16 June 2025 – Over 30 defence technology innovators have completed the three-day Defence Trailblazer Entrepreneurial Foundations for Defence (EFD) Intensive event in Adelaide. The program is designed to accelerate learning, foster collaboration, and deepen engagement with the defence innovation ecosystem.
EFD is a three-month program commencing mid-year that gives innovators the tools they need to master defence markets. With a mix of webinars and onsite components in Adelaide and Canberra, the program covers Defence readiness, technology readiness and commercial readiness.
Entrepreneurial Foundations for Defence 2025 cohort.
The program is competitive, with 20 ventures joining the 2025 cohort. These ventures have successfully completed earlier phases of the Defence Trailblazer’s DINAMIC commercialisation pathway programs and select participants will go on to the next stages.
Michael Turnbull, founder of information security startup Privacy Seal, is part of the latest EFD cohort. He said of the program so far: “The course has been invaluable, the staff are fantastic, and I’ve really enjoyed the networking opportunities with likeminded people.”
The EFD Intensive event featured a host of workshops, networking and sessions with subject matter experts. 20 mentors from defence industry and the innovation space, including several EFD alumni, lent their expertise to the program.
“The innovation coming out of this program proves what’s possible when you combine sharp minds with structured support,” said Jason Hardie, co-founder & CEO of Digital Village, who participated as a mentor. “Helping these ideas move from lab to market was not only rewarding but is how we future proof our economy and national resilience.”
Defence readiness
EFD Intensive kicked off with a workshop on value proposition articulation, before a panel discussion on structuring businesses for Defence and investment.
A key focus of EFD is preparing the innovators to engage confidently with Defence. The event included sessions on Test and Evaluation for Defence, de-risking products for Defence trials, and marketing to Defence, such as preparing Quad Charts and for trade show success.
Technology and business readiness
Innovators tackled the Technical Readiness Level (TRL) Challenge and mapped out their development pathways, with further sessions in business model development and resourcing strategies.
Sylvia Tokic and Alishan Aziz,
Electro Base, EFD 2025 venture.
Sylvia Tokic, co-founder and CEO of Electro Base, a Western Australian renewable energy company aligned with Defence needs, said of the sessions, “The Tech TRL exercise and establishing a tech roadmap was something I had been wanting to do with our engineers, and we found the process very helpful.”
Opportunities for growth
“EFD Intensive provided a great opportunity to equip each team with the tools, insights, and connections needed to thrive in the defence innovation landscape,” said Liz Kobold, Innovation Portfolio Manager at Defence Trailblazer.
Matt Chapman, Carrot Aero Innovations, EFD 2025
venture; Catherine Bair, Bair Trax, EFD Intensive
mentor.
Experienced mentors shared tailored advice in a high-impact mentor connect session. “I find these one-on-one meetings most valuable for understanding the personal side of a person’s journey from good idea to taking bold action,” said Dr Catherine Bair, CEO of Bair Trax, who has been a mentor to several ventures across Defence Trailblazer’s innovation programs.
“The 1:1 mentoring sessions were a genuine highlight – engaging, thought-provoking, and full of potential,” said mentor and NVISIA Director Ash Langdon. “It was incredibly rewarding to support these forward-thinking businesses as they developed actionable plans to explore new market segments, strengthen governance, and take a more strategic approach to engaging with Defence.”
“It was a privilege to be involved as a mentor,” added Paul Smith, Business Development Manager at Australian Defence Consultancy Group. “I had the opportunity to engage directly with ten early-stage ventures bringing bold, innovative thinking to the defence sector. The calibre of ideas and the passion behind each startup were genuinely impressive and a strong indication of the emerging talent we’re seeing across Australia’s defence innovation ecosystem.”
Other highlights of EFD Intensive included a professional photoshoot and networking mixers, where innovators connected with defence industry representatives, local industry leaders, investors, mentors and Defence Trailblazer staff.
“Programs like EFD are critical for accelerating capability development and ensuring new ventures are well-positioned to contribute to Australia’s sovereign Defence objectives,” said Mr Smith. “It was inspiring to support these entrepreneurs as they explored opportunities in the defence supply chain and refined their commercial and technical readiness. I’m excited to see how this next generation of innovators will shape the future of the defence industry.”
Paul Daly, Defence Trailblazer Entrepreneurship
Program Manager; Liz Kobold, Defence Trailblazer
Innovation Portfolio Manager.
Paul Daly, Entrepreneurship Program Manager at Defence Trailblazer, said of the program: “We are excited to create even more opportunities for growth, collaboration and impact as EFD continues, culminating in the EFD Showcase in Canberra on 1 August.”
For a full list of ventures in the 2025 EFD cohort, visit the EFD Showcase webpage, including event registration.
About the Defence Trailblazer: Defence Trailblazer is a collaborative partnership between the University of Adelaide and UNSW supported by the Department of Education and over 100+ industry partners. Defence Trailblazer is dedicated to advancing Australia’s defence capabilities through innovative research and strategic partnerships. By collaborating with industry, academia, and government, we aim to develop and commercialise breakthrough technologies that address critical national security challenges.
Defence Trailblazer’s 18-month DINAMIC program aims to quickly deliver innovations and technologies that enhance sovereign capabilities for Australian Defence.
The program consists of three bootcamps, EFD, Defence 10X accelerator (presented in collaboration with UNSW Founders), an extended technical incubation stage and High Growth Incubation.
Contact Information: For media inquiries, please contact: Ilsa Stuart, Senior Partnerships Manager, 0402 260 771 istuart@dtb.solutions
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