Defence Business Accelerator

Maximising your opportunities for growth within the defence industry through a highly-personalised education, training & coaching program that includes a final pitch event to Primes and Industry experts.

Taking expressions of interest for cohorts in 2024.

Exclusive opportunity for ADA-Vic Members

Develop your defence specific growth strategy

In partnership with 25eight, the Australian Defence Alliance Victoria (ADA - Vic) has developed the Defence Business Accelerator to help business leaders fully prepare for growth within the Defence Industry. This program is available for ADA-Vic Members that are committed to growing their business in defence in the next 12 months.

Having helped hundreds of Australian businesses increase their capabilities, develop winning business pitches and maximise their opportunities at trade events specific to the defence industry, 25eight combines micro education that fits in with busy schedules with coaching, mentorship and advice from industry experts to help you stand out in the market and do more business in defence.

Leave a lasting impression on prospects & partners

The Defence Business Accelerator ensures you can effectively demonstrate the value of your offerings in any situation, whether pitching to prospects, partners or through your marketing activities.

After completing the program, you will:

  • Be able to effectively pitch your business to a defence audience in various scenarios and platforms

  • Nurture and engage prospects into customers through targeted marketing collateral and Quad Charts

  • Implement a proactive strategy to maximise your opportunities at defence specific trade events

  • Action valuable feedback from Industry (including Primes) after presenting your business to them in a pitch

  • Have built further brand awareness for your business with your fellow cohort, industry guests and panelist

  • Have increased confidence to do business in this highly competitive and complex market

Whilst the program is specifically tailored to help you succeed in the Defence industry, what you learn can be applied to help your business thrive in all situations.

How it works

Level up your capabilities with guidance and support

The Defence Business Accelerator is built for time-poor business leaders and is highly personalised to your situation. On commencement, you will complete an alignment quiz that helps to identify what you already know and do, so that the program can be tailored to you. You don’t learn what you already know as we aim to ‘level-up’ your capabilities This saves you time and ensures you are optimising what it is you are already excelling at.

Complete a series of micro activities designed to fit in with your busy schedule and then receive 1:1 support to optimise your approach and outputs before spending 1:1 time with an industry expert that will help you tailor and refine what you do to get you the maximum results. You’ll then get the opportunity to present your business to Industry and Primes to build awareness for your business and get valuable feedback.

Accelerate your progress in 12 weeks

Self-paced online MBA accredited micro business education

4 x Live Workshops with Industry guest speakers

1:1 virtual Coaching & Mentoring sessions that you book at a time that suits you

Pitch your business to Industry for immediate feedback

What people are saying

Gavin New, Managing Director, Ronson Gears

"Highlighted different language to use, a different plan and different approach..which was certainly refreshing for our company"

Karin Vosmansky, Executive Director, Mack Valves

"Helped us do better business in defence because it highlighted areas we could improve upon"

Who this training is for


Business Leaders/Senior Executives

No one knows your business like you and you set to gain the most from this structured approach to defining or refining your strategy to succeed in Defence. Get valuable feedback from Industry & Primes on your strategy.

Business Development/Sales Leaders

You’re driven to find and secure new clients for the business and have most likely a lot of experience in your industry. Just like a seasoned carpenter continues to sharpen his tools, this will provide you with the edge over your competition.

Marketing Leaders/Proposal Development

You need the activities you work on to have impact to ensure they get the required return on investment. Whether that is collateral, your digital presence, your investment in trade events, tenders or client proposals.

Key benefits of the Program

  • Winning pitch

    Use frameworks developed by 25eight and influenced by startup methodology to develop the structure to effectively tell your story. This customer-centred approach changes your pitch from being capability-focused to solutions-focused and makes your business memorable.

  • Adapt for Defence

    Understand the nuances and adaptations you need to help you succeed with organisations in the Defence industry. Understand how to tailor your approach. Get tips specific to trading with foreign military, Primes and potential partners at Defence events.

  • Stand out from the competition

    Pinpoint the differentiators that set your business apart from everyone else on the market. Develop your unique value proposition and competitive and strategic advantage o make it easy for your prospects to choose you over the competition.

  • Quad Charts

    A fundamental component of the business development cycle in the Defence industry, understand what makes a great Quad Chart and how you can use this as an opportunity to further communicate your business’ value and capabilities.

  • Build Awareness

    Build more awareness for your business in the Defence industry, with a unique event at the end of each running cohort. Each participant has the opportunity to attend and pitch their business in front of a select panel of Industry and Primes.

  • Opportunity to excel

    We have worked with many leaders with extensive experience in the Defence industry who have indicated how valuable the program has been for them to refine their strategy for modern times and had incredible impact to their business because of it.

What people are saying

Nicole Sinclair, CEO, Parish Engineering

"An excellent opportunity to strengthen their position in the defence industry, by direct engagement with the Primes and also to refine your strategic positioning and discriminators"

Andrew Rowell, General Manager, R&I Instrument & Gear Co (Aust) Pty Ltd

"It got us thinking in different directions, through this it opened our eyes a lot and allowed us to review the information we were presenting"

Submit your Expression of Interest (EOI)

This program is open to ADA-Vic members that are committed to growing their business in the defence industry in the next 12 months.

“I’ve left with something tangible as well as a sense that I can do better business with the Defence industry.”