The overarching theme for DSEI'21 will be Integrated Response to Future Threats. Multi domain integration is not just about the military forces more closely aligning – it encompasses every part of the Defence industry, throughout the supply chain. Dstl’s 2020-2025 SME Action Plan set an ambitious target that 25% of its procurement spend will go to SMEs by 2022, but there are a number of challenges to achieving this. This session will discuss how lower tier companies in the supply chain can get parity of access alongside primes, and how to engage with those small start-ups whose innovations hold the keys to success.