The Percy Hobart Fellowship

Innovation in Defence

The Percy Hobart Fellowship is a full-time, 12 week innovation learning programme for service personnel, providing Fellows with the skills and expertise to drive innovation across defence. The programme brings together theoretical and practical experience through a combination of lectures, workshops, a startup placement, mentorship, and an innovation project.

About the programme

The Percy Hobart Fellowship has taken on three cohorts of Fellows since 2020: two Royal Navy cohorts and one RAF cohort. The cohorts include 68 personnel across the Royal Navy, Royal Marines, Civil Service, Royal Fleet Auxiliary, and US Navy.
3
Cohorts of the Percy Hobart Fellowship
68
Percy Hobart Fellows
60
Innovation
Projects  
Seminars and Workshops

Through a series of weekly lectures, workshops, and innovator talks, Fellows cover a curriculum focused on digital transformation, entrepreneurship, commercial dynamics, defence technology, and innovative thinking.

Startup Placement

10 week immersion in a digital startup, for a first-hand experience of a dynamic, innovative company as they apply new technologies, business models and working practices.  Previous placement startups have included OLIO, Amplyfi, Red Sift, Tympa Health and CAURA.

Coaching and Mentoring

One to one weekly mentoring and coaching sessions from our team of expert coaches, including entrepreneurs, intrapreneurs and performance coaches.

Innovation Project

Fellows put their learnings into practice by developing an innovative solution to a problem they have faced in defence. At the end of the programme, they pitch their proposals to senior command.

“The Fellowship has changed my mind about digital transformation – seeing technology developed and deployed quickly, effectively and with users at the centre of design across the public sector means I am no longer willing to accept ways of working that don’t embrace this mindset. We can do better and I’m optimistic we will succeed. ”
Percy Hobart Fellow
“An incredibly brave and enlightened concept, the Percy Hobart Fellowship has provided a welcome space to rapidly learn about startup innovation culture and hear from some of the brightest minds in this space. I hope to return to Defence and grow the community of ‘Innovation Seeking’ individuals looking for fast paced developments”
RAF Fellow
“The Fellowship has shown me that by combining Mission Command and accountability with a startup’s flexibility and openness to change, we can harness a potent force for growth in an organisation that empowers its people to take risks, fail and iterate ideas without fear of reprimand – a vital end-state if we are serious about innovation in the UK Armed Forces.”
Royal Navy Fellow

PHF Host Startups

Immersion in organisations transforming the public sector

Faculty

Learn from experts and innovators at the leading edge of digital transformation and tech ventures.
LECTURER
Mitch Weiss
Management Professor
Harvard Business School
Created and teaches the school's course on on public leaders and private entrepreneurs who invent a difference in the world. 
LECTURER
Elisabeth Braw
Senior Fellow
American Enterprise Institute
Columnist at Foreign Policy. Member of the steering group of the Aurora Forum and former Visiting Fellow at the University of Oxford
LECTURER
James Kuht
Doctor
Royal Air Force
Award-winning Military Innovator, developed the No.10 Innovation Fellowship, and founded The Military Medicine Podcast.
SPEAKER
Douglas Kim
Chief of Staff
Babylon Health
Experienced Chief of Staff, COO, Business Strategist who helps organizations develop and execute strategy.

Media Coverage

Find out more about the impact of the programme.

Get in touch to learn more