Defence Innovation in the UK: How Startups Win Government Contracts

How do you sell to a customer where the decision-maker is actually five different people, and half of them might move roles before the contract lands?In this episode of Oxford+, host Susannah de Jager speaks with Dr Alison Hawks, co-founder and CEO of BMNT Ltd, about why defence innovation is becoming a structural opportunity, and why procurement literacy is often more important than the technology itself. They unpack the realities of B2G: long buying cycles, complex stakeholder incentives, and the traps that stall companies after a promising pilot.The conversation lands at a timely moment. The UK’s Strategic Defence Review commits to an ‘always on’ munitions pipeline, including building at least six new energetics and munitions factories, signalling how seriously government is now treating sovereign capability and industrial resilience. From Commercial X and changing acquisition culture to data sovereignty, Oxford’s role in defence innovation, and what investors should look for in founders, this episode offers a practical map for navigating a market that rewards patience, clarity, and credible pathways to adoption.(00:00) - Welcome to Oxford+ (00:37) - Defence Innovation as a Structural Opportunity (03:53) - Where UK Defence Tech Is Moving: AI, Autonomy, Manufacturing (06:01) - Why Defence Is Not a Commercial Customer (08:35) - Speaking the Customer’s Language and Understanding the Problem (09:18) - Sole Source, Compliance, and the Post-Pilot Trap (11:10) - Procurement Policy as a Maze, and How to Find the Front Doors (14:44) - The “American No” and Interpreting Signals from Government Buyers (16:28) - Sovereignty: Supply Chain, Data, and Technology Independence (19:29) - What BMNT Actually Does Day to Day for Clients (25:14) - The Section 809 Panel and Changing Acquisition Culture (32:50) - Oxford’s Role in the Next Wave of Defence Innovation Dr Alison Hawks: Dr Alison Hawks is co-founder and CEO of BMNT Ltd, the UK arm of BMNT, where she advises governments and technology companies on accelerating adoption of commercial innovation in defence and national security. She also serves as Chair of the Board of Trustees of the Common Mission Project UK, a charity delivering mission-driven entrepreneurial education programmes in the UK. She was named Woman of the Year for Innovation and Creativity at the Women in Defence Awards (2022) Connect with Alison Hawks on LinkedIn / Visit BMNT LtdSusannah de Jager: Susannah is a seasoned professional with over 15 years of experience in UK asset management. She has worked closely with industry experts, entrepreneurs, and government officials to shape the conversation around domestic scale-up capital.Connect with Susannah on LinkedIn and Subscribe to the Oxford+ Newsletter for Exclusive ContentOxford+ is hosted by Susannah de Jager and supported by Mishcon de Reya, HSBC Innovation Banking, and James Cowper Kreston.Produced and Edited by Story Ninety-Four in Oxford.