Ministry of Defence
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Centre for Defence Enterprise: Open for business
A brand new centre fostering new technologies for the frontline officially opened its doors today.
The Centre for Defence Enterprise (CDE) is an exciting new initiative to help bring bright ideas that could aid current operations to fruition. Situated in the Oxford-London-Cambridge 'Golden Triangle', the Centre will bring together inventors, investors, entrepreneurs and academics who together will incubate new technologies and turn ideas to cutting edge reality.
Attendees at today's launch seminar were challenged to come up with innovative solutions to address some of the issues facing soldiers on current operations, including how to reduce the weight of personal kit and increase soldiers' mobility through new technologies.
Attending the launch of the CDE, Minister for Defence Equipment and Support, Baroness Taylor, said:
"The Centre for Defence Enterprise is about tapping into the UK's best talent to develop the next generation of military technology for our Armed Forces. It is an exciting opportunity to expand the MoD's science and technology supplier base for defence.
"We are looking for the innovative solutions and technology that will provide our front line with the battle-winning edge."
Building on the success of the Grand Challenge and Competition of Ideas, the Centre for Defence Enterprise will look for innovative proposals, the best of which will be taken forward as research contracts to produce the next generation of military equipment and technology. It also seeks to stimulate wider entrepreneurial interest in the defence sector.
Applicants will submit proposals for assessment and the Centre for Defence Enterprise will support those ideas that have the potential to meet current and future operational requirements. The aim is to capture these ideas and develop them into solutions that can be quickly applied to the frontline.
Innovators will be invited to regular seminars showing them what defence is looking for, further opening up communication of MoD's science and technology requirements.
Notes for Editors:
1. The Centre for Defence Enterprise will be a physical centre modelling itself on commercial science parks and incubators, bringing together inventors, investors, entrepreneurs, and academics to incubate new businesses and technologies with defence and other applications.
2. Basing this pilot at Harwell reflects its location within the recognised Oxford-London-Cambridge 'Golden Triangle' for private investors and its access to MOD and further delivers on commitments made in the Defence Industrial Strategy and the Defence Technology Strategy to engage with a wider supplier base.
3. Broad access to the Centre for Defence Enterprise is also available through the associated website on http://www.science.mod.uk
4. Although the MOD is looking to bring together innovators and investors, it is not proposed that the Department itself becomes involved in joint ventures.
5. The MOD runs several schemes aimed at delivering innovation:
- The Grand Challenge - a competition open to the UK science and technology community to develop an autonomous vehicle capable of detecting a range of military threats in an urban environment.
- The Competition of Ideas - a web-based scheme, set up to identify and take forward novel technologies relevant to defence. It received over 450 proposals and resulted in 66 funded projects, a large percentage of which were from SMEs and academia.
6. For more information on CDE and other initiatives go to http://www.science.mod.uk
