Announcement of the new map of NATO Defence Innovation Accelerators under the DIANA programme

Announcement of the new map of NATO Defence Innovation Accelerators under the DIANA programme

On 14 March 2024, a new map of test and accelerator areas under the NATO’s Defence Innovation Accelerator for the North Atlantic (DIANA) programme was announced. The PSNC AerospaceLab in Kąkolewo is one of dozens of locations already selected in the North Atlantic Alliance for test centres (DIANA Test Centres). A new Polish contribution to the programme is the AGH University of Krakow, which together with the Krakow Technology Park will jointly run a branch of the NATO Defence Innovation Accelerator (Krakow DIANA Accelerator).

The aim of the DIANA programme, created by NATO, is to connect the most talented scientists, innovators and start-ups working on new and ground-breaking solutions of the so-called ‘deep tech’ with defence sector units. DIANA’s area of interest will be emerging and disruptive technologies, which include artificial intelligence, space, quantum, autonomous, information and communication technologies, biotechnologies, new materials and raw materials.

The DIANA programme was launched on a pilot basis in 2023 and, according to the signed memorandum, the Poznan Supercomputing and Networking Center was designated as one of dozens of test centres for autonomous and quantum technologies, Big Data processing, AI and cyber security.

– Doubling the number of accelerators and test centres in the NATO DIANA programme, of which PSNC is a part, enables not only an increase in the competitiveness and quality of services offered to innovators, but is also a positive sign of stimulating awareness of the alliance’s large defence needs and creating a good climate of cooperation between the civilian and military sectors, which, thanks to the development of dual-use technologies, can develop more effectively and create technological advantages that are competitive in the world – said Col. Res. Pil Mirosław Nawrocki – innovation and development Coordinator at PSNC Aerospace Lab.

Participation in the accelerator is coordinated by the Department of Innovation of the Ministry of National Defence.