Universal Defence & Security Solutions (UDSS) was proud to support the UK–Ukraine Defence Tech Demo Day in London, co-hosted by the Embassy of Ukraine in the UK, BRAVE1, 1991 Ventures, and London Stock Exchange Group (LSEG).
UDSS Co-Chair General Sir Richard Barrons KCB CBE joined the programme, stressing that the UK and Europe must continue to act together to back combat-proven technologies that protect lives, strengthen resilience, and deter aggression.
Hearing directly from Ukrainian founders was both humbling and energising. Innovation born of necessity is delivering real capability at pace, from battlefield-tested autonomy and sensing to hardening of critical networks. Only a fraction of that ingenuity made it to the London stage—five teams from a pipeline counted in the thousands—but it was enough to underline a simple point: the UK can (and should) partner, procure, and scale faster.
Two policy milestones set the backdrop:
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Strategic Defence Review 2025 (SDR): the UK's first independent SDR, co-authored by General Sir Richard Barrons with contributions from UDSS members, moves UK Defence to war-fighting readiness, commits to “NATO-first” leadership in European security, and accelerates the trajectory to 2.5% of GDP by 2027 with an ambition for 3% thereafter. It explicitly draws lessons from Ukraine and calls for a more lethal, integrated force.
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Defence Industrial Strategy 2025 (DIS): positions defence as an engine for growth, with procurement reform, digitally-enabled acquisition, and a clearer Defence Investment Plan (10-year signal) + 5-year Acquisition Pipeline to give industry and SMEs line-of-sight on demand and investable certainty. Government is also consulting on a UK offsets policy to strengthen the industrial base.
Bottom line: national strategy now expects faster adoption of new technology, bigger stockpiles and production capacity, and a tighter bond with industry and allies—all themes we heard repeatedly at the Demo Day.
From the Embassy floor: three takeaways
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Proven beats hypothetical
Ukrainian teams are iterating in contact with the enemy. “Fielded, iterated, and surviving” should be a procurement advantage, not a barrier.
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Speed is a capability
The difference between a 6-month and 18-month contracting cycle is measured in lives, deterrence, and cost. SDR/DIS both point to modernised, digitally enabled acquisition—now it must bite.
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Scale needs clarity
Founders and investors need predictable demand signals—what the UK will buy, when, and at what maturity level—exactly what the Defence Investment Plan and Acquisition Pipeline are meant to provide.
Turning strategy into outcomes
Drawing on SDR/DIS and our work with UK and allied clients, the following near-term actions could be considered:
1) Publish challenge-led buying lists (90/180-day windows)
MOD and primes should publish rolling, problem-statement-first calls aligned to the Defence Investment Plan (e.g., counter-UAS, ISR at the edge, electronic warfare, resilient comms, precision strike logistics). Time-box pilots to 90 days, with 180-day transition-to-scale options.
2) Create a “combat-proven fast lane”
Establish an accelerated route for battlefield-validated systems: pre-agreed test protocols, safety cases and cyber accreditation, with streamlined commercial terms for limited-rate initial production. This is consistent with SDR’s war-fighting readiness and DIS’s push for procurement modernisation.
3) Back UK industrial depth where it counts
Prioritise munitions, energetics, and critical sub-systems with multi-year orders and co-investment so industry can expand shifts and lines now—mirroring government intent to rebuild high-tempo capacity.
4) Make it easier for SMEs to win and grow
Adopt template contracts, digital tendering, and IP-friendly models; let primes act as platform integrators pulling through SME tech. Use the offsets consultation to channel inward investment into UK SME scale-ups, test facilities, and export pathways.
5) Treat Europe as the domestic market
SDR anchors a NATO-first policy; DIS should turn that into interoperable standards, shared trials, and reciprocal market access with European partners—so a startup can sell once and deploy many times across the Alliance.
6) Finance what you want to field
Signal that 10%+ of the equipment budget remains directed to novel technologies (AI, autonomy, counter-UAS, directed energy), with milestones tied to adoption not reports—aligning with wider HMG commitments to tech-led defence growth.
UDSS role: from founder pitch to fielded capability
UDSS supports founders, investors and programme owners with:
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Capability framing & red-team validation (turning tech into a military outcome)
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Acquisition navigation (pathways, security, safety cases, trials)
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Partnership & export strategy (prime integration, NATO/EU opportunities)
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Investment readiness (go-to-market, compliance, and scaling plans aligned to the DIP)
If you’re building or backing the next generation of Defence Tech—or leading a programme that needs to adopt it faster—we’d like to talk. Email our team via info@universal-defence.com
Thank you to the Embassy of Ukraine in the UK, BRAVE1, 1991 Ventures, LSEG, and all participating founders and investors.
Continue the conversation
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Founders & investors: contact us to discuss pilot pathways and procurement options.
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Government & primes: speak to UDSS about challenge-led buying and SME integration.
- Email info@universal-defence.com
References: UK Strategic Defence Review 2025 and Defence Industrial Strategy 2025, including the Defence Investment Plan, acquisition reforms, and NATO-first posture; recent HMG statements on defence investment and industrial capacity.
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