Innovation Focus Areas Added: Upcoming IFA for Testing Evaluation added to pipeline

  10. Themed competition Mobile Evidential Drug Testing Instrument (MEDTI) Demonstrator, now open. Links to competition page added and pipeline list updated. Themed competition It's Good for Missiles to Talk (Phase 2), removed from current competitions list as now closed.

  11. Updated the pipeline - added the open competitions to the bottom of the pipeline so suppliers can link a pipeline activity to the competitions which launch

  12. New competition added to the list of open competitions, and removed from the Pipeline: Small, Lightweight Trace Explosives Detector

  13. Updated pipeline as Themed Competition on behalf of the Department for Transport is now expected to launch in February.

  14. Add new competition - Rapid Detection of Toxic Gases Amended Closing date of Defence Innovations Loans

  15. Removed Engineering Biology for Defence and Security (Phase 2) which has now closed

  16. Added a competition to the pipeline regarding Generation After Next Communications & Networks. A reference to a future competition about countering sea based threats has been removed until further notice.

  17. The month of launch has been added for the small, lightweight trace explosives detector competition (Pipeline section) Defence Innovation Loans section updated to reflect that cycle 7 is now open.

  18. Added a new themed competition to the pipeline section

  19. Remote Monitoring of Sensitive Sites Phase 2: Security & Resilience has now launched.

  20. Apply for funding section: Themed competitions currently open for application Removed: |5 December 2023| Novel Disruptive Science Impacting Future Defence and Added in: |20 February 2024| It's Good for Missiles to Talk (Phase 2) Competitions in our pipeline Removed: |December 2023| It's Good for Missiles to Talk Phase 2 Themed Competition.|

  21. Open Call for Innovation section updated with FY23/24 Cycle 5 Defence Rapid Impact, Security Rapid Impact and Innovation Focus Areas and closing date of 06 March 2024. Competitions in our Pipeline section updated to reference upcoming themed competition expected to launch in February 2024 to address challenges associated with sample surface collection/preservation, analysis and attribution of hazardous chemical and biological (ChemBio) materials.

  22. Defence Innovation Loans - updated to reflect the close date for Cycle 6.

  23. |February 2024| Upcoming Themed Competition looking at improving the universality and longevity of blood products for use in remote or austere locations. Removed |February 2024| and replaced with |TBC|

  24. Added to the competition pipeline - a new Themed Competition is expected to launch in January 2024 on behalf of the Department for Transport to develop a concept demonstrator for evidential roadside drug testing for drug drivers.

  25. Added Engineering Biology Phase 2. Removed closed competitions. Minor updates to the pipeline.

  26. Added a new themed competition, Novel Disruptive Science Impacting Future Defence and Security. Amended pipeline dates.

  27. New Themed Competition coming in the pipeline

  28. Competitions in our pipeline section added the following competitions; |October 2023| Remote Monitoring of Sensitive Sites Phase 2 Themed Competition.| |November 2023| It's Good for Missiles to Talk Phase 2 Themed Competition.|

  29. Removed the Market Exploration section. These are listed on the separate Market Exploration page on Gov.uk Removed Autonomous Sensors and Sensor Counter Deception from the current themed competitions section

  30. Defence Innovation Loans cycle 4 added.

  31. New themed competition launched: Reducing Cyber Risk Across Defence

  32. 1. Updated the open call cycle 2. Updated the list of open IFAs 3. Updated the pipeline 4. Reopen of Security Rapid Impact Open Call

  33. Corrected closing date for Facial Recognition Market Exploration. Added a new Themed Competition into the pipeline.

  34. Facial Recognition Market Exploration added Windfarm Mitigation for UK Air Defence Phase 3 (Stream 2) added

  35. 1. Updated the pipeline section

  36. A new market exploration has been added to the pipeline

  37. Added additional copy to the “Competitions in our pipeline” section as follows; Re-opening of Innovation Focus Area IFA035 - Making Science Fiction a Reality: Future Directed Energy Weapons. This Innovation Focus Area is seeking proposals which present ideas to contribute to the first generation of deployed Directed Energy Weapons. Added 05 to the date for Innovation Focus Area (IFA) biological sensing.

  38. Affordable and Adaptable Unmanned Air Systems Autonomy has now closed. It has been removed from current open competitions.

  39. 1. Added a new upcoming Market Exploration to the pipeline section

  40. 1. Updated the pipeline content

  41. Removal of Humans in Systems competition which closed 19 July 2023

  42. Updated dates for Defence Innovation Cycles

  43. The IRC 2023 competition has been added to the Themed Competition section of the Apply for Funding page.

  44. New competition launching Space to Innovate Campaign - Charlie Drop removed after it has closed.

  45. Link to new themed competition added

  46. Open Call Cycle 2 is now closed and Cycle 3 is now open. The following has also closed; Security Rapid Impact Open Call, Human Augmentation, IFA040 A Bridge to Fall and IFA036 Beyond Line of Sight Communications

  47. New competitions added to In the Pipeline section

  48. Generation After Next Communications and Networks; Analysing and Understanding and Analysing Audiences; Scoping out the Grey Zone and Intelligent Ship competitions removed from open list

  49. 1. Competition added to pipeline 2. Innovation Focus Area added to pipeline

  50. New Themed Competition added to competition pipeline: June 2023 Upcoming autonomous air systems (UAS) Themed Competition seeks novel innovations to help give the UK an advantage through affordable and adaptable, UAS.

  51. New themed competition added - Space to Innovate Campaign - Charlie Drop

  52. New Competition launch: Humans in Systems

  53. Populating the World of Training (Phase 1) is now closed for submissions, links to competition page now removed.

  54. Open Call for Innovation - FY23/24 Cycle 2 Security Rapid Impact, Defence Rapid Impact and Innovation Focus Areas updated as the current cycle. Innovation Focus Areas currently open for application updated to remove IFA038 - Advanced Materials For Defence and IFA035 Making Science Fiction a Reality: Future Directed Energy Weapons due to pause of submissions.

  55. -Windfarm Mitigation for UK Air Defence Stream 1 Phase 3 competition now closed for application -Human Augmentation (Phase 1) competition now open for application

  56. Defence Innovation Loans dates edited to reflect the opening of the next cycle (FY23/24 cycle 1).

  57. New competition - The Intelligent Ship: Phase 3 is now open

  58. *New competition: Scoping out the Grey Zone: Sub-threshold AI competition from Pipeline *New competition: GAN Communications & Networks *Added to competitions in our pipeline: Humans in Systems to pipeline.

  59. Removed the warnings regarding the temporary closure of the submission service

  60. Competition launch - Analysing and Understanding Audiences

  61. Updated the dates for the extension under themed competitions and up-coming competitions

  62. Updated date for submission service reopening, the service will now reopen on 29 March.

  63. Dates for the Defence Innovation Loans current and upcoming cycles were updated (cycle 3 has opened and cycle 4 is upcoming)

  64. New Themed Competition, Populating the World of Training (Phase 1) has been added to Current Competitions.

  65. Removed IFA034 from Open IFAs. Updated notification regarding system upgrades running until 16th March 2023.

  66. Added a link to Knowledge in Defence (KiD)

  67. Updated competition to the Pipeline section; Analysing and Understanding Audiences, and Intelligent Ship

  68. New themed competition has been added to the pipeline

  69. Updated to launch Windfarm Mitigation Competition

  70. Reference to Emerging Innovations removed, Competitions updated. Note added regarding submission service down period. Added Themed Competition "Populating the World of Training" to the competition pipeline.

  71. Charybdis has been removed from the list of open Market Explorations

  72. AI for Defence IFA was added to 'Competitions in our Pipeline' section.

  73. Added a new section called - Competitions in our pipeline.

  74. Removed Whole Body Vibration from Open Themed Competitions, Moved Defence Innovation Loan cycle dates out of Themed Competitions and into it's own section, Added comment that there are currently no open Themed Competitions

  75. Removed Novel Amphibious Craft competition from this page as it has now closed.

  76. The closing date for Charybdis has been extended to midday on 3 February 2023.

  77. The Understanding Whole Body Vibrations competition submission deadline has been delayed to Midday Tuesday 24th January 2023.

  78. Updated the closing date for Novel Amphibious Craft to 17th January 2023.

  79. Updated Defence Innovation Loan closing date for newly opened cycle. Edit to text in the Defence Innovation Loans section to update on changes to Defence Innovation Loans. Addition of Defence Innovation Loans FY22/23 - Cycle 2 opening date to the Competitions Opening Soon section.

  80. Information edited for Defence Innovation Loans to reflect the change to cycle based assessment in December 2022. Open Call Cycle 5 added as Open competition IFA033 Human Augmentation and IFA034 Countering IEDs by Novel Technology and Techniques removed from Innovation Areas Open for application IFA038 Advanced Materials for Defence added to Innovation Areas Open for Application

  81. Added a new Market Exploration: Project CHARYBDIS.

  82. Removed link to CHERI within Defence and Security themed competition as the submission period has ended. Removed reference to the Market Exploration 'How Clean is your Hull?' as this has now closed.

  83. Added new Themed Competition: Understanding Whole Body Vibration

  84. Themed competition (Novel Amphibious Craft) added.

  85. Disruptive Science and Technology Impacting the Future of Defence Competition closed.

  86. -Added Themed Competition: CHERI Within Defence and Security, which has opened for submissions -Removed Themed Competition: Point of Care Diagnostics at the Front Line Phase 2, which has closed for submissions

  87. Launched two new IFA Competitions (IFA035 and IFA 036) Updated closing and opening dates for Open Call Cycle 4 and 5.

  88. A new Market Exploration, How Clean is your Hull?, has been added.

  89. Removal of the Veterans' health Innovation Fund competition links as it has now closed.

  90. New Competition: Disruptive Science and Technology Impacting the Future of Defence

  91. Removed the following themed competitions from open applications: Engineering Biology for Defence and Security Generation-after-next Wearable Technologies

  92. Closing date for Open Call Cycle 3 has changed from 14 September 2022 to 20 September 2022. Opening date for Open Call Cycle 4 has changed from 14 September 2022 to 20 September 2022.

  93. Edited Themed competitions currently open for application - Removed It’s Good for Missiles to Talk

  94. Change of closing date for 'It's Good for Missiles to Talk' changed from 2 August to 3 August

  95. Added Point of Care Diagnostics at the Front Line Phase 2 to Themed section.

  96. Added Veterans' Health Innovation Fund

  97. Engineering Biology closing date has changed to midday Friday 26th August 2022.

  98. New competition added: Generation-after-next Wearable Technologies

  99. New themed competition launched: Engineering Biology for Defence and Security

  100. 1. Open Call Cycle Dates updated to reflect latest cycles

  101. New themed competition added: "It’s Good for Missiles to Talk"

  102. Removal of Remote Monitoring for Sensitive Sites from Open Competitions list

  103. New IFA (IFA034 - Countering IEDs by Novel Technology and Techniques) launched.

  104. New Innovation Focus Area added - Human Augmentation

  105. A new Innovation Focus Area has launched - Double Act: National Security Technologies

  106. Added new dates for the next open call cycle.

  107. Themed competitions currently open for application - Removed 'Advanced Radio Frequency Sensing, Integrated Effects and PNT'

  108. Defence Innovation Loans are open until further notice

  109. Alternative Navigation for Weapon Systems Market Exploration now closed

  110. Themed Competitions - Removed Telexistence Phase 2, it closed on April 6th at 12pm

  111. Removed 'Cycle 1' from Open Call for Innovation Remote Monitoring of Sensitive Sites launched

  112. Autonomous Resilient Cyber Defence (ARCD) Intelligent Agents IFA28 and Cycle 5 of the open call have closed and Cycle 1 FY22/23 has opened

  113. New competition launched: Advanced Radio Frequency Sensing, Integrated Effects and PNT

  114. Evidential Testing of Drug Drivers market exploration is now closed

  115. Themed Competition 'Catch the ChemBio SCENT' removed from open for application section.

  116. Edited - Themed competitions currently open for application. Added Telexistence Phase 2

  117. Defence Innovation Loans - a pilot of a continuous cycle will run until 16 March 2022.

  118. Updated the closing date for the current cycle 5 to 2 March 2022. Removed RCAS from the IFA list. Updated the coming soon dates with Cycle 1 for 2 March 2022. Closing date – removed Emerging Innovation. Now reads ‘Open Call for Innovation - Security Rapid Impact, Defence Rapid Impact and all Innovation Focus Areas.’ Added: ‘Open Call Cycle 5 competition category ‘Emerging Innovations’ is currently not available for submission. Further information will be provided as soon as this category becomes available again. If you have any queries or questions please email: accelerator@dstl.gov.uk’

  119. New market exploration launched: "Evidential Testing of Drug Drivers"

  120. Added new market exploration: Hybridisation of the Naval Fleet

  121. Space to Innovate Campaign - Bravo Drop has closed to submissions. Market Exploration: Tackling E-Scooter and E-Bike enabled crime has closed to submissions.

  122. Added - 'Catch the ChemBio SCENT' Themed Competition currently open.

  123. Innovation Focus Area section updated to include the Wearable Technology IFA

  124. Added links to new IFA 030 Military Systems Information Assurance (MISA). Updated dates for the next Open Call cycle to show Cycle 4 is the current cycle and Cycle 5 is the next cycle. Updated Defence Innovation Loans to show the current Cycle dates.

  125. Added document: MODREC Guidance for Suppliers

  126. Added new Market Exploration: Tackling E-Scooter and E-Bike enabled crime

  127. Edited 'Themed competitions currently open for application' - Space to Innovate Campaign - Bravo Drop has been launched.

  128. Removed links to Market Explorations that have now closed.

  129. Contains links to IFA028 - Autonomous Resilient Cyber Defence (ARCD) Intelligent Agents and IFA029 - Reducing the Cyber Attack Surface (RCAS), as they are now open for submission.

  130. Open Call Cycle 3 has been moved to the current competitions section and Open Call Cycle 4 has been added to the Competitions Opening Soon section. Edited the dates for the IFA competitions. The title ‘Themed Competitions currently open for application’ has been changed to ‘Competitions currently open for applications’

  131. The Competitions open for applications have been updated with Open Call Cycle 3, as have the the Competitions Opening Soon (Open Call Cycle 4 and the IFA's) Space to Innovate has been removed from Open Competitions as it is closed now Defence Innovation Loans Cycle 2 has been added to the list of competitions currently open.

  132. Added two new competitions to "competitions opening soon" section: - Innovation Focus Area 028 – Autonomous Resilient Cyber Defence - Intellect Agents - Innovation Focus Area 029 – Reducing the Cyber Attack Surface

  133. Look Out! Maritime Early Warning Innovations Competition closed; removed from 'Competitions currently open for application' section.

  134. Market exploration closed and removed from website Defence Innovation Loan added as a new competition

  135. Removed Windfarm Mitigation for UK Air Defence - Phase 2 from the Themed Competitions - Competitions currently open for application section

  136. New competition added: Space to Innovate Campaign - Alpha Drop

  137. New open call competition open: Security Rapid Impact

  138. - Open Call Cycle 2 listed as a current competition and Open Call Cycle 3 listed as opening soon. - Link to IFA026 - Armoured Fighting Vehicle Short Gap Crossing Capability description was removed as IFA026 has now closed.

  139. New Themed Competition added - Look Out! Maritime Early Warning Innovations

  140. Removal of Uncrewed Underwater Vehicle competition

  141. New competition added - Windfarm Mitigation for UK Air Defence - Phase 2

  142. Wireless communications, networking and information theory competition now closed.

  143. - Link to IFA025 Reducing Reliance on Global Navigation Satellite Systems Quantum Augmented Position, Navigation and Timing Sensing Capability, removed as now closed for submission. - Open Call Cycle 1 listed as current competition. Now open for Emerging Innovations and Rapid Impact submissions. - Open Call Cycle 2 listed as upcoming competition.

  144. Map the Gap Phase 2 now closed

  145. Now includes link to Armoured Fighting Vehicle Short Gap Crossing Capability (IFA026) IFA wording.

  146. Take Cover Phase 3 Closed competition Uncrewed Underwater Vehicle Testbed opened

  147. Wireless communications, networking and information theory challenge now open.

  148. Right On Time: Automating Military Logistics launched

  149. Open Call Cycle 6 listed as current competition and Cycle 1 launch date added.

  150. Listed Open Call cycle 6 as opening soon.

  151. Closing Date for Map the Gap amended

  152. New Themed competition added

  153. Removed link to IFA018 - closed Removed link to Open Call cycle 4 - closed Cycle 5 listed as a current cycle - Included detail that only Rapid Impact and IFAs will be open.

  154. Edited Open Call Cycle 5 launch date to correct it to 3 December.

  155. Telexistence removed from competitions open for application

  156. Added link to IFA025 - Reducing Reliance on Global Navigation Satellite Systems Quantum Augmented Position, Navigation and Timing Sensing Capability

  157. Link to IFA025 - Quantum Augmented Position, Navigation and Timing Sensing Capability added

  158. Removed closed competitions from the list of open competitions.

  159. Removed Open Call Cycle 3, added Open Call Cycle 4 and 5 dates.

  160. added COVID-19 Open Call for Innovation Cycle dates

  161. Removed the links to the IFAs that are no longer open. Updated the open call dates.

  162. Autonomy in challenging environments Phase 1 now open.

  163. Removed now closed competitions (FASS Testing and Trialling and Novel Chemistry)

  164. Updated with current open funding opportunities

  165. new competition added

  166. First published.

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