NATO Defence Innovation Accelerator for the North Atlantic

Supports NATO allies by accelerating collaborative defense technology projects and ventures.

NATO Defence Innovation Accelerator for the North Atlantic, known as NATO DIANA, is a NATO body based in London with regional offices in Halifax and Tallinn. It operates under a NATO-approved charter and runs annual challenge programmes for dual-use deep-tech companies across the Alliance.

The recorded programme offers non-dilutive contractual funding in euros: €100,000 in Phase 1 and up to another €300,000 for top performers in Phase 2, for a total of €400,000 per innovator. It is open to for-profit dual-use startups, scale-ups, and SMEs registered in a NATO member state, with TRL 4 or above preferred. Beyond cash, selected teams get access to accelerator sites, test centres, mentors, and the Rapid Adoption Service.

The annual cycle opens around June, closes about six weeks later in July, and starts the next January with a 6-month Phase 1. DIANA is strongest for companies that can show a military or government use case, work in English, and benefit from live testing and end-user feedback rather than a purely academic grant.