“ We are at the midway point in this inaugural running of the six-month DIANA boot camp , and it has been incredibly inspiring and a genuine honor for our team to play a role in the implementation of the program and witness the significant growth of every one of the eight startups in our cohort . We consider ourselves very fortunate to have the opportunity to work with such brilliant , motivated and capable individuals and be a part of this boldly ambitious effort to support NATO ’ s mission and vision .”
Curated by the PNDC DIANA team , with the experience and reach of the PNDC network , our cadre of mentors is formed of seasoned professionals from the verticals of marketing , technology , defense , government agencies , and venture capital . These mentors offer invaluable guidance on product development , market strategy , and fundraising and pave the way towards crucial introductions to potential partners and customers in both consumer and military sectors .
“ PNW MAC is grateful for the generous outpouring of support from local firms and experts who have volunteered their time to support the NATO DIANA accelerator . Our exceptional team of mentors has helped startups position their businesses to effectively market innovative technologies to NATO , as well as to U . S . DOD customers . Furthermore , a talented team of local experts has also delivered impactful instructional content that will help startups achieve overall commercial success as well as cater to the unique needs , and sometimes complex processes , of defense markets .” Chris Groves , executive director , PNW MAC
Initially , NATO DIANA had over 1000 applications for what became 44 spots in our boot camp program . Innovators are offered five in-person training and learning days — introduced to mentors in all different areas integral to start up success . The Northwest program supports eight of those globally-based innovators from our Puget Sound location . The affiliation with NATO DI- ANA has been a game changer for the innovators .
Says Derek Neufeld of DynoRotor , “ The EU Outreach Days were very helpful .” “ DIANA opens the door and raises interest and credibility by magnitudes ,” adds Christian Lenczowski , Seadar .
The cohort consists of the following innovative companies functioning within the challenge areas provided by NATO :
Sensing and Surveillance
… Dolphin Labs utilizes ocean waves and current to generate power for underwater surveillance
… Ping DSP innovates 3D sonar , high resolution underwater mapping … Seadar revolutionizes underwater radar grid technology
… Skarv Technologies creates underwater autonomous vehicles ( drone-like technology )
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