For a third year, in a row the Defence and Security Accelerator (DASA) has provided a platform for innovative companies to pitch their businesses and novel technology to investors at the Investment Showcase event.
An invited audience, ranging from angel investors to brokers and venture capitalists, attended the DASA Investment Showcase event in London at the end of November 2021. Seventeen small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) presented their innovative business opportunities and technologies to investors. The SMEs demonstrated how their technologies have commercial potential and offer better performance and increased capability for defence and security.
The SMEs in the showcase were grouped by technology area to allow investors to easily identify those of particular interest. The categories were:
- artificial intelligence (AI), virtual reality and autonomy
- drones and engineering
- detecting and sensing, communications, social impact and sustainability
The array of innovations presented included:
- digital humans that can engage in voice based interactions and provide instant feedback.
- an autonomous connection system which allows a vehicle to be connected or disconnected from a trailer without manual interaction.
- a rapidly deployable trench system to suit all threats and soil conditions.
- products that can protect people and equipment from laser threats.
What our innovative companies think of DASA and the Investment Showcase
Each SME that presented at the showcase has previously received either defence or security funding via DASA. When asked about their experience of working with DASA, one SME said, 'DASA has been fantastic to enable us to develop very high risk technology concepts and bring them much closer to the market in both defence and security and also other dual-use applications.'
Another SME commented on the value of events like the Investment Showcase to SMEs, 'Investment is quite a time consuming process so having a concentration of vetted, relevant investors brought to us has undoubtedly shaved a substantial amount of time off our fundraising process.'
Want to get involved? Speak to the A2MF team
DASA offers their funded companies access to business mentoring and finance advice via the Access to Mentoring and Finance (A2MF) service, which includes pitch training being a core training element. Alan Scrase, A2MF Lead for DASA, commented: 'We fund companies to develop their technology and an important part of the package is actually helping them develop their businesses. To do that we are introducing them to investors from a wide range of communities from business angels to venture capitalists through other funds like family funds.'
Alan
