Janus Allies, the UK-based accelerator for NATO’s Defence Innovation Accelerator for the North Atlantic (DIANA), has officially announced its 2026 cohort in partnership with UK Defence Innovation (UKDI).
This latest intake follows an exceptionally competitive selection process in 2025, which saw a record 3,680 submissions from across the Alliance. The final cohort represents the top 4% of applicants, marking them as some of the most advanced dual-use innovators currently operating within the NATO ecosystem. The 2026 programme is strategically concentrated on developing solutions for Contested Electromagnetic Environments (CEME), one of ten priority areas defined by NATO to ensure information control and secure communication channels against emerging threats.
The 2026 cohort comprises eight specialist companies from seven NATO member states, reflecting a diverse range of technical expertise. Participating firms include the United Kingdom’s Slipstream Design, which specialises in secure, reconfigurable digital-RF sensing. They are joined by international innovators such as CX2 Inc. and Tern AI from the United States, FOSSA Systems from Spain, LSMedical from Estonia, Oledcomm from France, SDQ Solutions from Canada, and Testnor AS from Norway. Over the next six months, these companies will engage in an intensive programme designed to rapidly integrate their technologies into the UK dual-use sector, focusing on areas such as spectrum dominance, satellite signal intelligence, and quantum-resistant navigation.
John Cunningham, Director of UK Defence Innovation at the Ministry of Defence, emphasised that the programme is a critical component of a unified public-private approach to capability development. By adopting an agile, “fail fast” mentality, the MoD aims to bypass traditional, slower procurement cycles to place innovative commercial technologies into the hands of the warfighter at pace. This strategy aligns with the broader goals of the UK Government’s Strategic Defence Review, which seeks to strengthen industrial defence capabilities and accelerate the adoption of cutting-edge technologies.
The efficacy of the UK Accelerator, delivered by Janus, is already evidenced by the success of the 2025 cohort. For example, RV Magnetics has secured strategic defence contracts following testing at the National Physics Laboratory, while AI Verse has successfully raised €5 million in new funding to scale its synthetic data platform. For professionals and sub-contractors within the UK defence supply chain, these programmes offer a clear pathway for high-growth SMEs to scale their operations and achieve battlefield-ready status. By fostering collaboration between government, industry, and academia, the Janus accelerator ensures that the next generation of defence technology is both mission-relevant and commercially viable.
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Post written by: Vicky Maggiani
Vicky has worked in media for over 25 years and has a wealth of experience in editing and creating copy for a variety of sectors.
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