Hazel Biggs is a senior innovation and sector-specialist leader working within the UK’s defence and security innovation ecosystem. Currently, she holds the role of Senior Manager – National Security & Defence at Innovate UK Business Connect (IUK BC). Her work focuses on connecting UK SMEs and innovation teams with key opportunities, networks and challenges in the defence and security arena.
Hazel is a highly skilled innovation professional specialising in defence and security. At Innovate UK Business Connect she plays a pivotal role in supporting UK SMEs, guiding them through the complex environment of national-security innovation, forging partnerships, and accelerating technology adoption in the UK’s strategic sectors.
In her capacity at IUK Business Connect, Hazel leads efforts to seek innovative solutions to key challenges in the defence and security environment, helping to simplify the path from concept to application. In practice, this means Hazel engages with industry, government and academia to foster collaboration, facilitate funding and support the development of innovative technologies in national security contexts.
Through IUK BC, she serves as a catalyst for UK firms to engage with challenging requirements and funding landscapes, helping to turn ambitious ideas into deployed solutions, emphasising mechanisms that connect innovators with new partners and new opportunities.
Prior to her current role, Hazel built a deep background in the defence and security sectors, working across government, emergency services and law enforcement. This breadth of experience gives her a strong vantage point in understanding the barriers that innovation-led SMEs face when moving from concept to deployment in high-security environments.