DSEI 2025 (Defence and Systems Equipment International) couldn’t take place at a more pivotal moment, coinciding with the Defence Industrial Strategy launch alongside a backdrop of intensifying geopolitical instability.
“This year’s DSEI is absolutely fundamental,” said General Sir Jim Hockenhull – who was present at Plexal’s signing of the Armed Forces Covenant. “The security situation we face is as challenging and dangerous as any throughout my military career that I can recall. I think it’s important we can come together with partners, allies and industry to examine that context and see where we can seek common ground and opportunities.”
And come together the industry did, attracting delegates from over 90 countries, which reinforces the international turbulence we’re witnessing. Moreover, the Excel London event generated a reported 1,600 exhibitors and 45,000 attendees – including Plexal team members.
Commenting on our attendance, Saj Huq, CCO at Plexal, explained: “Our presence at DSEI 2025 ties in with the work we’re doing across the defence sector. This includes supporting access to novel technologies, acceleration of sovereign capabilities and SME engagement, which is crucial for the UK’s growth and overall national security.
“Through our work with central and local government, industry and startups alike, we recognise that furthering regional growth as well as widening participation across the defence industrial base is critical for enhancing the security and resilience of the UK and its allies.
“I was at DSEI two years ago and this one was much more dynamic and felt like a step change, with the proximity of the tech ecosystem to the defence sector even more evident. There’s currently a lot of noise about increasing investment and defence being a driver for growth – but the presence of a much more relevant SME / startup community, including many of our alumni, was a clear example of the interest in the space. This can only be good if we can harness the opportunity as a country by delivering on the aims and intent of the Strategic Defence Review and Defence Industrial Strategy.
“Despite the excitement and growing interest in the sector, real and practical challenges remain – not least the need to wholesale shift the defence industrial base to a higher degree of readiness in an increasingly volatile geopolitical environment. Prime examples would be scaling up supply, streamlining procurement, investing at scale, accelerating regional clusters and developing the right talent. Beyond this, there is also a need to better engage broader society in the conversation on defence and their role in national resilience.
“For businesses, sovereignty is the buzzword of the moment, but there’s a need for clarity on what’s meant by sovereignty in the context of a global industrial base and international partnerships. From an SME perspective, understanding those dynamics will be critical to charting a successful and long-term path to business growth by servicing defence customer needs.”
The Ministry of Defence’s (MOD) launch of the Defence Industrial Strategy was a key talking point throughout the event, on stage and in corridors. Notably, John Healey MP, Secretary of State for Defence, pointed to six priority outcomes including:
(1) Making defence an engine for growth
(2) Backing UK-based businesses
(3) Positioning the UK at the leading edge of defence innovation
(4) Developing a resilient UK industrial base
(5) Transforming procurement and acquisition system
(6) Forging new and enduring partnerships
Indeed, the forging new partnerships priority calls out “…public and private; SMEs and primes; innovators and educators; trade associations and trade unions; all creating a thriving UK defence sector, with world leading, innovative capabilities.”
Mike Blair, Innovation Lead at Plexal, offered guidance around partnerships. “Collaboration is at the heart of everything we do,” he said. “Discovery and validation of innovators should form the starting point for developing mission-focused defence partnerships. Misalignment isn’t an option, so organisations must ensure that their objectives are compatible with one another to move forward with development and integration of capabilities. We’re at a stage in time where it’s less about experimentation and more about adoption – defence organisations want capabilities and they want them now.“
The Defence Secretary also took to the DSEI stage to deliver the closing keynote, during which he said of the Defence Industrial Strategy: “We set out to make it defence as an engine for growth by backing British industry, creating British jobs, driving greater British innovation. …we are seeking to build a radically different relationship with industry, with investors and with innovators.”
He went on to address startups and SMEs specifically, acknowledging that “the MoD hasn’t been a customer that’s been easy to do business with” and that change was coming. “We’ve set up an office of small business growth designed to support SMEs to do business with defence,” the Defence Secretary said. “We’ve introduced a new target to increase our spending directly with SMEs to £7.5bn by 2028… a 50% uplift.”
This is encouraging. Plexal’s mission over seven years has been to strengthen the UK’s technology capabilities, drive economic growth and reinforce national security through collaboration with government, industry, startups and academia. And we know that the impact of long-term government investment in innovation is undeniable.
So with MOD positioning defence for growth, backing UK companies, harnessing innovation and championing partnerships, this is a tried and tested method we stand behind, as it validates the work we’ve been doing and continue to do in support of the defence industry and wider public and private sectors.
During his DSEI speech, the Defence Secretary noted that there was an evident buzz at the event, the likes of which hadn’t been seen before. Hamza Huda, Senior Defence Lead at Plexal, echoed that sentiment. “There’s more interest in capabilities than ever,” he said. “Innovation within defence is so important to ensure we’re not just keeping pace but always one step ahead of threats from overseas.
“I spoke to an Australian company and heard how they’re developing hypersonic technologies that have relevance across the FV-EY and NATO nations. Whether it’s sensors, RF signatures, radios or otherwise, everything is becoming smaller, faster and more iterative – all of which is crucial to maintain our security.
“Elsewhere, I heard from investors during an evening engagement. It was made clear that while private equity firms historically didn’t invest in the defence sector, the rate of change and demand has sparked newfound interest. This presents the pathway to a virtuous cycle with the increase in investment unlocking a new pipeline of innovations, which may have otherwise struggled to secure funding, that’ll in turn strengthen our defences.”
