10 March 2026 – Defence Trailblazer is excited to launch its DINAMIC Innovation & Entrepreneurship program for 2026. After two successful cycles of DINAMIC, this year’s program will support a fresh cohort of innovators from academia, industry and Defence to pursue defence industry market opportunities.
Defence Trailblazer established DINAMIC to quickly deliver innovations and technologies that increase Australian Defence Force (ADF) capabilities. The program provides researchers, innovators and emerging companies with entrepreneurship and commercialisation upskilling, and supports the pursuit of cross-sector (dual-use) and international market opportunities for innovators.
Matthew Chapman,
founder of Carrot Aero
Innovations
Matthew Chapman, ADF serving member and founder of Australian aerospace technology company Carrot Aero, participated in the 2025 DINAMIC program and said that the program has helped accelerate the company’s success.
“DINAMIC has helped us understand and define our problem space,” said Mr Chapman.
“It has polished our pitch and our understanding of customer needs, as well as putting us in contact with potential contractors. I would recommend it to anyone with a Defence background branching out into the startup space.”
2026 DINAMIC program
In 2026, the initiative will be delivered through a condensed program running from April to December. Participation in DINAMIC is free of charge and innovators will be selected on merit. The 2026 program includes three multi-day bootcamps, a 12-week Entrepreneurial Foundations for Defence (EFD) program, and specialist bootcamps – all designed to prepare ventures for defence, commercial and technical readiness.
DINAMIC is tailored to each founder’s level of experience, with business fundamentals coaching available for early-stage founders. The program will include curated access to experts, a stronger focus on paid trials for defence validation, and greater emphasis on product and business development.
Paul Daly, Entrepreneurship Program Manager at Defence Trailblazer, said of the new program: “We’re refining and improving DINAMIC every year, tailoring the experiences based on feedback from earlier cohorts. We’re excited to welcome the 2026 cohort and support them to play a role in defence innovation ecosystem.”
A program that shifts mindsets and builds confidence
Adelaide University academic
Dr Sonja Frölich, founder
of DefenSight
2025 DINAMIC participant, Adelaide University academic Dr Sonja Frölich, shared how the program helped adjust her mindset from scientist to founder of DefenSight, an AI-guided microscopy platform for biosecurity preparedness.
“DINAMIC gave me a structured pathway to shift from ‘research outputs’ to ‘product delivery’, with practical milestones, decision gates, and realistic resourcing.
“I would highly recommend DINAMIC, especially to technical founders and academics with spin-outs, because it builds delivery discipline, commercial fluency, and Defence-relevant thinking early — when it matters most.”
Innovators from Defence, industry and academia are encouraged to register their interest for DINAMIC in 2026: https://dtb.solutions/innovation/
COMMERCIALISATION PATHWAYS FOR DEFENCE
INFORMATION SESSION
The 2-hour live webinar will explore pathways for innovators in Defence and defence industry. Our programs are targeted at researchers and students at universities, innovators in defence industry and all other defence innovators.
You can expect to hear from Defence tech start-up founders including researchers and veterans discussing their pathways in commercialising their innovations. We will have university commercialisation teams and defence industry global supply chain representatives discussing how they support inovators commercialising their innovations.
The Defence Trailblazer team will provide information outlining the various opportunities to be involved with the DINAMIC program in 2026.
Find Out More Submit your EOI to attend
About the Defence Trailblazer: Defence Trailblazer is a collaborative partnership between Adelaide University and UNSW supported by the Department of Education and over 200 industry partners and associates. 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.
Contact Information: For media inquiries, please contact: Ilsa Stuart, Senior Partnerships Manager, 0402 260 771 istuart@dtb.solutions
