About Co-Creation

About Co-Creation | HMGCC

HMGCC Co-Creation, run in partnership with Dstl (Defence Science and Technology Laboratory), brings national security challenges together with the brilliant innovators who could solve them. Could you apply to take part in one of our tech challenges?

In brief

Our HMGCC Co-Creation team regularly launches new, funded challenge opportunities, inviting experts from industry and academia to apply to take part. On this page you will find the very latest.

The challenges we release are sourced from across the government’s national security community, offering companies and universities the chance to use their expertise to help keep the UK safe and prosperous.

HMGCC is known for delivering secret tech work for government, but HMGCC Co-Creation is a fast-paced, agile system through which we work with companies at classifications lower than secret.

We set each challenge over a period of 12-16 weeks, working closely with applicants and offering funding and expertise. Our contracting times are short, you will still own your IP, and we support you in driving early concepts closer to becoming real world solutions.

Captions and a transcript are available in the youtube video.

How does it work?

We publish challenges on our portal - a mix of hugely diverse and thought-provoking subjects which are tough for national security to solve alone. If you think you can help, then apply using our online form.

We focus on problem statements rather than locking ourselves to specific requirement sets, which means we can think freely and work in an agile and iterative way. All our projects are run at OFFICIAL level – the lowest security classification – so our engineers and our end-users can work hand-in-hand with anyone who’s able to bring us a brilliant concept. Working together in this way, we can break down barriers, accelerate the rate of innovation and create more real-world impact. Here, you will find our terms and conditions.

About Dstl

Dstl is a founding partner of HMGCC Co-Creation, working with HMGCC to help deliver a new, bold and innovative way of working with the wider UK science and technology community.

Dstl is the Ministry of Defence (MOD)’s science and technology organisation. It is one of the principal government organisations dedicated to science and technology in the defence and security field.

Dstl supplies specialist and sensitive services to MOD and wider government, working collaboratively with external partners in industry and academia and worldwide, providing expert research, specialist advice and invaluable operational support.

Our collaborators

Our growing network of community collaborators connects us to the UK ecosystem of industrial, academic and technology organisations, extending our reach and capability beyond our established, traditional supplier base.

HMGCC Co-Creation collaborator management: Axillium
HMGCC Co-Creation commercial collaborator: Cranfield University

Our network who circulate our challenges is currently made up of the following:

• ADS
• Compound Semiconductor Applications Catapult
• Connected Places Catapult
• Horiba MIRA
• Innovate UK Business Connect
• Plexal
• Satellite Applications Catapult
• Silverstone Technology Cluster "STC"
• Tech UK

Our challenges

Open

Tracking a data footprint

Can you help us minimise a person’s data footprint? The latest HMGCC Co-Creation challenge is seeking a mobile app which can help a phone user monitor this data over time. This opportunity is looking for experts able to develop a mobile app to Technology Readiness Level 5 (TRL 5) within 12 weeks. While some data on phones enable apps to function, other elements are used for tracking, profiling and personalising. This challenge is about working out how this impacts on a person’s digital footprint. The app should be able to: • Enable a user to easily monitor their own data footprint exposure over time, enabling them to adjust their behaviour as necessary. • Provide data to inform the management of aggregated risk to privacy sensitive individuals.

Open

Mobile mimicry using AI

Can you build an AI agent that behaves like a normal phone user to make testing easier and faster? We want to be able to automate the process of testing modified software on large numbers of mobile phones at once. The testing must be thorough, covering all possible situations and use cases. We are seeking Technology Readiness Level 5 demonstrator within 12 weeks. HMGCC Co-Creation will provide funding for time, materials, overheads and other indirect expenses for applicants successful in phase 2 of the competition.

Closed

Imaging hidden objects in walls

Could your technology help reveal hidden objects concealed in walls, ceilings and floors? This is the focus of the latest funded challenge launched by HMGCC Co-Creation, which is seeking imaging technologies able to prevent unwanted surveillance. The tech solution should be able to uncover covert devices in the periphery of rooms, but without damaging walls. The team is particularly interested in non-ionising radiation imaging techniques, such as portable terahertz or millimetre-wave systems. Successful solutions should aim to achieve a minimum Technology Readiness Level (TRL) 5 demonstrator within 12 weeks. HMGCC Co-Creation will provide funding for time, materials, overheads and other indirect expenses for successful applicants.