LEAD has now been officially designated as Sweden’s accelerator within NATO DIANA – NATO’s innovation organization for the development of new technologies with significance for both civil and military applications.
The appointment means that Sweden will now play an important role in NATO’s work to identify, develop and scale strategically important technologies in areas such as hardware, AI and unmanned systems.
– “This is not only an important recognition for LEAD and Östergötland, but also for Sweden as a technology and innovation nation. We will now have a clearer position in the international innovation collaboration that is emerging around security, defense and future technology, says Catharina Sandberg, CEO of LEAD.
NATO DIANA (Defence Innovation Accelerator for the North Atlantic) was established by NATO to identify and accelerate innovations that strengthen the Alliance’s defense and security capabilities. DIANA provides companies with access to resources, networks and guidance to develop breakthrough technologies that can solve critical defence and security challenges, while supporting the implementation of these solutions.
– It is very positive that Sweden will have an accelerator within NATO’s innovation initiative DIANA. Sweden has strong technology companies, a prominent defense industry and a growing ecosystem for defense innovation. Through DIANA, more civilian innovations can be more quickly translated into military capability and get the best weapons into the hands of soldiers both in Sweden and NATO,” says Minister of Defense Pål Jonson.
According to Catharina Sandberg, membership also opens up new opportunities for Swedish technology companies to reach international markets and strategic partnerships faster.
– Sweden has world-leading expertise in advanced technology, research and deep tech. Through NATO DIANA, Swedish companies will have better access to international networks, capital and test environments. This strengthens both Sweden’s competitiveness and our long-term innovation and security capacity,” she says.
The work that has now led to the designation has been ongoing since 2023, when LEAD was recommended as Sweden’s candidate for NATO DIANA by the Swedish Armed Forces, Vinnova, the Swedish Civil Defense Authority and the Swedish Research Council.
– “The appointment is of course very gratifying, but I am not surprised: it is a recognition of the strength of the innovation system that exists around Linköping University and which is shown, among other things, in our collaboration with LEAD,” says Jan-Ingvar Jönsson, Vice-Chancellor of Linköping University, LiU.
