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DEADLINE: National Intelligence Discovery Grants (NIDG) 2026

The NIDG Program supports excellent innovative research that deepens understanding of emerging science and technology that addresses intelligence and national security interests. The grant program will facilitate innovation and develop national security and intelligence capacity. It will also enable Australia’s National Intelligence Community to systematically engage with Australia’s research and technology community.

To enable the National Intelligence Community to better leverage emerging science and technology, nine challenges have been identified as being the priority areas for engagement with the research and innovation sectors.

Intelligence Challenges: National Intelligence Discovery Grants (NIDG) for funding commencing in 2026

Expected EOI Grant Opportunity period is 19 Aug – 18 Sept 2025

DEADLINE: Indopacific Innovation Pitchfest and Awards

With increasing demand for innovation and rapid capability delivery to the Australian Defence Force, fostering new ideas, technologies, and forward-thinking solutions has never been more critical.

This initiative will provide a national platform for Australian companies, organisations, and emerging innovators to present their groundbreaking ideas to an international audience at Indo Pacific 2025.

Australian organisations and individuals are invited to submit their innovations, regardless of their development stage, in one of four categories:

  • Indo Pacific 2025 Innovation Award
  • Indo Pacific 2025 Emerging Technology Award
  • Indo Pacific 2025 Young Innovator Award
  • Indo Pacific 2025 Blue-Sky Thinking Innovation Award

Finalists are invited to pitch their innovation to an audience of potential partners, investors and customers at Indo Pacific 2025 at the International Convention Centre, Sydney with the category winners announced onsite at the event.

Winners of the first three categories will receive a $40,000 cash prize, and the winner of the Blue-Sky Thinking Innovation Award will receive $10,000 to contribute to further personal and innovation development. There will be an additional winning category on the day for Best Presenter that will receive a trophy prize only.

AUKUS Ready: WA’s Strategic Role and SME Capability Uplift Under Pillar II

Join AIDN and Bennett – Litigation and Commercial Law for a dynamic panel exploring Western Australia’s critical role in supporting the AUKUS partnership through sovereign capability and SME development.

This session will unpack the opportunities emerging under Pillar II of AUKUS—which focuses on advanced technologies including artificial intelligence, cyber, quantum, and undersea capabilities—and what it means for WA’s defence sector.

Key themes include:

  • WA’s strategic position in the Indo-Pacific
  • Preparing local SMEs to be AUKUS-ready
  • Workforce and skills development pathways
  • Legal and compliance considerations for global defence collaboration
  • Success stories and practical steps for capability uplift

Learn more and register: AUKUS Ready: WA’s Strategic Role and SME Capability Uplift Under Pillar II

WiDA WA Networking x ASA

Join the WiDA community for a networking evening to build relationships and connect with industry professionals in a relaxed environment.

Submarine Institute of Australia Conference 2025

SIA Conference 2025 

Topic: Nuclear Submarines in Australia

This event will be an opportunity for Australian and international government agencies, academic institutions, and industry organisations involved in the defence and maritime sectors to discuss all things related to submarines, including operations, engineering and history.

18- 20 August 2025, Perth WA

Pan Pacific Perth

Learn more HERE

 

DEADLINE: Entrepreneurial Foundations for Defence (EFD) Program 2025

Entrepreneurial Foundations for Defence (EFD) is the fifth phase in the Defence Trailblazer DINAMIC Program.

Designed to support researchers, innovators and emerging companies with products, services or technology that can provide a capability benefit to our Defence sector, EFD will help you understand what is required for success in the defence market.

Delivered through a mixture of online and in-person sessions, participants gain essential insights to build defence, technology and commercial readiness, along with access to expert mentors and technical specialists. The program concludes with an opportunity for participants to showcase their innovation(s), in person, to relevant people within the defence market and the venture capital investment community. There will also be a $10,000 grant for each participant in the program to support travel to in-person sessions, and some early-stage business expenses.

Deadline 30 April 2025

DTB Insights: Maximising Defence Trailblazer R&D Tax Incentives

Exclusive for Defence Trialblazer Partners

Are you fully leveraging your Defence Trailblazer expenditure in your R&D Tax Incentive claim to drive innovation and business growth?

Join Noah Connect for an exclusive webinar designed specifically for Defence Trailblazer partners, as part of our DTB Insights Series. Our expert guest speaker, Maggie Ng, understands how Trailblazers work and will share tailored insights to help you maximise your claim, reduce costs, and fuel your business growth.

Date: Thursday 10 April 2025
Time: 11:30am – 12:30pm AEST (11:00am – 12:00pm ACST)
Delivery: Online

WHY ATTEND?
  • Tailored insights – Get expert advice specific to Defence Trailblazer partners
  • Maximise your claim – Ensure you’re accessing the full benefits of the incentive
  • R&D Tax Incentive interaction – Understand how grant funding and in-kind contributions impact your claim
  • Success stories – Learn how other Trailblazer partners have successfully leveraged the program.

DEADLINE: AUKUS Maritime Innovation Challenge

The Advanced Strategic Capabilities Accelerator’s (ASCA) mission is to accelerate the development and transition of asymmetric capabilities to the Australian Defence Force through innovation, in order to meet Defence priority needs.

Challenge : Undersea Communications and Autonomy

AUKUS partners are seeking to research and develop innovations to enable the synchronisation and teaming of multiple undersea systems. We invite innovations that enable some or all of the following Desired Capability Effects:

1. Provide near real time communications between Undersea Vehicles (UVs)

2. Provide near real time communications from UVs to Command and Control (C2) Systems /Battle Management System (BMS)

3. Provide near real time communications between seabed systems to UVs and C2 System and BMS

4. Provide a system that can optimally allocate the right asset to the right task in a dynamic and complex environment

5. Provide optimal bandwidth utilisation and effective range, and perform in a contested/congested environment

AIDN | Meet the new WA Chapter Council

📢 WA Chapter Council 2025 – Kickoff Event! 🚀

Join us for an exclusive opportunity to meet the WA Chapter Council for 2025 and connect with the leaders driving Defence Industry engagement in Western Australia.

With WA playing a critical role in Australia’s Defence landscape—spanning shipbuilding & sustainment, land combat systems, aerospace support, and emerging technologies—this is your chance to discuss key priorities, upcoming projects, and advocacy efforts that will shape the future of the industry.

📅 Date: Wednesday 9th April 2025
📍 Location: Raffles Hotel, 70-72 Canning Beach Rd, Applecross WA 6153
⏰ Time: 17:30 – 19:30

This is your chance to engage with the WA Chapter Council, share your ideas, and help shape 2025 events and advocacy efforts for Defence Industry in WA.