The Albanese Government will continue fast-tracking the development and deployment of innovative defence technologies through a $4 million ‘pitch day’ that also underscores a commitment to investing in a future made in Australia.
The pitch day is an initiative of the Advanced Strategic Capabilities Accelerator (ASCA) which was established by the Albanese Government as a critical conduit for providing the Australian Defence Force (ADF) with a capability edge.
The theme of the pitch day, the first of two that will be held annually, is ‘innovative asymmetric advantage’, which refers to disruptive technology that can have a deterrence effect.
Industry will have the opportunity to respond to an expression of interest and selected companies will be invited to pitch their technology or ideas to a Defence panel during the Australian Defence Science, Technology and Research (ADSTAR) Summit which will be held from 17-19 September.
Following the pitch day, ASCA will invite successful participants to respond to development contracts valued at up to $750,000 each through a competitive process. The total value of the development contracts on offer is up to $4 million.
ASCA focusses on transitioning game-changing ideas into Defence capabilities. It will unlock innovation from across the nation, bringing together the best experts from different sectors – driving change from within Defence to move at the pace and scale we need. This will mean faster acquisition and better links between Defence and industry to deliver the capabilities needed by the soldiers, sailors and aviators of the ADF.
