A NATO defence innovation accelerator has opened in Kraków, Poland, aiming to speed development of advanced technologies for military and civilian use, including systems to counter drone threats.
The center, known as FORT Kraków – DIANA, was inaugurated on January 26 by a consortium led by the AGH University of Science and Technology and the Kraków Technology Park. The facility is part of the Defence Innovation Accelerator for the North Atlantic (DIANA) programme, NATO’s flagship effort to bring emerging tech innovation closer to adoption.
The opening ceremony was attended by Poland’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of National Defence, Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz, who said the initiative demonstrated NATO’s commitment to strengthening capabilities on the alliance’s eastern flank.
“This is the best example that NATO is developing its capabilities on the eastern flank,” he said, emphasizing the need to translate innovation from “the language of discovery” into practical, production-ready systems.
A hub for counter-drone innovation
Organizers say FORT Kraków – DIANA will support technologies that enhance security across domains, including:
- Counter-UAS systems designed to detect and defeat small and massed drone threats.
- Tools to protect critical infrastructure against hybrid and asymmetric attacks.
- Artificial intelligence solutions applicable to both defence and civilian sectors.
The accelerator will help fledgling companies and researchers move prototypes from concept to viable products by providing access to test facilities, mentorship and connections with military users and investors. By focusing on “immediately deployable” technologies, the center aims to reduce the traditional lag between research breakthroughs and fielded capability.
NATO’s innovation ecosystem
FORT Kraków – DIANA is one node in the wider DIANA network, an innovation ecosystem established by NATO in 2021 to accelerate the development and adoption of cutting-edge technologies across the alliance. DIANA was conceived to address structural weaknesses in how defense innovation is funded and fielded, particularly in areas where commercial technology is advancing faster than traditional military acquisition processes.
Rather than replacing national procurement systems, DIANA seeks to:
- Link innovators with military users and investors, helping start-ups, academic labs and small businesses tailor solutions to established defense challenges.
- Provide access to tests and trials facilities enabling developers to validate emerging technologies in relevant environments.
- Create a community around shared capability goals, promoting collaboration across NATO members in an attempt to avoid duplicated efforts.
DIANA’s model is intentionally multi-layered and distributed. In addition to accelerators like FORT Kraków, the network includes test centers, innovation hubs and the NATO Innovation Fund. Poland is unique among NATO’s eastern flank nations in hosting:
- A DIANA accelerator.
- Ten associated test centers.
- A NATO Innovation Fund office.
This concentration of innovation assets reflects Poland’s ongoing work to build indigenous technology capacity and strengthen NATO’s collective defense posture.
Counter-UAS as a strategic focus
The prominence of counter-drone systems within the Kraków accelerator’s mission aligns with broader shifts in defense planning. Across NATO, small UAS threats have emerged as a priority due to their use by state and non-state actors in Ukraine, the Middle East, and elsewhere. DIANA places particular emphasis on autonomous systems, artificial intelligence and sensor fusion, domains central to counter-UAS effectiveness.
By supporting developers in these areas, the accelerator could help NATO members acquire tools that are more adaptable, interoperable and rapidly fielded than traditional defence procurement allows.
Strategic and economic impacts
Officials at the opening highlighted not only security benefits but also economic ones. Kosiniak-Kamysz described the defense industry as a driver of growth and resilience, saying Europe must build its own supply chains to ensure security. The Kraków facility, he said, “builds independence in defence supplies” while fostering innovation and industrial excellence in the region.
As DIANA continues to expand, its mix of accelerators, testbeds and funding mechanisms could reshape how NATO approaches emerging threats like small UAS and autonomous systems. With the launch of FORT Kraków – DIANA, Poland joins a growing roster of nations that are embedding innovation closer to defence decision-making.
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