The new facility, based at Gdańsk University of Technology, is part of NATO’s Defence Innovation Accelerator for the North Atlantic (DIANA).
The program connects researchers, startups, and defense users to help move advanced technologies into practice more quickly, and concentrates on dual-use technologies, meaning they can be used in civilian life as well as by the military.
A “Living Lab” is designed to test technologies in conditions closer to real operations than a standard laboratory.
Polish officials say the center will help bridge the gap between research and actual military use. It is built on cooperation between the university, the Polish Armaments Group (PGZ) and the defense ministry.
Defence Minister Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz said in a letter read during the launch on Monday that the project sends a clear signal that Poland’s security is closely tied to that of the whole alliance.
He added that modern deterrence and defense are shaped by technology, innovation, social resilience and shared responsibility, not just by the number of troops and pieces of equipment.
In a separate letter, President Karol Nawrocki said modern warfare is shaped by speed of thinking, adaptation and implementation, alongside firepower.
Nawrocki said engineering creativity can save soldiers’ lives and influence the outcome of operations, and argued that the Baltic Sea has strategic importance for deterrence on NATO’s eastern flank, the part of the alliance closest to Russia and Belarus.
During the event, companies from the DIANA program presented a range of new systems, including next-generation communications, cryptographic tools, cybersecurity solutions and technology for detecting and identifying drones.
One of the most visual parts of the launch was a live drone-detection demonstration on the university campus.
The center is expected to be open year-round to innovators from across NATO, with priority access for the Polish Armed Forces and companies that combine different technologies into larger defense systems. The first visits by end users are planned for the second half of 2026.
DIANA was launched by NATO in 2023 to support startups and research teams working on advanced science-based technologies for security and defense. The organization works with more than 200 accelerator sites and test centers across the alliance.
Poland’s role in the program is coordinated by the innovation department of the defence ministry.
(rt/gs)
Source: PAP