DASA Grants - Defence and Security Accelerator

DASA exists to find and fund innovations that could benefit the UK's defence and security. It sits inside MOD but operates differently from standard procurement - it funds exploratory development work rather than buying finished products. The purpose is to de-risk early-stage technology for the defence sector, get innovative solutions into the hands of end users faster, and bring commercial companies into the defence supply chain who wouldn't normally engage with MOD procurement.

Open call vs themed competitions

DASA runs two types of funding opportunity. The Open Call accepts applications year-round from any organisation with a technology or capability that could benefit defence or security. There's no fixed topic - if you can make a credible case for relevance, you can apply at any point. Applications are assessed as they come in and decisions typically take 6-8 weeks from submission. This is unusual in UK funding - most programmes work to fixed deadlines with batch assessment.

Themed competitions are announced when MOD has a specific operational challenge. These are more structured - a defined problem, a fixed submission window, and assessment against stated criteria. DASA publishes upcoming competitions with as much notice as possible and maintains a list of current and forthcoming calls on its website. Themed competitions sometimes carry larger budgets than the Open Call and are often a direct route into a specific part of the defence supply chain.

What DASA funds

DASA funds Phase 1 feasibility and proof-of-concept work (typically £50,000-£100,000 over 6 months) and Phase 2 prototype development (typically £250,000-£500,000 over 12-18 months). Some larger competitions fund Phase 3 demonstration work at higher values. The key word throughout is "innovation" - DASA doesn't fund established products being sold to MOD; it funds new capabilities being developed. If your product is already built and you're trying to sell it to defence, DASA is the wrong route.

Defence and security applications are interpreted broadly. Cyber resilience, autonomous systems, sensing and detection, logistics and supply chain, medical and healthcare, energy and sustainability, communications and data all have clear defence and security relevance. Non-obvious applications - AI tools with military logistics use, novel materials with protective properties, biological detection systems - are also fundable if you can articulate the defence use case.

Who can apply?

Any UK-registered organisation can apply - SMEs, startups, universities, research centres, and large companies. There's no minimum or maximum company size. DASA specifically values applications from organisations outside the traditional defence supply chain, because one of its objectives is broadening the base of innovative companies working with MOD. You don't need security clearance to apply - clearance becomes relevant only if a project moves into sensitive areas later in development.

What makes a strong application?

DASA assessors are MOD scientists, engineers, and operational staff. They're looking for technical credibility, clear defence relevance, and a realistic plan. The most common reason applications fail is unclear defence relevance - the technology might be interesting, but the applicant hasn't made the case for why MOD specifically needs it. Before writing a word, be specific about which part of defence or security would use this, in what operational context, and what problem it solves that current capabilities don't.

Value for money matters - DASA is spending public money on unproven technology, so assessors need to believe the proposed budget is proportionate to what will be delivered. Itemised, credible budgets with clear cost drivers score better than round numbers.