DASA innovation funding delivers nearly £1 billion boost to UK economy
Source: gov.uk (2025-05-13)

The Defence and Security Accelerator's impact on innovation showcased in new research.

A new report published today reveals that companies funded by the Defence and Security Accelerator (DASA) have generated nearly £1 billion in economic value and created over 1,800 jobs across the UK.

The independent research (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/dasa-impact-report-2025), conducted by Beauhurst (https://www.beauhurst.com/), demonstrates how DASA’s support for innovative small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) is delivering significant benefits for both national security and economic growth.

The report was announced by the Rt Hon John Healey, Secretary of State for Defence during an address at the London Stock Exchange.

Key findings from the report include:

DASA-funded innovators have generated £972 million in Gross Value Added (GVA) between 2019 and 2023

Companies that received DASA funding secured an additional £592 million in equity investment

1,842 new jobs created by DASA-funded businesses

DASA-funded firms raised £174 million in 2024 alone

DASA leverages science and technology expertise from Dstl to fast track innovative ideas towards impact. The report highlights DASA’s evolution from simply finding and funding innovation to providing comprehensive support for the businesses behind the innovations, helping them grow and scale their technologies.

Innovation collaboration drives success

Anita Friend, Head of DASA said:

The Defence and Security Accelerator (DASA) is proud to be a key enabler for innovation. This Beauhurst report demonstrates DASA’s real-world impact on UK defence, security and economic growth, and highlights the importance of DASA’s work

Regional Impact

The research also reveals DASA’s significant regional reach, with funded companies spread across the UK, helping to drive economic growth in all nations and regions.

Many DASA-funded SMEs are now actively engaged in both domestic and international markets, demonstrating the broad scope of support DASA offers and the global relevance of UK defence and security innovation.

Success Stories

Several DASA-funded companies are featured in the report as standout successes, including:

Osler Diagnostics

An Oxford-based clinical diagnostics company which secured a £73.8m investment deal in 2024, representing 41% of the total raised that year by DASA-funded innovators. The company has developed a device to test for a range of disease biomarkers.

Calyo

A Bristol-based electronics company which develops sensor systems using ultrasound technology to provide perception and vision capabilities. Calyo’s technology is set to transform the sensor-enabled mobile robotics industry, exemplifying its dual-use capabilities with applications in unmanned systems for the defence sector, as well as assistive tools designed to aid blind individuals.

Dr Mihai Caleap, Founder & CEO, Calyo said:

DASA’s early support was instrumental in helping us transition from a promising prototype to a commercially viable technology. Their backing opened doors to follow-on funding and strategic partnerships.

Today, Calyo’s AI-enabled ultrasound sensing platform addresses real-world challenges across both defence and civilian sectors – from delivering redundant perception for autonomous systems to ensuring operational safety in degraded sensing environments.

Building a safer future

DASA remains focused on addressing fragmentation in the innovation system, supporting dual-use technologies, and ensuring business growth is factored into the development of new defence and security capabilities.

Anita Friend added:

DASA is committed to fostering innovation and supporting economic growth and by seeking and nurturing novel solutions from idea to impact DASA helps keep the UK safe and secure, ensuring defence and security capabilities remain second to none and supporting the government’s commitment to ensure the UK is a leader in defence innovation.

The full Beauhurst report is available on the DASA website (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/dasa-impact-report-2025).