Looking back at Phase 1 of the DIANA Programme 2025
Over the past year, The Gate, the Brabant Development Agency (BOM), and Brainport Development joined forces to deliver the NATO DIANA programme and intensively supported five international companies in the region. The official kick-off took place at Eindhoven Air Base. In this article from Innovation Origins, you can find more information about the 2025 kick-off and a brief profile of the DIANA companies in the Netherlands last year.
Experiences of the participating companies
The international companies in the Data & Information Security cohort visited the Brainport region four times between January and June. They received pitch training, visited various military bases, and took part in matchmaking sessions with stakeholders. Those involved in the DIANA programme include representatives from Defence, knowledge institutions, and industry. This intensive collaboration e.g., with the companies’ mentors created unique synergies between innovative start-ups and the defence sector.
Watch this video to learn more about the experiences of the DIANA innovators who participated at the Dutch and Belgian accelerators.
The programme’s unique strength
What sets NATO DIANA apart is that it creates strategic entry points for participating companies with both industry and Defence. This enables them to accelerate the development of their innovations. For example, we visited Camp Innovation at the Ede-Driesprong military base, Eindhoven Air Base, and we were hosted by VDL in the Netherlands and Thales in Belgium, where the companies could present their solutions and received extensive tours. The connections built are invaluable for the next phases of the programme and the further development of these innovative companies.
Highlights: local and international Demo Days
Key highlights in Phase 1 were the two Demo Days:
The local Demo Day took place in May at the Royal Military Academy in Brussels, in collaboration with our Belgian partners at accelerator Ignity. Here, the 11 DIANA companies that followed the programme in the Netherlands and Belgium presented their innovations to representatives from industry, investors, and Defence.
In June, the central international Demo Day followed in London, where all 74 DIANA companies pitched their technologies to a broad international audience.
Collaboration and the road ahead
Together with the Brabant Development Agency (BOM), Brainport Development, and The Gate (as part of TU/e), we look back on a successful first year. The strong collaboration and the network established in this phase provide a solid foundation for the next steps within the DIANA programme and for Brabant as a dual-use innovation ecosystem. From January 2026, we will welcome a new cohort of these exceptional international innovators.
Accelerator Team The Gate Brainport
Are you interested in the NATO DIANA programme, do you have any questions, or would you like to contribute in any way in 2026? Please contact the Accelerator Team The Gate Brainport.
- Mariëlle van Bijsterveld via mvanbijsterveld@bom.nl
- Monique Greve via M.J.M.Greve@tue.nl
- Midas de Rooij via m.derooij@brainportdevelopment.nl