Ploughshare launches The Technology and Growth Alliance at DSEI

 
Above: Hetti Barkworth-Nanton CBE, CEO, Ploughshare.
Courtesy Ploughshare

The alliance was launched today at the DSEI defence and security conference in London and will bring together defence firms, academia, investors, accelerators and organisations from across the industry. 

Founding members – Leonardo, BAE Systems, Thales, Helsing, QinetiQ, NPL, CBI, UK Defence Investor Network, Future Planet Group, The D Group, ADS Group, IoT Tribe, Cranfield University, GALLOS and the Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (Dstl) – have pledged to turn cutting-edge IP into commercial success, driving growth and ensuring it spills over into the wider economy.

The defence sector has a rich history of creating innovations that have become integral to our daily lives, from GPS navigation and microwave ovens to the internet and life-saving medical devices like EpiPens, technologies initially designed for military purposes that have seamlessly transitioned to benefit society at large. History has shown that these ideas can be commercialised but pathways to market are often beset by challenges. 

Ploughshare, drawing on two decades of experience turning defence technologies into real-world solutions, will act as the alliance’s convenor – bringing members together to overcome these challenges. The alliance will provide a framework for jointly stewarding and exploiting intellectual property. Its vision is to translate defence R&D into commercial opportunities that strengthen sovereign capability, create new businesses and high-value jobs, boost exports, and ensure public investment delivers long-term economic and societal benefit for the United Kingdom.

The government has invested more than £20 billion in defence R&D over the last 20 years, with a significant proportion of that funding going to private industry, academia and research organisations. This funding has helped developed groundbreaking technologies designed to protect frontline troops. Yet many of these innovations have remained confined to military use. This means their potential to save lives, transform industries, and support public services like the NHS has gone untapped.

Ploughshare CEO Hetti Barkworth-Nanton CBE explained: “We are sitting on a goldmine of technology that can transform the world around us but we’ve traditionally struggled to get these solutions out of defence and into the wider world.

"The alliance aims to be the catalyst that releases the full potential of defence-born technologies – ensuring innovation spills over into society, boosts the economy and supports services like the NHS. At present, barely a handful of spin-outs emerge from defence IP each year but with so much cutting-edge work happening in UK firms, there’s no reason we shouldn’t see 20 to 30 new companies launched annually.

“We’re delighted to have our founding members on board, who will play a vital role in sharing their expertise and shaping the direction of this movement, but we must now call on more private companies, investors, academic institutions and research organisations to join.  If you believe in the power of innovation to transform industries, communities and global markets, we want you with us.”

Professor Andy Bell, Dstl’s Chief Science and Technology Officer, said: “Sustained investment in Defence research has enabled Dstl to continuously develop new concepts and technologies to keep the UK armed forces and public safe from harm. 
 
“Our work provides the foundation stone for exploitation, boosting highly skilled UK jobs and creating export opportunities for UK businesses.
 
“The Alliance will support the accelerated development of commercial opportunities from technology originally created through defence-related research to be adapted for other uses to maximise the return on investment.”

Kevin Craven, CEO of ADS, said: “Ensuring the UK’s international competitiveness in key industries and doubling down on our rich history of innovation, research and development has never been more important. While the defence sector’s value to the economy has increased almost 70% in the last decade, there is always more to be done.

“Across aerospace, defence and security, many companies already develop technologies with dual use potential. Yet, despite this, the political, economic and strategic opportunities associated with these multipurpose technologies remain largely unfulfilled. Accelerating technology adoption will be pivotal to our ability to deliver innovation, security and prosperity and I look forward to working with the Alliance to deliver on these goals.”