Co-Creation Challenge

The HMGCC co-creation logo on s grey background

Co-Creation Challenges

HORIBA MIRA is part of a government framework which looks to reach out to industry in order to fund activity related to solving critical national security challenges. Please see the list of challenges below and get in touch if you think you can help to provide a complete solution or would like to connect with other industry partners and collaborate:

No.

Challenge Title

Open Date

Online Briefing Call

Clarifying questions published

Submission Dates

1

DNA removal to cut cross-contamination risk

28/07/2025

19/08/2025 @ 1000

10/09/2025

18/09/2025 @ 1700

2

Synthetic environment tools to predict behaviour

04/08/2025

26/08/2025 @1000

27/08/2025

04/09/2025 @1700

3

Development of advanced electromagnetic sensors

18/08/2025

09/09/2025

18/09/2025 @ 1700

DNA removal to cut cross-contamination risk

Summary of the challenge

Techniques to decontaminate forensics lab tools of biological traces are being sought in the latest challenge launched by HMGCC Co-Creation. The team are looking for effective solutions for cleaning DNA from tools, surfaces and instruments, used in forensic facilities and in the field, to reduce the risk of cross-contamination of DNA between items. In this challenge we want to explore the use of new or existing techniques and technologies to safely and effectively clean DNA. We welcome applicants not only from science disciplines, but from other parts of industry or academia, where abilities to clean items might exist.

Synthetic environment tools to predict behaviour

Summary of the challenge

Crisis contingency is about predicting people’s responses to threat or danger, to help keep them safe in the future. HMGCC Co-Creation’s latest challenge is seeking to evaluate tools that provide a synthetic environment to simulate how populations might respond to scenarios such as widespread disinformation or terrorism.

Development of advanced electromagnetic sensors

Summary of the challenge

The latest research into advanced radiofrequency (RF) sensing capabilities is being sought in a new challenge launched by HMGCC Co-Creation.


In this 16-week, funded project, applicants are invited to come forward if they have developed lab-based sensor technologies, including quantum sensors, operating in wide electromagnetic frequency ranges of at least 1MHz to 4GHz. The aim is to develop research to a prototype stage.

Electromagnetic 4 X

About HMGCC Co-Creation

His Majesty’s Government Communication Centre (HMGCC) work with the national security community, UK government, academia, private sector partners and international allies to bring engineering ingenuity to the national security mission,

HMGCC Co-Creation is a partnership between HMGCC and Dstl (Defence Science and Technology Laboratory), created to deliver a new, bold and innovative way of working with the wider UK science and technology community. We bring together the best in class across industry, academia, and government, to work collaboratively on national security engineering challenges and accelerate innovation. 

HMGCC Co-Creation aim to work collaboratively with the successful solution providers by utilising in-house delivery managers working Agile by default. This process will involve access to HMGCC Co-Creation’s technical expertise and facilities to bring a product to market more effectively than traditional customer-supplier relationships. 

Terms and Conditions for Challenge Applicants – Click Here

What are Co-Creation Spaces?

Co-Creation Spaces bring together key public and private sector parties to foster open and collaborative development of high-impact, user-driven technology solutions around a cross-cutting theme critical to national security, at a pace and scale that could not otherwise be achieved. HMGCC does not directly task or fund the Co-Creation Spaces or the projects within them. HMGCC does provide the partnerships and enablers under which Co-Creation can thrive. In return, Co-Creation Spaces provide HMGCC with a practical outlet for our core work, allowing us to develop cross-cutting capabilities, test concepts and develop best practice in Co-Creation that will be fed back into the Co-Creation Spaces and to wider partners.

Get In Touch

If you would like to get more info or join our mailing list to be sent the latest challenges as soon as they are released, please send an email with all of your contact details to: [email protected]

Previous Challenges

No.

Challenge Title

Open Date

Submission Dates

1

Compact, low-cost GNSS simulator

07/07/2025

07/08/2025 @ 1700

2

Data logging in extreme temperatures

23/06/2025

3

Surveillance challenge using edge AI

28/04.2025

29/05/2025

4

Tracking solution for alternative position, navigation and timing (PNT).

14/04/2025

15/05/2025

5

Miniaturised detectors sought to spot drones

03/02/2025

20/02/2025

6

Rapidly deployed tech to track intruders

18/11/2024

19/12/2024

7

Cutting eavesdropping risks using AI

10/10/2024

24/10/2024

8

Scalable Phone

10/10/2024

07/11/2024

9

Challenge set to find secure speech solutions

16/09/2024

24/10/2024

10

Assurance of printed circuit boards using machine vision

15/07/2024

29/08/2024