Innovators want to cooperate with the military - Poland has the highest number of applications to the DIANA accelerator in the EU. A new programme for Poland is also starting
As of today, we have received statistics on recruitment to the DIANA NATO accelerator. NATO and the Ministry of Defence used the Polish Development Fund S.A. as a national recruitment point for the program. Polish startups submitted the largest number of applications to the programme in the European Union. Enrolment has also begun for IDA - a new programme aimed at Polish companies.
The DIANA accelerator was created by NATO to facilitate cooperation between North Atlantic Alliance member states and private, innovative companies. It aims to create favourable conditions within the NATO alliance for both the development of breakthrough technologies and their adaptation for defence and security use. DIANA will support innovators by enabling them to quickly connect with mentors, a network of trusted investors and specialists in the field of military tenders and procurement. On the other hand, it will also support partner countries in quickly acquiring the most promising solutions from innovators participating in the accelerator. The enrolment for the first, pilot round of the programme has been concluded. PFR has been working with both NATO and the Ministry of Defence in supporting the recruitment process.
Poland with the highest number of applications in the EU
We are very pleased with the data received today regarding submissions to the accelerator. Entities registered in Poland submitted the greatest number of applications from EU countries, ranking fourth in the world, behind the US, Canada and the UK.
The US accounted for the largest number of entries, numbering 215. This was closely followed by Canada with 211 and the UK with 182. There were 77 applications from Poland, followed by Turkey (75), Italy (60), Norway (43), Germany (41), Finland (38), the Netherlands (37), Spain (36) and Estonia (35). The remaining Alliance countries submitted less than 30 applications. In total, more than 1,200 entities applied to the first round. The names of the accelerated companies will be announced on 7 October.
DIANA reviews applications, IDA launches
While NATO is analysing applications for the accelerator, the PFR, together with the Ministry of Defence and PGZ Military Shipyard and other partners, are launching the Polish accelerator programme called IDA - Innovative Dual-Use Technology Accelerator. It is designed for innovative entities registered in Poland that want to start cooperating with the defence sector and address challenges that will affect the security of the Baltic Sea. More information about the IDA programme can be found on the website.
