Defence Tech Day 2026
About us
The Defence Tech Day 2026 is organized by NATO DIANA accelerators The Gate Brainport (Netherlands) and Ignity (Belgium).
DIANA is the Defence Innovation Accelerator for the North Atlantic, a NATO organisation with a mission to find and accelerate dual-use innovation. Through an Alliance-wide network of innovators, accelerators, test centres and end-users, DIANA is solving critical defence, security and resilience challenges to support a more peaceful future.
DIANA envisions a secure and peaceful future where technology is integral to the governance, protection, prosperity and resilience of people around the world. Through a thriving innovation ecosystem that effectively integrates academia, industry, governments and not-for-profits, DIANA accelerates technology solutions across the full spectrum of conflict risk drivers, whether climate change, energy resilience, food insecurity, or warfare.
With 32 nations working together to create a collaborative, science-based and resilient technology pipeline, the world’s most successful Alliance can lead the way on innovation for peace and prosperity.
Accelerator The Gate Brainport
The Gate Brainport operates through a close partnership between the Brabant Development Agency (BOM), Brainport Development, and the Eindhoven University of Technology (TU/e). These partners jointly execute the DIANA Accelerator in the Netherlands, leveraging the Brainport region’s strong triple‑helix ecosystem to support innovators and strengthen Europe’s dual‑use innovation landscape.
As part of DIANA’s network of 16 accelerators, The Gate Brainport provides tailored support to innovators, helping them validate defence‑specific use cases, refine business models, and connect with defence stakeholders, investors, and NATO partners.
Accelerator Ignity
Ignity is a Belgian non‑profit innovation accelerator that supports technology and deep‑tech start‑ups from early validation to international scale‑up. With over 25 years of experience, it provides long‑term, hands‑on coaching by seasoned entrepreneurs and connects founders with a strong ecosystem of industry partners, investors, experts and public authorities. Ignity operates across complex and capital‑intensive domains such as advanced engineering, biotech, space applications, defence innovation and regulated markets.
Ignity actively supports start‑ups developing dual‑use technologies—solutions with both civilian and defence applications—through its involvement in major EU and NATO innovation programmes.