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Aug 8 2024

NATO Edge 24: Unlocking the Business Aspects with Jennifer Upton, Chief of Acquisition


Jennifer Upton is the Chief of Acquisition for the NATO Communications and Information Agency (NCIA) since 2020. Before joining NATO, she dedicated her career to support acquisition for the United States Department of Defence, most of it in support of the US Special Operations Command, who is our partner for NATO Edge 24.

NATO Edge 24: Unlocking the Business Aspects with Jennifer Upton, Chief of Acquisition

Upton is currently responsible for maintaining the overall integrity of NCIA's processes in all areas relating to acquisition, including procurement policy and procedures, logistics, facilities engineering, cost estimating and analysis, and industry relations. NCIA's procurement portfolio, which comprised 600 Million Euros in 2023, is growing dramatically with the increase in common funding from the nations. Upton says her mission is to enable NATO's transformation into a fully digital enterprise through cost-effective, innovative and timely acquisition of tools and solutions that connect the Alliance and allow our Allied leaders and service members to keep us safe.

We sat down with Jennifer Upton to find out more about the business aspects of this year's edition of the NATO Edge conference.

What is your role in NATO Edge 24?

As the NCIA's Head of Industry Relations, I serve as the Senior Responsible Owner for NATO Edge, reporting directly to our General Manager, Ludwig Decamps. My role is to ensure NATO Edge delivers upon NCIA' strategic goals and NATO's objectives. This flagship business and technology event aims to expand our dialogue and partnership with industry and non-profits, to increase understanding between the various defence sectors, and enable pathways for tackling some the Alliance's most complex challenges together.

NATO Edge is a unique forum for dialogue, collaboration and the exchange of ideas essential to future-proof our Alliance. What can participants expect from this year's edition?

Whether you attend or exhibit at NATO Edge, you can expect more connections and opportunities than at any previous NCIA event, as this is shaping up to be our largest conference to date. You will gain insights into upcoming business opportunities, and this year we are excited to unveil our new technology roadmaps. You can discuss and collaborate on planned projects, and network with NATO and government officials, along with industry and non-profit peers and partners. Finally, you will get an opportunity to present your products and solutions to NATO government and military experts and decision-makers all gathered in one place.

The previous edition of NATO Edge was hosted in Europe. Why the United States this year?

NATO Edge in the United States reinforces our transatlantic defence cooperation at the operational level, and it follows on the heels of the historic NATO Summit held in Washington D.C. in June this year. This NATO Edge represents a great opportunity to enhance collaboration and understanding between NATO and companies based both in North America and Europe, especially for small and medium-sized businesses which could not attend or exhibit at our previous events across the ocean.

At the Washington Summit, Allies emphasized that a strong defence requires a strong industry, and they also endorsed a new NATO Industrial Capacity Expansion pledge. Why is this important? What does this mean for companies in practical terms?

We are sending a strong demand signal to industry and non-profit partners and we are changing the way we do business to accommodate the pledge for accelerating multinational procurement. Companies can expect a consistent and unprecedented demand for commercial, dual-use and military solutions coming their way, now and in the future. NATO is a reliable business partner with a mission that concerns us all: keeping our one billion citizens safe in the face of today's dynamic global challenges. Now is the time for companies to build capacities and engage with NATO, whether you are new to our acquisition process or an established partner. NATO Edge provides the opportunities to build the necessary foundations to secure critical supply chains and ensure resilience in the defence capabilities in which we all depend.

NATO-wide collective budgets are increasing, bringing new business opportunities for the industrial and non-profit marketplaces. What are the key areas where you are seeking industry expertise and innovation?

We seek to learn from market experts about all C4ISR solutions, spanning our set of portfolios including Air and Missile Defence Command and Control, Joint Intelligence Surveillance and Reconnaissance, Cyber Security, and NATO's Consultation and Command Networks, just to name a few. Our top priorities for NATO Edge are reflected in the five themes for this year: Strategic Sourcing, Cloud Adoption, Cybersecurity, Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Partnerships.

First, outsourcing to industry and non-profits is a key tool to keep up with NATO's increasing requirements, therefore a focus on strategic sourcing is pivotal to ensure readiness. Second, as NATO's journey to the cloud has only just begun, we have the opportunity to learn from the best and most experienced regarding cloud transformation. Third, cyberspace is contested and competed at all times, putting NATO and industry in one boat when it comes to hardening our cyber defences. As for AI, commercial companies are pushing the technological frontier at breath-taking speed, but we also need to make sure we embrace the potential of AI safely and responsibly. Finally, partnerships with both seasoned and new players – including start-ups, small businesses, academia and think tanks – are crucial for all the areas I just mentioned and many more.

Which types of companies are you particularly interested in engaging with at NATO Edge 24?

If you have innovative solutions and services matching our business portfolio and if you are based within NATO or a partner nation, we want to meet you at NATO Edge. It does not matter if you represent an established prime contractor or a young start-up, a specialized boutique innovator or a generalist supplier, applied research or consultancy, defence or not. Edge represents a unique and comprehensive opportunity to showcase the entire portfolio of Agency requirements, and provides the fertile landscape for expanding NATO's supplier ecosystem with all types of suppliers spanning a broad range of expertise.

What are the benefits for small and medium enterprises to attend NATO Edge?

Information is key for navigating NATO's acquisition organization and procedures. Presentations on upcoming business opportunities offer early information to help businesses plan their strategies and formulate potential teaming arrangements. My team will also offer workshops on how to do business with NCIA and provide opportunities to register in our e-procurement tool NEO, giving any size entity the tools and knowledge necessary to participate in our business. In addition, by attending NATO Edge, these companies will have the opportunity to network and discuss opportunities with private sector peers and potential partners - large and small – to seek cooperation, for particular business.

What advice would you give to companies looking to secure contracts or enter into procurement agreements with NATO, and particularly NCIA?

Attending NATO Edge is a fantastic opportunity to learn about our projects and procurement procedures and how we are adapting to become a better business partner. I encourage companies to engage in our numerous other industry and non-profit forums designed to interact with the marketplace on topics of strategic importance to the Alliance. Also, be sure to register in our e-procurement system to stay up to date on upcoming competitions. Learn as much as you can ahead of the formal procurement process, and build experience by collecting feedback from any competition in which you ultimately participate.

For more information about NATO Edge 24, visit our website here and follow us on social media (X, LinkedIn, Instagram, Facebook).