Iceni Labs joins Institute for Security Science and Technology’s Innovation Ecosystem

23 June, 2021

London, UK

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Iceni Labs has been selected by Imperial College London’s Institute for Security and Technology (ISST) as a partner for its Innovation Ecosystem at the university’s White City campus.

The Innovation Ecosystem brings together start-ups, academia, government and industry partners to promote collaboration on next-generation solutions for the security and defence sector. The ecosystem is driving new research projects and supports technology transfer between multiple corporate and government partners.

Iceni Labs is one of six start-ups selected to join the initiative. By physically co-locating start-ups and SMEs alongside academia, defence industry prime contractors and military research bodies, the ISST has created an environment that cultivates the formation of partnerships, supports SME growth and keeps innovation flowing through the defence technology pipeline. The ecosystem also hosts international visits and delegations to discuss the intersection of technology with emerging global issues and trends in security, defence and resilience.

Professor Deeph Chana, Co-Director ISST, commented: “Imperial started the Innovation Ecosystem in 2018 with the idea of creating a rich, triple-helix ecosystem of academia, government and industry to address a need we identified for a place where start-ups could bump into funders, customers and scale-up partners, and have access to talent pipelines from across the universities – a place where start-ups can thrive, scale and augment their chances of growth and success.

“Since then we have grown the Innovation Ecosystem to include multiple government partners such as DASA and the U.S. government DoD, and several large, global industrial companies. Bringing in this group of start-ups, including Iceni Labs, is an essential step in achieving the ambitions of the Innovation Ecosystem and we’re already seeing exciting things happen.”

Government groups with a presence at the hub include DASA, NATO, NATO MUSIC2, NavalX London Tech Bridge, US Army Devcom, US Air Force Research Laboratory and the US Office of Naval Research Global; while industry partners include Airbus, BAE Systems, Northrop Grumman, Rolls-Royce, SAAB, Smiths Group, Wavestone, Capita Consulting and BMT Group.

With each organisation having a physical space at Imperial’s White City Campus, start-up companies such as Iceni Labs will have direct access to the support they require from academia and industry in order to commericalise their developments, either by collaborating on further research, handing off low TRL developments or partnering with larger companies able to navigate the route to market.

“What Imperial has created here is vital for a company like Iceni Labs, because if you are working, as we do, on early stage technology the challenge is not obtaining the initial development funding, but finding the routes to commercialisation,” Alex Giles, Chief Commercial Officer, Iceni Labs, said. “So having the US Department of Defence, the NATO head of innovation, UK funding channels and the prime contractors all within one physically co-located ecosystem will be a significant driver in improving the pull through of research and development into cutting-edge equipment for our armed forces, and we are extremely pleased to be selected by Imperial to be a part of this initiative.”

Iceni Labs has developed its SafeScan ‘sense-through-the-wall’ radar technology under UK DASA Rapid Impact contract funding. The handheld sensor uses ultra-wideband radar to detect static and moving individuals through the wall, providing military small team unit operators with easily understood visuals that allow them to quickly react to developing situations. SafeScan is currently undergoing government-funded trials that will continue throughout 2021.

Image: The ISST Innovation Ecosystem is housed within the I-HUB at Imperial’s White City campus (photo: Thomas Angus).

Image: The Iceni Labs SafeScan device (Iceni Labs image).

About Iceni Labs: Founded in 2013, Iceni Labs is committed to developing and deploying cutting-edge technologies and science to build a safer and more secure tomorrow. Within defence, we work to develop technology that enables personnel to identify individuals through opaque structures without the requirement to physically enter in person or with surveillance equipment. The common thread of our technologies is how they reflect our commitment to developing science and technologies for greater human security. From our facilities in London, Dundee and Southam we operate globally to deliver Mission Critical Science for a safer tomorrow. For more info visit https://www.icenilabs.com/

Please direct media enquiries to Claire Apthorp

+44 (0) 7920403068

claire@thatwordbird.com