Open Call for Innovation

Defence Rapid Impact

Funds innovators from any country developing near-term defence technology prototypes at TRL 6 or 7 through the MOD Defence Innovation Fund.

Eligibility · Global (no nationality restrictions by default)

⚠ This may reflect a past cycle — verify the current call on the funder's site.

Defence Rapid Impact is a sub-competition that runs under the Open Call for Innovation, operated by UK Defence Innovation (formerly the Defence and Security Accelerator, DASA) and funded by the Ministry of Defence (MOD) Defence Innovation Fund. It is a recurring quarterly competition — one of the named tracks within each Open Call cycle — and differs from the broader Open Call in that it targets innovations already at TRL 6 or 7 that can deliver a working prototype or demonstration within 24 months. Awards are non-dilutive: MOD/UKDI take no equity, and the funded organisation retains IP ownership with a royalty-free licence for UK government use. Projects must not exceed £350,000 (excluding VAT), with a typical expected project value in the region of £200,000 to £300,000.

The competition is broadly scoped — any area of UK Defence is in scope if the innovation can plausibly deliver near-term impact. Historically funded areas include AI and autonomous systems, unmanned aerial vehicles, materials, sensors, and communications, but the programme is intentionally not restricted to a fixed topic list. Each cycle may optionally publish a priority challenge area to guide applicants. UKDI covers 100% of eligible project costs; no match funding is required.

Eligibility is broad: the private sector, academia, and Public Sector Research Establishments are all welcome. There are generally no nationality restrictions. Applicants from outside the UK may apply. The key constraint is TRL: the technology must be at TRL 6 or 7 at the time of application, and the project must deliver a prototype or prototype demonstration at TRL 6 or 7 by the end of the funded period (24 months maximum).

The most recent cycle (CY2025 Cycle 4) closed on 13 January 2026. The Open Call service — including Defence Rapid Impact — is paused while UKDI transitions to its new full operating capability. The new service is expected to reopen in July 2026. Applications are submitted through the UKDI community portal. Proposals are assessed by UKDI Innovation Partners on novelty, technical feasibility, defence relevance, and value for money. All applicants receive written feedback.

A key practical note: the £350,000 cap is a firm ceiling per project per cycle. There is no stated minimum; the source explicitly says there is no minimum project value. Proposals are expected to be in the £200,000–£300,000 range.