NATO has appointed LEAD, an incubator based in Linköping (southern Sweden, home to Sweden's aerospace industry), as the Swedish accelerator within the innovation programme DIANA (Defence Innovation Accelerator for the North Atlantic). This means Sweden will have its own node within NATO's defence innovation initiative, according to a press release from the Swedish Ministry of Defence.
LEAD was recommended as early as 2023 as Sweden's candidate for DIANA by the Swedish Armed Forces (Försvarsmakten) and Vinnova (Sweden's innovation agency), as Nordic Defence Sector previously reported. At that time, four Swedish test centres were also identified as candidates for the programme: MAX IV, the Marine Technology Center of Sweden, RISE, and a joint space initiative from the Swedish Space Corporation, the Swedish Institute of Space Physics, and Luleå University of Technology (northern Sweden).
LEAD, which is based in Linköping and Norrköping (both in southern Sweden), will according to the government be able to host up to ten NATO companies per year and offer support in areas including business development, test environments, and contacts with government agencies and the defence industry.
– It is very positive that Sweden is receiving an accelerator within NATO's innovation initiative DIANA. Sweden has strong technology companies, a prominent defence industry, and a growing ecosystem for defence innovation, says Defence Minister Pål Jonson in the press release.
According to the government, DIANA will help to more rapidly convert civilian technology into military capability. Focus areas include artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, autonomous systems, sensor technology, and advanced materials.
– This is not only an important recognition for LEAD, but also for Sweden as a technology and innovation nation. We now have a clearer position in the international innovation collaboration that is emerging around security, defence, and future technology, says LEAD Chief Executive Catharina Sandberg.
DIANA was launched by NATO in 2021 and aims to strengthen cooperation between universities, industry, government agencies, and startups in areas such as artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, autonomous systems, advanced materials, and sensor technology. The war in Ukraine has, according to the Ministry of Defence, demonstrated how rapidly new technology can change the battlefield and has increased the need for faster innovation processes within the defence sector.
– Sweden is an important ally with a rich history of innovation and a strong defence. We welcome the Swedish addition of LEAD to the NATO DIANA network, says Jyoti Hirani-Driver, Chief Executive of NATO DIANA.