Introducing the Ideas Marketplace

• The Ideas Marketplace is an online networking Collaboration Platform for innovators to discuss, collaborate and share ideas to meet defence and security challenges
• The Ideas Marketplace enables innovators to get their ideas in front of an array of government stakeholders and end users

The Defence and Security Accelerator (DASA) is pleased to launch the Ideas Marketplace. The Ideas Marketplace is an online networking Collaboration Platform where innovators can discuss, collaborate and share ideas with like-minded users to overcome defence and security challenges and help deliver the next generation of defence and security tools and services.

The Ideas Marketplace is designed to enable innovative organisations to engage with the best people in defence and security, easily. It encourages collaboration between organisations of all shapes and sizes, to foster new and dynamic relationships to make innovations a success.

From helping innovators gain expertise and specialist support to develop technologies, to forming longstanding partnerships and finding new funding opportunities. The Ideas Marketplace will help innovators to:

• hear about funding opportunities from across government

• access exclusive competitions

• collaborate with another innovators to make ideas a success

• engage with industry leaders and learn more about the defence and security landscape

• foster collaborative relationships and partnerships

Join the Ideas Marketplace here.

Key Features: Innovate. Collaborate

The Ideas Marketplace connects industry to stakeholders. Once a user has signed up, they can:

• list abstracts on project hubs and collaborate with other innovators

• get updates on funding opportunities from across the defence and security community

• learn about the latest defence and security industry news and see how they can get involved

• gain access to networking and collaboration events

• find expert knowledge to make innovation a success

• get help to understand the market for an idea and help to build the business behind it

How does the Ideas Marketplace work?

The Ideas Marketplace functions similarly to an online forum. Once a user has created an Ideas Marketplace profile, they can upload an abstract of their idea or challenge area that they need help with. Like-minded innovators with the same interests will easily be able to find each other through the abstract and specialism search functions, and foster collaboration opportunities.

To help find collaborators, users can also follow areas of interest, specialisms, write posts and spark conversation by sending messages.

Ideas Marketplace community hubs

The Ideas Marketplace community comprises 10 UK defence and security innovation organisations. Innovators can visit each Ideas Marketplace hub page to see what funding opportunities are available, and if their innovations are relevant.

• DASA: DASA finds and funds exploitable innovation to support UK defence and security quickly and effectively, and support UK prosperity.

• jHub & jHub digital: jHub is the Innovation centre for Strategic Command, seeking innovation and technology to enhance and improve the operation of the UK armed forces.

• Discover, Analysis and Rapid Exploitation (DARE), the DARE team explores ways of providing cutting-edge technology and operational prototypes to show where the Royal Navy could go in the future.

• RAFX: RAFX develops technology for the RAF to discover how it can help deliver safer, more efficient and predictable operations, and create the next generation Air Force.

• Army Rapid Innovation & Experimentation Lab (ARIEL) seeks to work with innovative industries in a shared space, allowing ideas to be developed, and technology and equipment to be refined.

• DE&S Future Capabilities Group: The DE&S Future Capabilities Group (FCG) works with industry to explore and de-risk new capabilities against Front-Line Command needs.

• Regional Defence and Security Clusters: These are regional collaboration clusters led by industry and academia with the support of government and its ministerial departments such as the MOD and its innovation directorate, and the Defence and Security Accelerator (DASA).

• UK Space Command: UK Space Command is a joint command staffed by the Royal Navy, British Army, Royal Air Force, civil servants, and commercial partners. It aims to deliver space equipment programmes that integrate with other defence capabilities.

Checklist: How to sign up and use the Ideas Marketplace

Signing up for the Ideas Marketplace is an easy process:

• Step 1: Visit the Ideas Marketplace homepage and register for an account

• Step 2: Wait for your registration request to be approved

• Step 3: Complete your Ideas Marketplace profile and choose how you want to be contacted

• Step 4: Use the ‘Home ’ tab to upload your abstract, so other like-minded users can engage with you

• Step 5: Use the ‘Collaborate’ tab to see your feed, follow your areas of interest; find collaborators and write posts

• Step 6: Search the Ideas Marketplace for Abstracts by area of specialism

• Step 7: Spark conversation by sending messages to other innovators

Join the Ideas Marketplace

Want to collaborate with like-minded innovators and get your ideas in front of government stakeholders and end-users?

Join the Ideas Marketplace here.