Australian Defence Industry Incubator

About AUSDII

AUSDII, the Australian Defence Industry Incubator, is a concept for a national incubator focused on supporting, validating and scaling Australian early-stage defence and dual-use companies, helping them turn ideas into real-world sovereign Defence capability. 

The concept builds on four years of success through Defence Trailblazer’s award-winning DINAMIC incubation program, delivered by Adelaide University and UNSW, and draws lessons from leading defence innovation models in allied nations. 

MISSION

AUSDII’s mission is to grow the pipeline of innovative Australian companies by equipping early-stage companies with the knowledge, skills and connections to become successful in the local and global Defence markets.

Australia’s commercialisation engine for Defence and dual-use technologies

AUSDII aims to grow the pipeline of innovative Australian companies by equipping early-stage businesses with the knowledge, skills and connections they need to succeed in local and global Defence markets. 

A defence-focused incubation program would align with Defence’s strategic priorities and dual-use technologies, including: 

  • Advanced cyber, space and electronic warfare
  • Artificial intelligence and autonomous and uncrewed systems 
  • Hypersonics and counter-hypersonics 
  • Quantum technologies 
  • Surface and sub-surface warfare 

Why is AUSDII needed?

Australia’s strategic environment calls for faster, more agile and better integrated approaches to Defence capability development. Growing early-stage companies that can deliver innovative technologies is increasingly critical. 

While Australia has many innovation incubators, there is no dedicated defence and national security incubator supporting Australian early-stage companies to develop Defence capability. 

AUSDII would help close the gap between technology concept and Defence adoption, connecting innovators with capability end-users, industry experts, technical capability providers, investors and global networks, so that companies are better prepared and less risky for Defence to engage. 

AUSDII’s Ecosystem

AUSDII’s commercialisation engine will comprise of an ecosystem of participants, trusted delivery partners and end-users that will work together to support the incubation, validation and scaling of early-stage companies to grow the pipeline of innovative Australian defence capabilities.

Participants

AUSDII program participants will be innovators with defence or dual use technologies at Technology Readiness Levels 1-6 including but not limited to entrepreneurs, veteran-founded companies, start-ups, scale ups, SMEs, as well as spinouts and teams from universities and R&D entities such as CSIRO, CRCs & DRCs and ADSUN.

Trusted Delivery Partners

  • Mentors and experts
  • Australian Defence-focused investors
  • Technical Capability providers
    • Universities
    • DSTG
    • Australian National Fabrication Facility
    • CSIRO
    • Industry partners

End-Users

  • Australian Defence and National Security Agencies
  • Industry including system integrators and dual-use sectors
  • Defence Primes-particularly GSC program participants
  • International Partners-AUKUS and FVEY

Programs

AUSDII will support early-stage defence and dual-use companies with a range of support and programs to help validate and scale.

Innovation Program
Activities will include workshops, bootcamps and structured programs to support commercial, technical, defence, investment and export readiness. The program will engage partners, mentors, experts and investors.
This program is based on the Defence Trailblazer DINAMIC Innovation Program and informed by international exemplars including DEFENSEWERX, NATO DIANA and Blue Forge Alliance.

Operational Demonstrations and Trials
Activities focused on demonstrating and trialling solutions with capability end-users in operational environments. It is envisaged that some of these trials may be with international partners through AUKUS and FVEY arrangements.

Workforce Program
Connecting tertiary and/or vocational education students in internships and work placements to support early-stage companies’ product development and trials.

Enquiries

Adelaide University and UNSW are exploring how the Australian Defence Industry Incubator (AUSDII) concept could be taken forward. Follow Defence Trailblazer on LinkedIn to stay up to date.

For enquiries contact info@dtb.solutions