Startups need ‘clear pathway’ into UK’s new defence plan, experts warn

Britain’s new military tech strategy will fail unless startups are given clear pathways to adoption, experts have warned.

Their concerns follow the government’s announcement that defence spending will increase to its highest level since the Cold War. Prime Minister Keir Starmer set out the aims in the new Strategic Defence Review (SDR), which includes plans to boost investment in technologies such as AI, drones, robots, laser weapons, and submarines. 

The review outlines ambitious goals for military innovation, but defence tech insiders say the real challenge lies in translating funding into front-line deployment. 

Tanya Suarez, who leads the dual-use accelerator Janus — backed by the NATO DIANA accelerator, whose COO will speak at TNW Conference this June — fears startups will still face major hurdles when working with the military. She said that while private funding for defence tech has reached record highs, companies still face a “wall” when trying to ...