Defence technologies developed in Estonia capture the attention of NATO leadership 

On 21 May, dual-use technology companies selected for the NATO DIANA innovation accelerator gathered in Estonia alongside local defence tech firms to showcase solutions designed to strengthen the defence capabilities of NATO member states. The event brought together international investors, representatives from the defence forces, governmental officials, and key industry experts. Nearly 30 members of the NATO DIANA Board of Directors from across the alliance were present to explore the innovations developed within the accelerator. 

Kadri Tammai, Regional Director of NATO DIANA, who observed the product demos on site, emphasized the importance of innovative technologies. “Today, we have money, readiness, and opportunities in the market, but there are still too few companies focused on defence. To rapidly strengthen our defence capabilities, we must not underestimate the significance of new innovative technologies alongside the traditional defence industry, and it is exactly these kinds of companies that NATO DIANA aims to support,” Tammai said. 

Over the past five months, seven international companies have been developing their technologies in Estonia in close cooperation with local defence experts, validating their solutions in a range of specialised test centres. 

“It has been a great honour and responsibility to be part of the development journey of seven outstanding innovation companies over the past five months,” said Anne-Liisa Elbrecht, Head of the NATO DIANA Estonia Accelerator, as well as Tehnopol Startup Incubator. “The companies’ dynamism, technological expertise, and genuine commitment to contributing to collective security reflect the growing role of deep tech in strengthening defence capabilities. Such dedication and pace confirm that through collaboration between the research, business, and security sectors, we can meet the security challenges of today as well as the future.”  

Interest in the programme has grown significantly since its pilot year, which attracted around 1,300 applicants. In 2025, more than 2,600 companies applied, with only 74 selected to join. Despite the fierce competition, two Estonian companies—Telearmy and Wayren—secured a place. Wayren, a deep tech startup founded by former cyber defence officers, recently signed a €7.9 million strategic investment agreement with EFA GROUP, one of the world’s leading defence industry corporations. 

Henry Härm, Co-founder and CEO of Wayren, highlighted the critical role of networking in their success within the DIANA programme: “The DIANA accelerator has provided us with access to world-class networks, training, and testing opportunities through Tehnopol and Sparkup Tartu Science Park. The programme has been instrumental in developing our product and scaling the company, which ultimately led to a €7.9 million strategic investment agreement. Events like the Demo Day give DIANA companies the chance to build valuable connections with end-users and investors. We strongly encourage other dual-use startups to apply and take advantage of the opportunity to work with leading innovators, experts, and stakeholders.” 

Wayren’s communication platform enables secure, resilient communications between soldiers, command centres, and platforms even under complex battlefield conditions. 

Sigrid Rajalo, Head of the Innovation and Technology Department at the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Communications, and Estonia’s representative on the NATO DIANA Board of Directors, noted that DIANA is soon to reach full operational capability ahead of NATO’s summer summit. “The NATO DIANA cross-alliance accelerator has already become an undisputed leader in defence innovation. Estonia has been a strong supporter of this initiative from the very beginning, which is why it was a great honour to host the official meeting of the DIANA Board of Directors in Tallinn yesterday, where the final key decisions were made ahead of the NATO summit.” 

The next NATO DIANA application round and a new set of dual-use challenges will be announced in June, with introductory webinars for interested applicants taking place at the end of May. All dual-use deep tech companies registered in a NATO member state are eligible to apply. 

The defence technology demo day was organised in collaboration with Defence Estonia and Invest Estonia. It was an official side event of Latitude59. The NATO DIANA Estonia Accelerator is run by  Tehnopol Startup Incubator in cooperation with Sparkup Tartu Science Park. The programme is funded in Estonia by the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Communications and supported by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Defence, and the City of Tallinn. Contributors to the alliance-wide network of test centres in Estonia include TalTech, the University of Tartu, CR14, the Estonian Military Academy, the Estonian Academy of Security Sciences, the Estonian Aviation Academy, and Metrosert. 

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