About us

The Defence and Security Accelerator (DASA) finds and funds exploitable innovation for a safer future.

DASA finds and funds exploitable innovation to support UK defence and security quickly and effectively, and support UK prosperity. Our vision is for the UK to have strategic advantage through the most innovative defence and security capabilities in the world. We achieve this by welcoming ideas from innovators small and large, providing support to those who have not previously worked with Government.

Who we are

DASA is a cross-Government team from a wide range of backgrounds including defence, security, the private sector and academia. We are co-located with Dstl at Porton Down and Portsdown West. We also have a London Hub based at Imperial College, White City. We have 12 regionally based innovation partners, covering the length and breadth of the UK including England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.

By working locally, supporting and advising innovators of all shapes and sizes, we provide a critical link to pull through innovation to help the Ministry of Defence, Home Office, Department for Transport and other parts of Government keep the UK safe by staying ahead of the threats we face.

Read more about who we are in our most recent Annual Review

Our objectives

DASA has a wide remit across all of defence and security. We are interested in all fields of science and technology, better ways of working, better services, or any innovation that will make defence and security more effective.

Our main objectives are to:

  • be an exemplar innovation organisation that promotes best practice across Government and seeks to build on its experience and learning
  • strengthen and broaden links to innovators across the UK and elsewhere - attracting the best innovative ideas for defence and security
  • collaborate with customers across UK government to find innovative solutions to national security challenges
  • focus effort on increasing the pull through of innovative ideas - supporting the exploitation and commercialisation of solutions into capability

DASA: What we do.

Read more about our objectives in our refreshed strategy: Innovation for a Safer Future: DASA Strategy 2021-2024

Our Location

Headquarters

Porton Down
Salisbury
Wiltshire

SP4 0JQ (Alternative postcode for some sat-nav systems: SP4 0JG)

Corporate information

Jobs and contracts

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