UK Defence Innovation launches biosecurity competition
UK Defence Innovation, a branch of the UK Ministry of Defence, has launched a competition that seeks out innovations to strengthen the UK's ability to detect, prevent and respond to biological risks.
Called "Biosecurity Frontiers", the competition is run on behalf of the Cabinet Office and seeks innovators to help deliver the ambitions of the 2023 UK Biological Security Strategy and the 2025 National Security Strategy.
Announcing the competition, the UK government wrote that biological threats facing the UK "continue to evolve in complexity" and that "rapid advances in AI and engineering biology bring significant opportunities, but also introduce new risks of misuse".
"New methods for biodetection and biosurveillance are essential to ensure the government can detect emerging threats quickly and accurately. At the same time, the supply chains for protective equipment and countermeasures must be strengthened to ensure that frontline users — including police, military and NHS personnel — remain protected."
Challenge areas
The competition will take place across three challenge areas, namely next generation biodetection and biosurveillance; AI and diagnostics, therapeutics and vaccines; and non-pharmaceutical protective systems.
UK Defence Innovation specifically wants concepts, products or solutions that benefit end-users working in UK defence and security. Proposals should include evidence of:
- how it addresses a critical capability gap in the UK biological security sector
- how it will support the UK industrial sector and strengthen domestic supply chains
- the potential for innovations to be translated into a practical demonstration
- innovation or a creative approach
- how the proposed work applies in specific one health, defence and/or security contexts.
Up to £2 million (excluding VAT) funding is available, and they expect to fund five to seven proposals across the three challenges, in the region of £100,000 to £500,000 each.
The deadline to submit a proposal is midday 10 June 2026 (BST). More detailed information about the competition and application details can be found here.
