This document summarizes a presentation given to the Defence and Security Accelerator about Blue Bear's journey working with the Accelerator. The presentation discusses Blue Bear's project on open architectures for air-land interoperability and last mile resupply. It proposes a 6-month project to demonstrate autonomous airborne resupply for soldiers using unmanned aerial vehicles and open software architectures. It then outlines Blue Bear and its partners' experience working with the Accelerator, emphasizing the importance of attending launch events, engaging with stakeholders, and clearly writing proposals that solve problems and clarify exploitation pathways.

1. Proudly Hosted by:
Finding, funding and exploiting
innovation for the benefit of UK
Defence and Security

2. 2
Coming up …
DASA Overview Dr Lucy Mason
How to work with the Accelerator Ben Whitaker
Blue Bear’s Accelerator journey Dr Yoge Patel

3. OFFICIAL
Defence and
Security Accelerator
Overview of Defence and Security Accelerator
Dr Lucy Mason
Defence and
Security Accelerator
© Crown copyright 2017 MOD lmason2@dstl.gov.uk

4. OFFICIAL
We find, fund and exploit innovations which
support the defence and security of the UK
faster and more effectively, and seek to
generate economic value for the UK.
accelerator@dstl.gov.uk

5. OFFICIAL
The Defence Innovation Initiative was launched by the Defence
Secretary in 2016:
Defence Innovation Fund
£800m over 10 years
Defence and Security Accelerator
launched in December 2016, building
on the Centre for Defence Enterprise
accelerator@dstl.gov.uk

6. OFFICIAL
Any level of
development
Any service, method
or technology
Anyone with a good
idea
Any exploitation
pathway
accelerator@dstl.gov.uk
Scope

7. OFFICIAL

8. OFFICIAL
Core Services
Online
Portal
The Open Call
For Innovation
Outreach
& Networks
accelerator@dstl.gov.uk
Themed
Competitions
Advocacy
& Exploitation

9. OFFICIAL accelerator@dstl.gov.uk
>> FAST TRACK
Multi
TRL
SHORT
FORM
CONTRACT
assessors750
page
PITCH1
New recipients
40%
to get on contract
PITCH
Panels
Key facts
Dec 16 – Oct 17
HIGHER
max bids

10. OFFICIAL
Delivering at pace
Phase2
£303k
Investment of
£16.7m
£5.4m
Defence
Innovation Fund
We’ve funded
138 projects
MOD CSA
£6m
OGDs
£3m
£15.6m
Allocated to date
DASA: delivering innovation at pace
successful
1:5
accelerator@dstl.gov.uk
Phase1
£83kPhase 1
Dec 16 – Oct 17

11. OFFICIAL
Defence and
Security Accelerator
Defence and
Security Accelerator
Defence and
Security Accelerator
How to work with the Accelerator
Ben Whitaker, Innovation Partner

12. Why work with us?
• we’ll fund you to develop your
innovation
• cross-Government focus
• simple and easy way to access
defence and security
• access to end users and technical
advice
• always open for ideas
accelerator@dstl.gov.uk

13. OFFICIAL
Why work with us?
• benevolent terms and conditions
– all intellectual property remains with you
– we take no equity
• rapid contracting, including new short form
contract
• we will work to exploit your idea
– routes to market
– real world impact for research
• events to bring together Government, end-
users, private sector and academia
accelerator@dstl.gov.uk

14. OFFICIAL
How to engage
Themed
Competitions
Open Call for
Innovation
Hackathons
Sandpits
Data Science
Competitions
Pitch panels

15. OFFICIAL
How to engage
Themed Competitions
• Finding explosives hidden in electrical items
− low and mid TRL
− launch event 28 Nov
• More competitions to be announced shortly…
Open Call for Innovation
• Low TRL Security proposals – open now
• Mid TRL Defence proposals – coming soon
accelerator@dstl.gov.uk

16. OFFICIAL
Closed Competitions
• MOD AI Hackathon
– Improving Defence Decision-Making
• Improving Crowd Resilience
• Autonomous Last Mile Resupply
• Future of Aviation Security
• Beyond Battery Power
• Autonomous Hazardous Scene
Assessment
• Hearing Loss and Tinnitus
• Seeing Through the Clouds

17. What do we want?
Proof of principle research across a range of technology
readiness levels (TRL):
Low
From TRL 2 to 4
typically 6-9 months, up to ~£90k
Mid
From TRL 4 to 6
typically 1 year, up to ~£250k
High
From TRL 6+
Value varies
Exact timings and funding dependent on competition

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Assessment Criteria
A. Impact on defence and security
B. Likelihood of exploitation
C. Advancing important science and technology
D. Innovation and scientific quality
E. Technical challenge

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How do I apply?

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Introducing ...
• the Open Call One pager
• 12 week trial – ends 30 Nov
• quick turnaround
• signposting
• access through our website
no wasted time, no wasted meetings

21. OFFICIAL
Applying online?

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Our top tips
• think about your exploitation route
• be clear what you’re offering
• follow the guidance given online
• be succinct
• don’t leave it to the last minute
• if in doubt, ask…

23. OFFICIAL
Ask for help through our
Innovation Partner network
9 Innovation Partners located regionally
• South West
• South East, South of London
• London
• Central Southern – South Midlands
• North Home Counties, East Anglia
• Scotland
• North West
• West Midlands, Wales
• East Midlands

24. OFFICIAL
Any questions?
accelerator@dstl.gov.uk
01980 950000 option 3
@DASAccelerator
Defence and Security Accelerator
accelerator@dstl.gov.uk
Defence and Security Accelerator

25. Open Architectures for Air-Land Interoperability
yoge@bbsr.co.uk

26. Last Mile Re-Supply
Support front line troops
Complex, congested, contested
environments
Today: protracted chain of events
 Intensive
 Troops adapt to emergent situations
Future: button press re-supply
Leapfrog legacy technology?

28. Consolidate Air & Land domain open architectures
Flight demonstrate autonomous airborne resupply for soldiers
wearing smart soldier vests that call services from UAS
 No detailed engagement in resupply process by soldier
 No detailed tasking of re-supply assets
 No detailed knowledge of evolving, complex battlefield
6 Month project (Aug 17 to Feb 18)
Autonomous Logistics Vehicle Intelligent Service
(ALVIS)

29. Autonomous Logistics Vehicle Intelligent Service
(ALVIS)
2iC: Land Open Architectures
 Software company
 Lean Open Services Architecture
 Generic Soldier/Vehicle Architecture
Blue Bear: Air & Maritime Open
Architectures
 Unmanned Systems company
 Vehicles, Autonomy, Sub-systems
 Test & Evaluation
 ECOA, FACE, STANAGS

31. Live Virtual Test & Evaluation Environment
Multiple Vehicle Integration
Testbed (MUVIT)
Accelerates solutions
 De-risk Concept  live test
 Key enabler in Air & Maritime
Autonomy experiment
3rd Party
platforms
Surrogate Test
Beds
Sensors &
Payloads
3rd Party Testing
Locations/Distributed
Testing
Live/Virtual Sensor
data
Immersive LVC
Operations
Simulated
Vehicles/Platforms
Multi Vehicle
Autonomy

32. Journey with Accelerator…? Easy!
Attend launch event – essential
 Context
 Meet stakeholders
 Meet potential partners
Engage
 Ideas address problem?
Submit proposal
 Lightweight format
Win/No win within 1 month

33. Top tips for getting Accelerator funding
Solve the problem
 Fit for purpose technology
Find partners
 2+2 > 4
Write proposal clearly
 minimise jargon
Clarify exploitation path

34. Thank you

35. 24@DASAccelerator Defence and Security Accelerator
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