Investors from Australia, the United Kingdom and the United States are banding together to increase collaboration and accelerate capability delivery to warfighters.
The AUKUS Defense Investor Network, a group of investors representing about $265 billion in venture capital, is set to hold its first meeting in early February.
Heather Richman, chairperson of the U.S. DIN, told C4ISRNET that the organization was established to provide investors and public sector members a chance to ask questions, discuss challenges and identify technology needs within the defense and national security communities.
“It’s really just a forum to get new investors to understand the space, to be interested in the sorts of things that matter to our national security, and for the government side and military side to communicate objectives,” she explained.
Richman expects the first DIN meetings to cover the security pact and Pillar 2, which will explore emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence, quantum computing and hypersonics. Pillar 1 of the trilateral agreement will assist Australia’s acquisition of nuclear-powered submarines.
Eventually, she said the group may discuss policy concerns and create more opportunities for military and private investor engagement.
At present, its membership is mostly composed of companies based in the U.S., but contingents in Australia and the U.K. are seeing growing applications. The U.K. DIN, created in March, now has about 80 members, while Australia’s DIN has 40.
Membership to the organization is free, and firms are not required to be incorporated to join.