At first glance, the 2026 cohort of NATO’s deeptech accelerator program could read as a simple catalog of innovative projects, a list of technological solutions intended to strengthen the operational superiority of allied forces. However, a more careful reading reveals a much broader message, with a fundamental strategic readjustment in the way Western powers conceive of technology, sovereignty and high-intensity warfare.
This portfolio, made up of around a hundred companies spread across around ten categories, ranging from resilient communication in contested environments to biotechnology in extreme situations, illustrates the emerging priorities of military institutions. Beyond technologies, this cohort above all offers a structured reading of the operational hypotheses that Western armies now consider plausible.
When the evidence of civil infrastructures is no longer acquired
Critical infrastructure has always occupied a central place in military doctrines. Energy, communications, logistics and command have long been decisive levers in the conduct of operations. What the 2026 cohort of the NATO startup program reveals, however, is not a redefinition of this criticality, but a change of perspective on the nature of dependencies built over the last two decades. As armies have integrated globalized civilian infrastructures, whether public cloud, IP networks, GNSS systems, hyperscale data centers, these building blocks, designed for economic optimization and large-scale sharing, have become de facto operational components. However, in a context of confrontation between technologically comparable States, their availability can no longer be assumed. The technologies highlighted in the 2026 cohort thus reflect a desire to reduce dependence on these civil infrastructuresnot to replace them, but to be able to continue operating when they become intermittent, degraded or inaccessible.
Thus in the 2026 cohort, several projects are explicitly designed to work without depending on these civil infrastructures. We thus find post-IP communication solutions, resilient architectures in environments where GPS is jammed or inoperable, or even autonomous networks tolerant of connectivity cuts. These technologies are not intended to replace the cloud or global networks, but to build viable operational alternatives when these systems are no longer accessible.
The implicit is that the continuity of civil digital infrastructures can no longer be taken for granted in a major crisis scenario. War, or even high-intensity confrontation, would be likely to fragment these systems. Military innovation, in response, is reorganizing around the ability to operate in a world where these infrastructures become intermittent.
3 startups from the program to follow
- Enclave GmbH (Germany) — Develops confidential and post-quantum computing infrastructures to run critical applications in resilient 5G environments, including when traditional cloud infrastructures are unavailable.
- Pan Galactic Corporation (UK) — Designs decentralized, quantum-safe communications architectures for multi-domain operations, reducing reliance on centralized civilian networks.
- Tightbeam Photonics (Canada) — Develops low-cost laser communication systems between space and ground, offering an alternative to traditional radio links in jammed or saturated environments.
The primacy of degraded environments
A second learning from this cohort is the centrality given to degraded environments, whether electromagnetic, geographical or logistical. Acceleration projects focus on contexts where signals are scrambled, communications disrupted, or extreme physical conditions.
This orientation materializes in particular in categories dedicated to contested electromagnetic environmentsto the navigation without GNSSor operations in hostile climates. These issues, long considered marginal or specialized, now feature at the heart of the solutions supported by the program. They reflect the strategic anticipation that future conflicts will not resemble recent asymmetric engagements, but confrontations where technological infrastructures, and more broadly the information environment, will be directly contested.
This choice is part of a logic of operational robustness rather than functional optimization. Innovations are not evaluated so much on their finesse or their performance, but on their ability to support action despite the absence or degradation of surrounding systems.
3 startups from the program to follow
- AdamantQ (Sweden) — Develops diamond-based quantum sensors to provide reliable navigation and measurement capabilities in the absence of GNSS.
- CX2 (United States) — Works on electromagnetic protection systems intended to counter jamming, interception and spectrum saturation in contemporary conflicts.
- Testnor (Norway) — Provides GNSS-denied test environments in Arctic conditions, allowing the qualification of systems intended to operate in extreme climatic and electromagnetic contexts.
Autonomy as a design principle
Another common thread in this cohort is the importance given to autonomy, particularly in navigation, communication, and decision-making. Where civil architectures rely on centralized or hierarchical models, the solutions supported here favor systems capable of operating locally, outside global chains of control.
This translates into resilient autonomous vehicle projects, embedded artificial intelligence platforms, or even networks capable of reorganizing without external supervision. The goal is not just to improve efficiency. It is from reduce vulnerability linked to dependence on external infrastructure or a single decision center.
This orientation has profound implications for military doctrine: technological autonomy becomes a condition of strategic resilience. It introduces modes of operation based on systemic robustness rather than permanent connectivity.
3 startups from the program to follow
- Alpha Autonomy (Greece) — Develops swarms of AI-driven autonomous drones capable of conducting low-altitude ISR missions in contested environments.
- Robotto (Denmark) — Offers an on-board, vision-based and GPS-free autonomy module, designed to resist jamming and already proven in operational conditions.
- Neuron Innovations (UK) — Develops secure edge infrastructures enabling the coordination of AI agents and autonomous systems without reliance on the cloud.
Technology at the service of humans in critical situations
Alongside these technical dimensions, the 2026 cohort illustrates renewed attention to the human dimension of combat and crisis. Projects in biotechnology, field health or increasing human capacities (portable diagnostics, innovative therapies, on-board equipment) demonstrate a broader understanding of resilience.
Innovation is no longer limited to the performance of machines alone and aims to maintain and expand the ability of individuals to operate in hostile environmentsincluding when they are isolated from their usual supports. This orientation reflects increased consideration of human complexity in contexts of disruption.
3 startups from the program to follow
- Avivo Biomedical Inc. (Canada) — Designs a unit capable of converting blood groups A, B and AB into universal blood, facilitating medical logistics in operation.
- Deep Breathe Inc. (Canada) — Develops on-board diagnostic tools combining AI and ultrasound for the rapid detection of thoracic trauma in field situations.
- Hourglass Medical (United States) — Offers a rugged, head-mounted telemedicine device enabling remote medical interventions in austere environments.
A Europe that is still heterogeneous but more present
The 2026 cohort also confirms the emergence of competitive European innovation centers, even if dominance in certain categories remains driven by the United Kingdom, the United States and Canada. The presence of French, Belgian, Nordic or Central European players reflects a movement of progressive integration of strategic capabilities on the continent.
This geographical diversity is both a strength and a challenge: it reflects a rich industrial and technological base, but it also highlights the absence of a truly integrated European defense ecosystem. The cohort thus acts as a revealer of potential to consolidatebut also gaps or even deficiencies to fill in terms of coordination and strategic financing.
3 startups from the program to follow
- OLEDCOMM (France) — Develops light-based communication solutions offering non-jamming connections for drones and mobile platforms.
- FOSSA Systems (Spain) — Operates constellations of nanosatellites dedicated to electromagnetic intelligence from low orbit.
- Hydrogen in Motion (Canada) — Develops modular lightweight hydrogen storage systems to extend the energy autonomy of autonomous platforms.
A map of urgency rather than a showcase of innovations
The 2026 cohort is not a simple technological showcase but constitutes a mapping the responses that Allied Powers deem necessary in the face of major disruptions in the operational environment. It highlights a change in perspective where technology is no longer seen only as a factor of efficiency, but as a survival tool in contexts of fragmentation and contestation of civil architectures.
Through these innovations, it is a paradigm shift which is emerging, not focused on maximum performance, but on the ability to remain functional when the hypothesis of continuity is broken. A hypothesis that civil society actors should also consider when choosing their technological developments.
