UK government funds SME defence innovation with Defence Technology Exploitation Programme
DTEP is backed with £16 million of UK government funding for defence-minded SMEs. (Photo: UK MoD/Crown Copyright)
A new UK initiative seeks to harness the defence innovation potential of SMEs.
The Defence and Security Accelerator (DASA) within the UK MoD launched a new scheme on 28 July to encourage SMEs to engage with defence innovation and technology development.
Called the Defence Technology Exploitation Programme (DTEP) and backed with £16 million ($19.48 million) of government funding, the new scheme provides grants of up to 50% of a project’s value, or up to a maximum of £500,000, in support of new defence ventures.
The grants provided will be available for collaborative projects involving SMEs and Tier 1 defence contractors, with the aim of supporting the integration of new and innovative technologies and blending these into the MoD supply chain.
Defence procurement minister Jeremy Quin said that DTEP reflects ‘how we support SMEs and larger suppliers to work together to improve the resilience and competitiveness of the MoD’s supply chain’.
Applications for DTEP funding are open all year round and will be assessed by DASA in three-month cycles.
More from Defence Notes
-
![Amazon Project Kuiper emphasises user-friendly solutions for multi-domain connectivity (Studio)]()
Amazon Project Kuiper emphasises user-friendly solutions for multi-domain connectivity (Studio)
At DSEI 2025, Shephard's Alix Valenti spoke to Project Kuiper's Rich Pang about the importance of enabling seamless communication between allied forces such as NATO members in challenging operational environments.
-
![Israel defence ministry pushes ambitious spending plans for tanks, drones and KC-46 aircraft]()
Israel defence ministry pushes ambitious spending plans for tanks, drones and KC-46 aircraft
The procurement and acceleration production plans – some of which still await approval – across the air and land domains will aim to strengthen the operational needs of the Israel Defense Forces.
-
![US reforms its defence acquisition system to focus on commercial capabilities]()
US reforms its defence acquisition system to focus on commercial capabilities
This shift is planned to accelerate the procurement and fielding of capabilities. As part of this strategy, the US also intends modernise its regulations in an attempt to change its bureaucratic and risk-averse culture.
