Leonardo has initiated a new programme in partnership with Form1 to foster collaboration with small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in the UK’s defence and security industry to drive innovation and growth.
The SME Collaboration Partner Programme is set to operationalise a select number of long-term SME partnerships, providing focused support and ensuring alignment with Leonardo’s UK business objectives.
A specialised team from both Leonardo and Form1 will steer this initiative.
Leonardo UK Capability director Simon Harwood said: “This new initiative focuses on delivering long-term, strategic and bespoke partnerships, not short-term innovation theatre.
“Our goal is to develop new capabilities, and go to market in partnership with SME partners, ensuring sustainable commercial success and benefits often not realised from purely transactional supplier relationships.”
The programme is set to fulfil two principal strategic objectives for SMEs, the UK Ministry of Defence, and Leonardo.
The first objective is to generate commercial benefits for both the partner SMEs and Leonardo that lead to increased orders, job creation, and growth.
The collaboration also seeks to deliver credible and effective sovereign capability to the defence and security marketplace.
By establishing long-term, strategic partnerships with SMEs, Leonardo anticipates the development of capabilities that can be introduced to the market, moving beyond transactional supplier relationships.
Form1 co-CEO John Downes said: “At Form1, we believe that successful partnerships are built on people and the right behaviours, not just contracts.
“Leonardo has fully embraced this ethos, demonstrating a genuine commitment to supporting SMEs in a way that is both practical and commercially valuable.”
Form1 is a UK-based company specialising in the commercialisation of business to business technology scale-ups and providing technology access for established corporates.
Their team brings experience from various defence sectors, including the UK Ministry of Defence, Royal Air Force, Strategic Command, Defence Equipment & Support, and industry leaders.
In February 2025, Leonardo DRS secured a contract worth more than $7m to provide the Royal Thailand Army enhanced command, control, communications, computers, and intelligence systems for their new Stryker combat vehicles.
The contract was awarded through the US Army and is part of the Government Grant Assistance programme.
