London (September 10, 2024): We are excited to announce today that IONATE has been chosen as one of ten companies joining the second phase of the Defence Innovation Accelerator for the North Atlantic (DIANA).
In 2023, IONATE was one of 44 innovators who were selected out of 1500+ applicants into the first acceleration cohort of the newly formed DIANA, an organisation set up by NATO Allies to tackle complex security challenges with disruptive dual-use technologies. Throughout the six-months of this 'Bootcamp', IONATE worked with DIANA's global experts in business, technology, and academia to accelerate its value add for resilient energy systems.
As part of Phase II, IONATE will receive additional funding up to €300 000, as well as tailored programming, investor networking, and adoption opportunities.
Energy is at the heart of our economies and through the first six months of DIANA, IONATE has proven that we are rigorous about securely modernising our power systems" said IONATE’s Founder & CEO Matthew Williams. "To be selected into the final ten, from so many cutting-edge innovators, is a vote of confidence from NATO's experts that our work is key for a resilient, prosperous future.
The ten innovators come from seven nations, specialising in a range of technology fields sectors from quantum sensing to renewable energy to ultra cold matter.
To move into Phase II, innovators had to demonstrate progress in their commercial and defence market potential, the technical viability and novelty of their solutions, and their investment readiness. Review panels comprised technical, defence and innovation experts. IONATE is one of the two energy resilience companies that made it to this stage.
“We’re proud to announce the ten innovative companies moving into Phase II,” said Professor Deeph Chana, Managing Director of DIANA. “To solve complex security and resilience problems, we need an ecosystem of creative, collaborative innovators willing to bring their talent and expertise to bear. These ten innovators, and indeed all of our first cohort, are paving the way for a strong pipeline of innovation for Allied nations to adopt.”
DIANA's Chief Commercial Officer Adrian Dan said, "We were impressed by the dedication and quality of the innovators going through the first accelerator programme. The ten innovators moving into Phase II represent emerging technologies with high adoption potential, significant commercial viability and close alignment with Allied needs. With increased exposure to investors, end users and partners, we are excited to see how far our innovators will go."
IONATE will use this opportunity to strengthen its connections across DIANA's global network, as its state-of-the-art smart grid technology begins adding value for the energy transition. Further, NATO's access to test networks is invaluable for any deep-tech innovator, and IONATE will continue to use the rigorous standards to validate its technology.
About IONATE:
IONATE is building the technology backbone for smart grids. Their hardware, the Hybrid Intelligent Transformer (HIT) delivers the first meaningful innovation to the building blocks of the power grid in over a hundred years. Taking advantage of magnetic control, the HIT combines data with precise power flow management to resolve urgent issues, serving as an all-in-one reinforcement for the network and the big things connecting.
But in doing so, HITs effectively light up real-time control nodes for the very first time. Coordinated by IONATE’s software, they turn the passive, old grid into the smart, self-healing, decentralized energy platform we need for the 21st century.
About DIANA:
DIANA is the Defence Innovation Accelerator for the North Atlantic, a NATO organisation with a mission to locate and accelerate dual-use innovation across the Alliance. DIANA provides technology developers with the resources, networks and expertise to address critical defence and security challenges, to create a more peaceful and resilient future. Learn more at www.diana.nato.int.
Comments