The North Atlantic Treaty Organization’s (NATO) Defence Innovation Accelerator for the North Atlantic (DIANA) has announced the successful innovators in 2024’s competitive challenges. These firms – seven of whom are Canadian – will be joining NATO DIANA’s 2025 cohort of innovators. Challenges focused on several innovation areas in security and defence, including data and information security, critical infrastructure and logistics, and human health and performance.

“NATO’s Defence Innovation Accelerator for the North Atlantic (DIANA) is investing in emerging disruptive technologies so that NATO maintains its technological edge in a rapidly shifting global environment. The success of seven Canadian innovators in this 2025 NATO DIANA cohort shows that Canada is ready to answer that challenge, along with the best and brightest in the world.”

-        The Honourable Bill Blair, Minister of National Defence 

“Canadian innovators have once again shown that they are world class with their representation in the NATO DIANA 2025 cohort and are advancing the technological capabilities needed by Canada and the NATO Alliance as we enter a new era in the realm of defence.”

-        Philippe Hébert, Director General Innovation, Defence Research and Development Canada

“We are proud to welcome the newest cohort of innovators into DIANA. Over the coming months, these creative, highly skilled companies will accelerate the development of their dual-use technologies, as they work to solve a suite of complex, interconnected defence, security and resilience challenges.”

-        Professor Deeph Chana, Managing Director of DIANA

“The 2025 innovators form a truly impressive cohort combining deep technological expertise and creative problem-solving. We look forward to supporting the technical development of these innovators, while connecting them to DIANA’s network of mentors, test centres and end users as they grow their companies and apply their ideas to Allied needs.”

-        Tien Pham, DIANA Chief Scientist

• NATO DIANA selected successful innovators from more than 2,600 applications to five challenges in priority dual-use areas, which have civilian and military applications, identified by NATO Allies: 

  • energy and power 
  • data and information security
  • sensing and surveillance
  • human health and performance
  • critical infrastructure and logistics
• Each company will receive €100 000 (approximately $150,000 Canadian) and will join one of 13 NATO DIANA affiliated accelerators based throughout the Alliance.
• In March 2024, Minister Blair congratulated two Canadian test centers (one in Waterloo, ON and one in Dartmouth, NS) and thirteen accelerators for joining the NATO DIANA network. 

• NATO DIANA is coordinated by regional offices in Halifax, Nova Scotia, and in London, United Kingdom, along with a regional hub in Tallinn, Estonia.

• NATO DIANA was established by NATO in 2023 to tackle complex societal challenges through disruptive dual-use technologies.

Related products

• NATO DIANA officially opens North American headquarters in Halifax
• Canadian test centres and accelerators join NATO DIANA network
• Minister Blair congratulates successful Canadian innovators in first NATO DIANA challenges
• Minister Blair announces defence investments in Halifax at 15th Halifax International Security Forum
• Government of Canada proposes Halifax as North American location for NATO’s Defence Innovation Accelerator for the North Atlantic

Associated links

• NATO’s Defence Innovation Accelerator for the North Atlantic
• Defence Research and Development Canada

Andrew Green
Director of Communications
Office of the Minister of National Defence
Phone: 343-576-6371
Email: andrew.green@forces.gc.ca 

Media Relations
Department of National Defence
Phone: 613-904-3333
Email: mlo-blm@forces.gc.ca