UKDI Themed Competitions

UKDI Themed Competitions sit under the UK Ministry of Defence and are run by UK Defence Innovation with Dstl and other end users. They are the focused arm of the UKDI funding offer, built around specific defence and security capability gaps rather than a broad open call. Each competition is time-bound and usually carries a defined pool of around £500K to £3M, with project awards commonly between £100K and £700K. The route is procurement-based, so winners deliver prototypes or demonstrators rather than receive a grant. Recent themes have included biosecurity, battlefield diagnostics, and remote terrain assessment. The strongest fit is a UK-based team that can answer a narrowly framed operational challenge and work to a deadline. UKDI manages the competition route, Dstl provides technical delivery, and the service is aimed at academia, industry, and other innovators that can produce a credible solution quickly. Multiple competitions run each year across different capability areas.

Each grant below is a distinct funding opportunity with its own eligibility, scope, and deliverables.