Applying to NATO DIANA’s Challenge Call is not only about submitting a strong technology proposal. It is also about understanding how DIANA works, what kind of innovators the programme is designed for, and how the journey from challenge selection to adoption can unfold.
This Q&A brings together practical answers to some of the most common questions that we have been receiving from innovators before applying.
About the application process
- Can my solution be defence first, or does it need to be dual-use?
DIANA supports both defence and dual-use innovation. A solution does not need to start from a commercial use case to be relevant.
Defence-first innovators can apply, provided that their solution addresses a clear defence or security need and can contribute to Allied capability priorities. What matters most is the strength of the defence relevance, the quality of the use case, and the potential pathway towards adoption across the Alliance.
- How mature does my technology need to be when I apply?
DIANA is generally looking for technologies whose defence application is around TRL 4 or above. The programme’s sweet spot is often around TRL 5 or 6, where innovators are mature enough to benefit from testing, validation, operational feedback and adoption support.
That said, TRL is not assessed in isolation. DIANA takes a broader view of each application, looking at the team, the solution, the relevance to the challenge, the operational use case and the potential pathway to adoption.
Please note that TRL and revenue will not be assessed to determine eligibility.
DIANA expects innovators to have enough team capacity to take part in the programme and make meaningful progress during the six month accelerator. The ideal profile includes at least three full time people involved in the company.
This should be understood as a capacity expectation rather than a strict exclusion rule. The key question is whether the innovator has the team, time and resources needed to engage fully with the programme, respond to feedback and move the solution closer to adoption.
- Can a company based outside NATO apply?
To apply, a company must be incorporated in a NATO nation, have its headquarters and principal place of business within a NATO nation, be majority owned and controlled by nationals of a NATO nation, and qualified to enter public contracts in all territories in which it does business.
- If my company is based in the US, do I need to incorporate in Europe, or vice versa?
No. A US based company does not need to be incorporated (or have a vehicle/entity incorporated) in Europe, and a European company does not need to be incorporated (or have a vehicle/entity incorporated) in the US.
The key requirement is not whether the company applying to the challenge is based in Europe or North America, but whether it is incorporated, headquartered, primarily operating and majority controlled within NATO nations.
- Can I apply if my technology is already part of another accelerator?
Yes. There is no restriction preventing innovators from applying to DIANA if they are already part of another local, national or defence related accelerator.
DIANA may be an innovator’s first accelerator programme, but companies that have already participated in other programmes may also apply. What matters is whether DIANA can add value at this stage of the innovator journey, especially in relation to defence relevance, operational validation and adoption.
- Can a previous DIANA innovator apply again to a new challenge call?
Innovators from previous DIANA cohorts cannot apply again to new challenge calls.
The purpose of each challenge call is to identify and support new innovators that can bring relevant solutions to Allied capability needs.
- What should I do if my solution fits more than one challenge?
Innovators can submit one bid to one challenge only.
If a solution could fit several challenge areas, innovators should select the challenge where their technology has the strongest fit. The best choice is usually the challenge where the application can most clearly connect the solution to the scenario, the capability need and the pathway towards adoption.
Funding, intellectual property and selection
- What does the €100,000 contractual funding cover?
Selected innovators receive €100,000 in contractual funding. This funding is designed to support innovators as they continue to iterate their solution in response to the challenge and participate in DIANA’s Accelerator Programme.
OpEx opportunities are separate from the €100,000 contractual funding. They are additional opportunities for selected innovators and are not directly included in the contractual funding amount.
DIANA also provides access to further testing and validation opportunities, including access to more than 200 test centres across the Alliance.
- Do I need to explain how I will use the €100,000?
Yes. Innovators are expected to explain in their proposal how they intend to use the €100,000 contractual funding.
They will also need to justify the use of the funding in the final report delivered at the end of the programme. Innovators should therefore retain relevant invoices and receipts in case DIANA requests them for audit purposes.
- What deliverables are expected at the end of the programme?
The €100,000 is contractual funding, not a grant. This means that selected innovators are expected to deliver outputs under the programme contract.
At the end of the programme, innovators will need to provide a report setting out the progress of their solution, the results of any TEVV or OpEx activities, and the use of contractual funding.
Other deliverables, mandatory events or reporting requirements will be listed in the programme contract.
- Do innovators retain their intellectual property?
Yes. DIANA takes no intellectual property.
DIANA innovators retain full ownership of the intellectual property related to their solutions. DIANA will neither take nor assert rights over that intellectual property as part of the DIANA Challenge Programme.
DIANA also does not take equity in DIANA innovators.
- How does DIANA protect confidential information?
DIANA is committed to protecting innovator information and fostering a trusted environment for proprietary information, confidential information and intellectual property.
All information submitted as part of a proposal is treated as strictly confidential. It is only accessible to the evaluators assigned to that proposal, who are subject to strict confidentiality obligations. DIANA may disclose to other NATO entities, representatives of NATO Member States, representatives of DIANA affiliated and constituent elements, and members of the NATO DIANA Capital Network information submitted by innovators as part of their proposals – however innovators will have the option to opt out, as outlined in the T&Cs in the Challenge Portal.
Proposals are submitted through a secure portal. Each company receives a unique identifier and instructions to create a unique login account. Information is encrypted during submission and storage.
- Does the DIANA contract require innovators to share or license their technology?
DIANA does not take intellectual property and does not require innovators to transfer ownership of their technology as part of the DIANA Challenge Programme.
Any future licensing, access or use rights that may arise in a separate adoption, procurement or partnership context would be addressed through the relevant agreement at that later stage.
- When will selected innovators be announced for the 2027 cohort?
Successful innovators will be notified towards the end of 2026.
The official announcement is expected to take place in December 2026, before the 2027 cohort starts the Accelerator Programme in January 2027.
- How are applications evaluated?
DIANA takes a 360 degree approach to evaluation. TRL is one factor, but it is not the only consideration and it is not the primary data point on its own.
Applications are assessed against the evaluation criteria made available to innovators as part of the terms and conditions of bidding. DIANA also looks closely at the connection between the solution, the challenge scenario, the capability gap and the operational context.
For innovators, the key takeaway is simple: do not rely only on technical maturity. A strong application should also show that the solution addresses a real operational need, can be understood by defence stakeholders, and has a credible pathway towards adoption.
- Are country of registration and headquarters considered during scoring?
Country of incorporation and headquarters are eligibility criteria only.
They are not visible during scoring and are not relevant to the evaluation of the proposal.
- How does DIANA manage conflicts of interest among evaluators?
Evaluators are required to sign terms and conditions that oblige them to report any conflict of interest to DIANA before evaluations begin.
This process is designed to ensure that evaluators disclose relevant conflicts before taking part in the evaluation of proposals.
- Does DIANA guarantee evaluator representation from specific regions?
DIANA does not guarantee minimum representation from specific nations or regions within the evaluator pool.
Geographical representation may be considered when selecting evaluators, but the primary focus is on expertise, competence and qualifications.
- How does DIANA support awareness in underrepresented nations?
DIANA is aware that some nations may be underrepresented and works to broaden awareness of challenge calls across the Alliance.
This includes making educational content available to potential applicants and working with NATO nations’ representatives and accelerator sites across the Alliance to inform relevant audiences about the programme, the challenge calls and the application process.
Programme support, investment and adoption
- What is the NATO DIANA Capital Network?
The NATO DIANA Capital Network connects DIANA innovators with investors across the Alliance who understand the defence and dual use landscape.
DIANA acts as a facilitator. Its role is to help innovators engage with relevant investors, understand fundraising in a defence and dual use context, and build the financial networks that may support their growth beyond the accelerator.
- Are Capital Network investors involved in selecting DIANA innovators?
Members of the NATO DIANA Capital Network are not involved in the selection process, unless they have been selected as evaluators.
DIANA uses evaluators with the expertise and experience required for each challenge and evaluation panel. These evaluators are not selected simply because they belong to the Capital Network.
- What conflict of interest rules apply to investor participation?
Members of the NATO DIANA Capital Network are not part of the selection process, unless they have been selected as evaluators. As explained above, wvaluators are required to sign terms and conditions that oblige them to report any conflict of interest to DIANA before evaluations begin. This process is designed to ensure that evaluators disclose relevant conflicts before taking part in the evaluation of proposals.
- What outcomes can innovators expect from DIANA?
DIANA does not present the programme as a guarantee of revenue or contracts. Instead, the programme is designed to help innovators move closer to defence and dual use adoption.
This can include stronger operational relevance, access to end user feedback, testing and validation opportunities, improved understanding of defence procurement pathways, stronger investor readiness and visibility through DIANA adoption channels.
Where appropriate, DIANA can also highlight adoption success stories showing how innovators have progressed through the Rapid Adoption Service or engaged with military end users.
- Can DIANA share examples of successful innovators?
Yes. DIANA can refer to public adoption success stories and examples of innovators that have progressed through DIANA pathways.
These examples help show how DIANA can support the journey from innovation to operational relevance, including through the Rapid Adoption Service, engagement with end users and early adoption opportunities.
- What usually prevents strong technologies from becoming deployed capabilities?
There are several barriers that can slow down the transition from promising technology to deployed capability.
These can include long and complex procurement cycles, the need to align multiple stakeholders, testing and evaluation requirements, qualification processes, security standards, platform integration and the need to build trust with end users.
Another important barrier can be the knowledge gap that many innovators face when entering the defence sector. Defence adoption requires understanding not only the technology, but also the mission, the users, the procurement pathway and the operational environment.
The relevance of each barrier varies depending on the maturity of the company, the technology, the capability need and the adoption pathway.
- How long does it take to move from validation to a follow on contract?
There is no fixed timeline. The path to a follow on contract depends on the level of interest from one or more Allies, the maturity of the solution, the operational need and the procurement pathway.
However, the Rapid Adoption Action Plan, including its political commitment and pilot initiatives, is intended to significantly accelerate adoption across the Alliance, with a general target timeframe of up to 24 months.
- What happens after TEVV or OpEx validation?
Once competitively selected for DIANA, innovators are required to sign a framework agreement and a programme agreement to join DIANA’s Accelerator Programme. This places them within a cohort of companies that engage in ongoing dialogue with end users.
If, during the programme, an end user identifies a solution as suitable for a specific capability requirement, the innovator may be able to submit tenders to offer that solution.
There is no single fixed pathway or timeline, but TEVV, OpEx, end user engagement and the Rapid Adoption Service are all designed to help promising technologies move closer to operational use.
- How does DIANA support financial continuity after the Accelerator Programme?
DIANA is an Accelerator Programme, not a fund. Its purpose is not to provide a complete funding bridge from accelerator participation to long term defence contracts.
However, DIANA does provide several forms of support that can help innovators continue their journey. These include contractual funding, potential TEVV and OpEx support, business and fundraising education, and access to the NATO DIANA Capital Network.
Innovators selected for the Mission Track may also access up to €300,000 in additional contractual funding.
DIANA’s role is to help innovators build the credibility, evidence, connections and adoption readiness needed to access future opportunities.
Standards, testing and operational readiness
- Does the Rapid Adoption Service fast track NATO certification?
The Rapid Adoption Service can help reduce some of the bureaucracy associated with defence procurement, but it should not be understood as automatically fast tracking NATO certification or standards processes.
Throughout the programme, DIANA helps innovators become familiar with relevant standards, including STANAGs and other applicable requirements. NATO maintains a wide range of standards, and Allies may also apply national standards depending on the adoption context.
DIANA helps innovators understand which standards may matter for their solution, how to identify relevant requirements and how to use testing and OpEx opportunities to better align the technology with operational needs.
- Do innovators need to be inside DIANA to use the Rapid Adoption Service?
Yes. The Rapid Adoption Service is linked to competitively selected DIANA innovators.
Selected innovators enter into a framework contract and a programme contract with DIANA and may become visible through the Rapid Adoption Portal. This gives Allies and NATO communities a clearer view of the selected solutions and supports the transition from innovation to adoption.
Some challenge formats may work differently, but the Rapid Adoption Service remains part of the DIANA pathway for selected innovators.
TEVV stands for testing, evaluation, verification and validation. It is designed to help innovators generate evidence about how their solution performs and how it may need to evolve for defence and dual use adoption.
DIANA testing and OpEx opportunities can place technologies in realistic operational environments alongside military personnel. This gives innovators access to practical feedback from the people who may ultimately use the capability.
Specific testing conditions depend on the technology, the test centre, the operational objectives and the relevant end user needs. Innovators should therefore see TEVV as a way to move beyond lab performance and build evidence that is more relevant to operational adoption.
- What TRL should innovators aim for by the end of the programme?
DIANA does not define one universal TRL target for the end of the six month programme.
The programme generally opens its doors to technologies around defence application TRL 4 or above, with a sweet spot around TRL 5 or 6 at application stage. What matters by the end of the programme is not only a TRL number, but whether the innovator has made meaningful progress towards operational relevance, validation and adoption.
For some innovators, this may mean maturing the technology. For others, it may mean refining the use case, validating the solution with end users, understanding standards, preparing for integration or building a clearer pathway towards procurement.