NETPark hosts Roundtable

NETPark hosted Defence Minister Rt Hon Maria Eagle MP & local MP, Alan Strickland last week for a roundtable to discuss the future of UK defence innovation.

Graphene Composites Ltd joined the roundtable together with some of the UK’s most pioneering and innovative defence tech companies based at NETPark attended by our CTO, Steve Devine to discuss procurement challenges, sovereign capability, and the role of innovation in strengthening the UK’s defence sector.

UK Defence Innovation

This was a great opportunity to highlight the North East’s role in cutting-edge technology and industry-government collaboration as well as barriers that SMEs face in defence procurement.

The visit provided a valuable opportunity for dialogue between government and industry, highlighting the North East’s contributions to defence and security innovation.

Westminster debate vital role of SMEs in Defence Procurement

Westminster debated the importance of SMEs in defence procurement – led by our local Alan Strickland MP, highlighting both the opportunities, and struggles that SMEs face, citing Graphene Composites and other businesses Kromek and Filtronic.

It makes clear the need for procurement frameworks that support SMEs, such as Resilience & Security Frameworks (RSF), to lower barriers to entry but maintains procurement efficiency and diligence.

Read more from Resilience & Security Frameworks