Not Every Defence Startup Should Chase Government Funding

In Episode 8 of Defence Procurement, we turn the question around and look at the problem from the industry’s side.

You have identified an opportunity. You understand the operational problem. What should you do next?

Should you seek government-supported development?

Should you work with the military user to develop the capability?

Should you develop it yourself?

Or do you already have a mature product and need to focus on validation and finding a route towards induction?

The episode looks at four different starting points and why there is no single development pathway that works for every company.

The important question is not simply:

“Which scheme can I apply for?”

It is: “What exactly do I have today?”

A mature product may need user engagement and validation rather than development funding. An early-stage idea may require support to turn it into a viable capability. A genuine operational problem without a formal project may create opportunities for working with the user towards a solution. And a company with sufficient resources may choose to fund its own R&D for greater speed and flexibility. Pasted markdown Pasted markdown

The takeaway is simple:Start with where you are. Then choose the pathway.

Coming up in Episode 9

Once the technology has been developed, another major question appears:

How does the military actually buy it?

Is it a capital procurement or a revenue procurement? Can the same technology move between the two at different stages of its life cycle?

That is the focus of Episode 9: Revenue or Capital — Understanding Where Your Product Fits.