Course members of the Advanced Command and Staff Course (ACSC) recently returned from a whirlwind tour of Silicon Valley and San Francisco.
As part of Regional Security Exercise (RSE) 2, 41 course members representing the UK armed forces, UK Civil Service, Canada, Jamaica, Nepal, Saudi Arabia, and South Korea headed to sunny California on 28 April, for the Hacking 4 MOD (H4MOD) programme.
H4MOD is a key element of ACSC delivered by King’s College London and ACSC directing staff. Originally launched at Stanford University in 2016, H4MOD gives participants a hands-on chance to tackle real-world government defence challenges using entrepreneurial and innovative approaches.
Working in nimble teams, each group selected a problem from a menu provided by MOD, then spent the module rolling up their sleeves and getting creative. The Silicon Valley leg of the journey offered a front-row seat to the world of startups, where founders and venture capitalists shared their experiences of turning bold ideas into reality using the very same innovative methodologies.
The insights and connections gained from engaging with Silicon Valley’s vibrant small business community proved invaluable. Not only did the visit cement key lessons, but it also helped forge stronger ties between the US and UK innovation ecosystems. Looking ahead, the experience has equipped course members with fresh tools to tackle complex defence issues and a connection to the US Defence Innovation Unit, also based in the Valley.
Outside meetings and presentations, the group experienced some of San Francisco’s legendary culture including, a trip to Alcatraz, cycling across the Golden Gate Bridge, riding the city’s iconic cable cars, sampling delicacies on a Chinatown food tour, and even braving the city’s infamous driverless taxis.
On 18-19 June, course members will be presenting their H4MOD findings at the Research Sprint Symposium, held at the Defence Academy.