NATO’s Defence Innovation Accelerator for the North Atlantic, or DIANA, has selected ten companies to take part in its Decision Superiority for NATO Warfighters Challenge. The teams will “ develop and demonstrate advanced artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning (ML), and software solutions designed to enhance NATO’s operational planning and execution.”
“Their technologies will be integrated into a cloud-based environment aligned to real-world use cases, supporting faster and more effective decision-making across the Alliance,” said NATO DIANA in a release.
The selected innovators are Matrix Pro Sim, Hadean, Watchtower Labs, Flai, Grist Mill Exchange, Decent Cybersecurity, ETE Technology, Onebrief, Picogrid, and Levato AS.
The challenge asks the companies to develop and demonstrate AI, machine learning, and software solutions designed to improve NATO’s operational planning and execution. Their technologies will be used to support “ faster and more effective decision-making across the Alliance.”
“Through this challenge, we are accelerating the integration of cutting-edge technologies into NATO’s operational environment, enabling our forces to make faster, more informed decisions in increasingly complex scenarios,” said Jyoti Hirani-Driver, Acting Managing Director of NATO DIANA. “By working closely with Allied Command Operations and leveraging platforms like MSS NATO, DIANA is ensuring that innovation is not only developed, but also rapidly delivered where it is needed most.”
The challenge is built around NATO’s Maven Smart System, NATO, or MSS NATO, which is intended to modernise Allied Command Operations through an AI-enabled digital warfighting platform.
Each company in the cohort receives €100,000 in contractual funding to support their integration, and they will work directly with NATO to build out their technologies alongside real clients but in an “imulated, mission-relevant setting.” The companies will then demonstrate their work with the expectation that the systems will eventually find their way into NATO’s systems.
“We are super excited about this DIANA Challenge. For the first time, we are partnering the operational community and our warfighters directly with DIANA and the tech companies to iterate and innovate together,” said Col. Arnel David, Director, Task Force Maven, NATO SHAPE. “The NATO Maven Smart System as an open and extensible platform is built to handle this speed of integration and interoperability. This is how NATO wins the innovation race: we prototype fast, we test with the people who fight, and we scale what works.”
Meet the Companies
Matrix Pro Sim develops high-fidelity simulation systems for military and defence training, with a focus on vehicle, aviation, and mission preparedness. The company combines commercial gaming technology with simulation hardware to create immersive training environments that reduce costs while allowing personnel to practice complex scenarios without risking the lives of soldiers in the field. They offer a number of simulation environments to recreate real battle conditions.
Hadean is a British defence technology company that builds AI-powered simulation and decision-support software for military planning. They work in multiple domains, including large-scale transport and government reaction planning. Hadean develops software that allows commanders to model large-scale operations, generate multiple plans, and analyze outcomes.
Flai is a Slovenia-based defence AI company focused on turning LIDAR data into maps and other valuable information. The company ingests large datasets and paints them over tactical systems and other war-fighting tools.
US-based Grist Mill Exchange operates a commercial data marketplace built specifically for government and defence customers. The platform gives agencies rapid access to thousands of commercial datasets from hundreds of vetted providers, covering areas including cyber, geospatial intelligence, finance, maritime activity, environmental monitoring, and social media.
Decent Cybersecurity develops cybersecurity technology designed to protect organisations against increasingly sophisticated digital threats. The company focuses on proactive security measures, including threat detection, vulnerability management, and security monitoring, helping customers strengthen cyber resilience while reducing operational risk. They are part of the European Defence Fund’s AIDA project and are based in Central Europe with offices in the UK.
Turkish ETE Technology is a defence software company specialising in a defence company that focuses on product innovation across security and safety. The company is based in the Aegean Free Zone. It has a fully integrated R&D and product development lab certified to NATO standards.
US-based Watchtower Labs is building “an AI-native system” designed to help decision-making and collaboration in defence organizations.
Onebrief develops collaborative military planning software that helps defence organisations replace manual planning processes with cloud-based digital systems. Its platform allows military staffs to create, update, and share operational plans in real time while integrating data from multiple systems.
Picogrid builds software and hardware that connects military sensors, drones, robotics, and other autonomous systems through a common integration platform. Its flagship Legion software provides a unified interface for managing diverse systems, while its hardware products supply communications, edge computing, and power in the field. The company focuses on open architectures that allow defence organisations to integrate existing equipment rather than replacing it with proprietary systems.
Levato AS is a Norwegian defence technology company that develops software for planning, command, and operational support. Its products are designed to improve coordination between military units, provide better situational awareness, and support decision-making in complex operational environments.
