NATO’s Defence Innovation Accelerator for the North Atlantic (DIANA) has announced the selection of 150 pioneering companies from 24 NATO countries to participate in the 2026 Challenge Programme. 

NATO DIANA connects companies with military end-users, mentors, and investors, accelerating the development, validation, and adoption of their innovations to help NATO tackle urgent operational challenges and maintain a decisive edge in defence technology. 

The selected innovators will participate in NATO DIANA’s Accelerator Programme to develop their dual-use technologies to address ten critical defence and security challenges, including advanced communications and contested electromagnetic environments, autonomy and unmanned systems, energy and power, biotech and human resilience, and critical infrastructure and logistics. Starting in January 2026, the selected companies will receive contractual funding and gain access to DIANA’s expanding network of 16 accelerator sites and more than 200 test centres across the 32 NATO nations.  

“DIANA’s mission is to find the most innovative companies, help them advance their solutions and grow their business, and get the technologies we need into the hands of NATO operators. Over the next year, these innovators will accelerate breakthrough technologies that can help to transform how the Alliance defends against current and emerging threats,” said James Appathurai, Interim Managing Director of NATO DIANA. 

NATO DIANA offers innovators a unique combination of testing opportunities, expert mentorship and operational insight through a network of accelerator sites and test centres across the Alliance. DIANA provides real-world validation and opens rapid adoption and commercial pathways across all NATO nations, in support of the Alliance’s mission to safeguard the freedom and security of its one billion citizens. 

The full list of innovator companies selected for the cohort can be found here.