Innovation clusters play an important role across every sector of the economy, bringing together complementary expertise and capabilities around shared challenges and opportunities. By connecting businesses, researchers, investors, government and support organisations, they create the conditions for knowledge sharing, new partnerships and collaborative innovation.

This is particularly important in defence and national security, where complex challenges increasingly require expertise and technologies from both within and beyond the traditional defence sector. Connecting innovators with defence stakeholders can help identify new capabilities, strengthen collaboration, and open opportunities for businesses that may not previously have considered working in the sector.

Regional Defence & Security Clusters (RDSC) play a vital role in this process, linking local expertise with the wider national innovation ecosystem and helping organisations explore how their capabilities can contribute to defence and security priorities.

Bringing the South-Central defence and security community together

The South-Central Call to Action: Defence & Security Market Readiness event, held on 14 September 2026, demonstrated this approach in practice.

Delivered by Innovate UK Business Connect in partnership with the South-Central Regional Defence and Security Cluster (SCRDSC), the event welcomed 148 attendees from businesses, universities, government, defence and security organisations, and the wider innovation community.

The event programme was designed to help organisations explore emerging market opportunities, showcase their expertise and identify potential partners for future collaboration.

Connecting capability with opportunity

Presentations, panel discussions and breakout sessions explored the priorities and opportunities shaping the defence and security landscape, with discussions spanning four key areas:

• government and innovation support for defence and security opportunities
• defence market finance and investment
• innovation R&D and industry partnerships
• defence and security market readiness

These sessions helped participants explore how their technologies, expertise and research capabilities could align with emerging sector needs and future collaborative R&D opportunities.

Bruce McLelland, Knowledge Transfer Manager, Emerging Technologies and Industries at Innovate UK Business Connect, co-hosted the event. Reflecting on the breakout sessions, Bruce said:

“The breakout sessions were a pivotal moment in the day. With standing room only, delegates heard how government agencies are helping SMEs enter defence and security markets, while academic experts shared practical ways for industry to unlock cutting-edge R&D. Combined with a preview of Innovate UK’s defence and security opportunities and routes to investment, it made for an exceptionally valuable morning.”

From networking to meaningful connections

Creating opportunities for attendees to exchange ideas, share capabilities and meet potential collaborators was central to the event.

A digital networking platform was deployed to help connections during and after the event, recording more than 550 meaningful conversations and 114 follow-up meetings between delegates, speakers and partners. These figures highlight the appetite for collaboration and the potential to turn initial conversations into lasting partnerships.

Commenting on the connections, Bruce said:

“The event brought industry needs and academic expertise into the same room, turning cutting-edge research into opportunities for future collaboration. SMEs connected with long-sought partners, while even two-minute conversations sparked fresh ideas. We are keen to see where those connections lead.”

Strengthening the wider defence innovation ecosystem

The South-Central event demonstrated how Regional Defence & Security Clusters (RDSC) can connect local expertise with national defence and security priorities, providing a model for future engagement across the UK.

Looking at the wider role of regional clusters, Bruce explained:

“RDSCs strengthen the UK’s national defence and security capability by connecting businesses, universities, research organisations and industry stakeholders. They help identify emerging technologies, address capability gaps and accelerate innovation, particularly in dual-use technologies such as AI, autonomous systems, cybersecurity, robotics and advanced materials. By supporting collaboration, investment and access to defence markets, clusters also create opportunities for SME growth and more resilient UK supply chains.”

Building on the South-Central event, further regional capability showcases and networking events are being developed. This includes planned activity in the Northwest Regional Defence Cluster in February 2027, alongside interest from clusters in the Midlands and Oxfordshire, Berkshire and Buckinghamshire.

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