LOS ANGELES AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. -- The International Space Pitch Day (ISPD) is a joint US-UK industry competition that aims to find, fund and fast-track innovation and technology that gives advantage to military personnel and operations in the space domain. The competition is led by the UK Defense and Security Accelerator and the UK Defense Science and Technology Laboratory Space Program, on behalf of the UK Ministry of Defense (MOD) and the US Department of Defense (DoD). This competitive event is open to companies and innovators from all over the world.
The ISPD team will host 6 webinars beginning on 29-July with space operators and expert panelists to review of the challenge areas. These webinars will provide the origins, context, and background to the challenge areas – allowing companies to ask questions in an open forum.
Selected participating companies will be announced on Oct. 15, followed by a 5-week Allied Defense Accelerator course of specialized business mentoring and training. These selectees will secure a coveted place at the first ISPD in front of senior US, UK, and NATO military leaders at the UK Defense Space Conference in London on Nov. 17, 2020.
ISPD will position both the US DoD and UK MOD as ideal early adopters of emerging technology to deliver war-winning capabilities from our world’s most innovative entrepreneurs. This opportunity affords non-traditional defense businesses access to the military market as well as non-dilutive capital, and lowers the barrier of entry for the commercial sector. ISPD also demonstrates the importance of international partnerships that enable the integration of innovative technologies through industrial participation and the adoption of dual-use solutions that provide stability to coalition operations.
Compulsory registration questions by companies for the ISPD event and the Allied Defense Accelerator must be submitted by noon, August 19. Full details, scope and requirements of ISPD and the Allied Defense Accelerator can be found at here.
About USSF SMC: The Space and Missile Systems Center is the U.S. Space Force's center of excellence for acquiring and developing military space systems. SMC’s portfolio includes space launch, global positioning, military space vehicle communications, defense meteorological space vehicles, range systems, space vehicle control networks, space-based infrared systems, and space situational awareness capabilities.
About U.K. Defense and Security Accelerator (DASA): DASA is part of the UK Ministry of Defense. DASA’s vision is for the U.K. to maintain its strategic advantage through the most innovative defense and security capabilities in the world. DASA’s mission is to find and funds exploitable innovation to support U.K. defense and security quickly and effectively to support U.K. defense and security quickly and effectively, and support U.K. prosperity. For more info visit: www.gov.uk/dasa
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