On Thursday, January 22, 2026, at the Kraków Technology Park, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of National Defence Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz took part in the official opening of the Polish accelerator Fort Kraków – DIANA Accelerator Poland, within the NATO DIANA network (Defence Innovation Accelerator for the North Atlantic).
Photo: corporal Wojciech Król/MON
“We need to focus on acceleration – that is, speeding things up. That is what DIANA is for, and that is what the Kraków Technology Park is for. Today we have two important events: a cooperation agreement with MAN Trucks and the opportunity for a major investment in Niepołomice, and the DIANA Center itself, which would not have been possible without the Kraków Technology Park – without this space for innovation and for implementing innovation in everyday life. I would like to sincerely thank everyone who contributed to ensuring that discoveries and inventions, emerging from small companies, turn into major investments, and that Polish, European, and NATO defense companies can make use of them and produce on a large scale,” said Deputy Prime Minister Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz during the event.
“A great example is Rafał Modrzewski – the creator of Earth-observation satellites that Poland has purchased, thanks to which our first military satellites were placed into orbit by the end of last year. They have been launched into space and are already serving the Polish Armed Forces. The company in question, ICEYE, did not find a sufficiently supportive environment in Poland in 2014, so its founder went to Finland and established the company there. Today, I would like us not to lose a single young, open mind, great scientists and future industrial leaders, who want to create something significant from their garage, a small company, or a desk, something that will serve our national security,” the Deputy Prime Minister said at the opening of the Polish accelerator.
The goal of the DIANA network is to connect the expertise of scientists, innovators, and start-ups working on “deep tech” solutions with entities from the defense and military sectors. DIANA’s areas of interest include new and breakthrough technologies such as artificial intelligence, space technologies, quantum technologies, autonomous systems, information and communications technologies, energy, as well as biotechnology, new raw materials and materials, and manufacturing. The main areas of activity of the Kraków DIANA Accelerator will be supporting the implementation of acceleration programs focused on technological solutions needed to ensure the security and defense of all NATO allied countries.
“We face a major challenge in proving that we are not only capable of discovery, that our scientists and start-ups can not only design and patent, but also manufacture on production lines. I believe this is the development barrier that currently separates us. We have outstanding young people, including those who have come to us from Sweden, Denmark, the United Kingdom, and the United States. Thank you very much, because I had the opportunity to exchange a few words with each and every one of you about your projects, especially those that may find applications in counter-drone systems, critical infrastructure protection, or the use of artificial intelligence – not only for military needs, but also for civilian applications,” emphasized the Deputy Prime Minister.
On March 14, 2024, a new map of NATO defense innovation accelerators was announced under the Defence Innovation Accelerator for the North Atlantic (DIANA) program. According to it, the AGH University of Science and Technology in Kraków and the Kraków Technology Park will jointly run the Polish branch of NATO’s defense innovation accelerator – the Kraków DIANA Accelerator. Participation in the accelerator is coordinated by the Ministry of National Defence’s Department of Innovation, which actively supports Poland’s involvement in the DIANA program.
On June 7, 2023, the Ministry of National Defence and the Polish Development Fund signed an agreement to support the development of defense innovations under the Technologies for Defense program in Poland. The first element of this cooperation is the joint promotion of, and information about, the DIANA accelerator.
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