Two Finnish companies selected to join NATO’s DIANA challenge programme

Ministry of Defence
Publication date 11.12.2025 8.00 | Published in English on 16.12.2025 at 11.08
Type:Press release

Two Finnish companies, Aboa Space Research Oy and SEATOM Technologies, have been selected to join a challenge programme of NATO’s Defence Innovation Accelerator for the North Atlantic (DIANA). More than 3,600 companies, registered in NATO member states, submitted their application, and 150 companies were selected into the programme. They will join the programme in January 2026.

DIANA works by running competitive industry challenges that seek to find technologically innovative solutions to critical defence- and security-related challenges identified by NATO. Aboa Space Research was selected into the DIANA Challenge Programme under the challenge area of human resilience and biotechnology, while SEATOM Technologies was selected under operations in extreme environments.

“The Ministry of Defence has supported promising Finnish companies in their aspirations to join NATO’s programmes. This year, too, two new companies were selected into the DIANA Challenge Programme. It makes us proud and happy that once again Finnish expertise is gaining a more prominent role in strengthening the Alliance’s capabilities,” Minister of Defence Antti Häkkänen said.

The companies selected into the challenge programme can access the Alliance-wide network of accelerator sites and technology test centres to develop their defence-sector business and refine their innovations. In the first phase of the programme, the companies will receive contractual funding of EUR 100,000. The companies that are selected to proceed to the second phase of the programme will receive additional funding of EUR 300,000.

The Defence Innovation Accelerator for the North Atlantic (DIANA) is a NATO body that supports start-ups and SMEs in NATO member states in the development of critical dual-use technologies and the verification of their potential for military use. The Ministry of Defence is the national authority responsible for DIANA.

Inquiries: Ville Elo, Senior Specialist, Ministry of Defence, tel. +358 295 140 202.