Sources: 1
NATO’s Defence Innovation Accelerator for the North Atlantic (DIANA) initiative, launched in June 2023, is accelerating defence innovation by targeting five critical technology frontiers:
Energy & Power, Data & Information Security, Sensing & Surveillance, Human Health & Performance, and Critical Infrastructure & Logistics.
Led by COO Jyoti Hirani-Driver, a former British government counter-terrorism policy advisor, DIANA operates through a network of over 200 accelerator sites and test centres. It unites universities, industry, and governments across NATO’s 32 member nations to develop dual-use technologies that benefit both military and civilian sectors.
Hirani-Driver’s leadership is informed by her previous role as Chief of Staff for the UK Ministry of Defence’s Defence Innovation Directorate, where she secured
£1.1 billion (€1.3 billion) in R&D funding. This investment supported advances in hypersonics, big data, autonomous systems, AI, and space-based technologies.
"Our mission is to get cutting-edge technology into the field before NATO’s adversaries do," Hirani-Driver said, emphasizing the urgency of innovation in defence.
DIANA’s targeted programmes address specific defence and security challenges, ensuring that innovation is focused and impactful. By fostering collaboration across sectors and borders, DIANA aims to maintain NATO’s technological edge in an evolving security landscape.
This initiative represents a strategic shift towards rapid, collaborative innovation, leveraging dual-use technologies to enhance both military capabilities and civilian applications within the alliance.
Key Quote: "Our mission: to find dual-use technology that can serve both soldiers and civilians in the 32 NATO member nations — and get it into the field before NATO’s adversaries do."
Key Stat: £1.1bn (€1.3bn) of tech R&D funding secured under Hirani-Driver’s leadership for the UK MoD.
Sources: 1
NATO’s DIANA initiative, launched in June 2023, targets five key tech frontiers—Energy & Power, Data & Information Security, Sensing & Surveillance, Human Health & Performance, and Critical Infrastructure & Logistics. Led by COO Jyoti Hirani-Driver, DIANA accelerates dual-use defence innovations across 200+ sites in 32 member nations.
