Region's SMEs win defence funding to drive innovation

Three UK SMEs have been awarded funding through the latest rounds of the Defence Technology Exploitation Programme (DTEP). Bristol-based High Temperature Material Systems Ltd, OpenWorks Engineering in Northumberland and Oxford's Mind Foundry Ltd. will each collaborate with a higher-tier supplier who will mentor them over the duration of a forthcoming defence project.

They will receive a government grant worth 50 per cent of the project value to develop innovative new solutions that meet UK defence challenges and increase capability in the UK defence supply chain.

DTEP, which seeks to improve the competitiveness of the UK Defence supply chain, is sponsored by the MOD’s Directorate of Industrial Strategy and Exports (DISE) and delivered through the Defence and Security Accelerator(DASA), Innovate UK, and ADS.

Anita Friend, Head of DASA, said: “These innovative companies, in partnership with their higher-tier DTEP collaborators, are set to play a crucial role in enhancing the UK’s defence supply chain and supporting the ongoing success of future defence and security initiatives.”

Mind Foundry builds AI for high-stakes applications. In defence, its work is designed for deployment, combining AI signal processing techniques to process, analyse and enrich feeds from sensors. Together with their higher-tier partner BAE Systems, they will collaborate to develop the capability for taking multiple data inputs from multiple sensor types, and utilise their inferences to demonstrate the potential for a single system to provide a unified operating picture.”

Brian Mullins, Mind Foundry CEO said: “In multi-domain operations, operators often have to analyse information across different sensor feeds manually. This is a risk, increasing the opportunity for error and the potential to miss vital contact information. Being awarded this DTEP funding, we aim to build capabilities to solve this problem and provide operators with a fuller, more robust tactical picture compilation. We are proud to be able to deepen our partnership with BAE Systems, whose experience in deploying sensor systems in complex, operational scenarios will prove vital in guiding not only the scientific art of the possible but in the operator’s need for a solution in practice.”

High Temperature Material Systems (HTMS), which is based at the National Composite Centre near Bristol, produces a high temperature, lightweight and low cost material called Ceramic Matrix Composite (CMC). This type of material has multiple uses across the defence and security supply chain and the ability to withstand temperatures of up to 1,000 degrees centigrade. Together with their higher tier partner MBDA, HTMS will be scaling up the manufacturing of an innovative lower cost form of CMC which will fill a current gap in the UKs defence materials supply chain.

Dr Richard Grainger, CTO and Co-Founder of HTMS said: “Being chosen for a DASA DTEP project is an important moment for High Temperature Material Systems (HTMS). This marks a significant milestone in our mission to revolutionise the high temperature composites market for Defence, Aerospace, Clean Transport, and other high performance industries.

"This collaboration accelerates the development of our cutting edge materials, opening doors for increased funding, strategic partnerships, and deeper integration into supply chains. We’re forging a powerful alliance with one of the world’s leading defence entities, which not only strengthens our capabilities but sets a strong course for the future of high temperature composite materials.”

Dr Danilo Di Salvo, CEO and Co-Founder of HTMS added: “DTEP paves the way for an enhanced market integration whilst empowering us to expand our expert team, bringing onboard more world class engineers and innovators. Working closely with DASA fuels our drive to deliver highly scalable, sustainable, and transformative composite materials. This is only the beginning. Our ambition is to push boundaries and create lasting impact — not just in the UK, but on a global scale. The future is here, and we’re leading the way.”

OpenWorks Engineering will be working with higher tier supplier MBDA to provide an integrated counter-UAS (Unmanned Aerial System) system for the British Army to meet the current threat from drones.