Global Tech Connect welcomes its largest cohort yet for Dual-Use 25

32 startups from 11 countries start their UK scaling journey this week as the Global Tech Connect Dual-Use Bootcamp begins its online sessions, 4 November.

Amongst the selection are five with Ukrainian roots – Falcons, Himera, Huless, Kara Dag Technologies and Swarmer – and two others, Fox Four and Newt21, actively testing in the war and helping to defeat Russia's illegal and unprovoked invasion.

10 companies will then join the in-person delegation to London, 24-25 November, for workshops, business development meetings and investor introductions before featuring in a startup showcase, 25 November.

Applications now open for Dual-Use Bootcamp 2025GL

Global Tech Connect has opened applications for Dual-Use Bootcamp 2025, a multisession, hybrid programme, for startups from across Europe and Israel and developing dual-use or defencetech solutions.

Initial content is delivered online, 4-6 November, with ~10 startups then coming to London, 24-25 November, for workshops, business development meetings and a one day conference bringing together defencetech and dual-use hubs from around Europe to encourage stronger links across the region.

Early partners and supporters include ADS, Blue Lake VC, BMNT, D.epartment for Business and Trade, European Defence Tech Hub, Expeditions Fund, Future Planet Capital, Janus, Kingsley Napley, Lightridge, MD One Ventures, Mishcon de Reya, NATO Innovation Fund, Plexal, Resilience Media and TechUK. The Bootcamp is also endorsed by British Embassies across the region including those in Austria, Estonia, Israel, Latvia, Lithuania and Portugal.

Visit globaltechconnect.org/dualuse25 to learn more. Applications are accepted until 24 October.

UK/Romania Business announces international advisory board

UK/Romania Business, the new organisation reshaping bilateral opportunity, marks its first anniversary with the unveiling of an expert international advisory board.

Designed to build upon the platform's achievements this past year, and as a resource of expertise around four core areas of focus – technology, finance, energy/infrastructure and defence – the 13 leaders joining the body were revealed as:

UK/Romania Business International Advisory Board

Alexandru Agatinei – CEO, How to Web

Olga Belyakova – Partner and Co-Head of TMT sector group in CEE, CMS UK

Josephine Hus – Chief Transformation Officer, Superbet

Ioana Iacobescu – VP Growth, Eurazeo

Mădălin Ioniță – Executive Director, Măgurele Science Park (MSP)

Yan Manka – Director, Fintech and Product Partnerships Europe, Mastercard

Bianca Muntean, PhD – Founder, Transilvania IT Cluster

Diana Olar – Tech Executive, Entrepreneur and Board Member, Innovation Labs Romania

Radu Orghidan – Global SVP, Data and AI Strategy, Endava

Nicolae Ratiu MBE – Chairman, Rațiu Family Charitable Foundation

Shajjad Rizvi MBE – Chairman, The Duke of Edinburgh's International Award Romania

Keren Shurkin – Director, UKIsraelTechHub, British Embassy Israel

Peter Watkins CB, CBE – Visiting Senior Fellow, LSE IDEAS; Non-Executive Member of the Board, UK Space Agency

Commenting on the new advisory board Dr David Webster, Founder of UK/Romania Business, said “This group is an asset we've been building strategically and mindfully over the past few months, thinking how best to harness the knowledge and expertise of our incredible network, to amplify the UK/Romania Business message, and deliver on our mission to build more focussed and effective mechanisms for bilateral business and innovation partnership.”

Following publication of Technology Report: understanding and advancing the UK/Romania opportunity in June 2024, UK/Romania Business has incubated its Tech Hub project – a network of startups, investors, corporates and mentors to support companies as they scale, and connect businesses with the innovation they need. The follow-up report Research, Technology and Innovation Partnerships: uncovering new bilateral opportunity (March 2025) develops on this work, setting out an agenda to extend the UK/Romania Tech Hub approach to build communities and promote opportunities in other key areas of operation. Both reports, each launched at special events in the Palace of Westminster, are available for download.

In conjunction with the Advisory Board launch, Dr Webster also announced a new in-depth study – examining UK/Romania defence partnership possibilities – to be published later this year alongside the delivery of the Global Tech Connect dual-use technology programme for startups scaling to the UK, and supporting the integration of these providers with UK-based defence primes.