Partner Article

MoD search for North East innovators

Home Office and MoD officials have attended a regional investment conference to search for cutting edge technology companies.

Delegates at the Secure Futures Investment Conference in Sedgefield, County Durham, heard how the Innovative Science and Technology in Counter-Terrorism (INSTINCT) initiative is looking for solutions to the UK’s most pressing counter-terrorism problems.

Speaking at the conference was Dario Leslie, programme leader of INSTINCT, as well as the head of the Centre for Defence Enterprise at the Ministry of Defence, Helen Almey.

Both spoke of the need to look outside their sector and investigate all types of innovative technologies when looking for solutions to security problems. “We’re looking for revolution not evolution,” Ms Almey said. She added that she was looking for “high-risk, high pay off” solutions to security problems.

Ten young technology companies went before investors from across the country and pitched for up to £1m of funding each to turn them into world class leaders.Each of them demonstrated how their companies were helping to keep Britain safer - from technology which can identify hazardous chemicals in the air to a mobile phone tracking service.

The event was the second annual investment conference organised by networking organisation CONNECT North East. Caroline Theobald, managing director of Bridge Club Ltd, which has delivered the CONNECT NorthEast project, said: “Today’s event has been a great success and a wonderful opportunity for innovative companies in the region to secure the funding they need to take them to the next level.

“We look forward to hearing which companies have succeeded in gaining investment for their businesses in the future.

“The conference has also been a great platform for the delegates to meet potential new customers from the public, private sectors and from within Government.”

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Ruth Mitchell .