The New Transatlantic Defence Architecture: Integrating ReArm Europe, NATO DIANA & Industrial Finance

While capital markets digest the new sovereign guarantees, a parallel revolution just occurred in Brussels and Norfolk. With the adoption of the EU’s ‘Mini-Omnibus’ regulation on 18 December and the launch of NATO DIANA’s largest-ever cohort, the West has activated a unified dual-use innovation machine. This is no longer just about R&D grants; it is a synchronized pipeline designed to fast-track technology from the lab to the battlefield. For the first time, EU institutions have formalised a targeted pathway for dual-use and defence-oriented companies to access existing EU innovation instruments—most notably by extending the European Innovation Council’s Accelerator to such companies and by strengthening the STEP Seal as a de-risking signal—while NATO DIANA is expanding a large-scale accelerator and test-centre network and developing rapid-adoption procedures intended to shorten the transition from validation to procurement. This report maps the new regulatory pathways that allow startups to access EU grants, validate tech with NATO end-users, and scale industrially with EIB backing—creating a seamless trajectory for 2026. Don't just follow the money; understand the rules that govern the next decade of defence tech. Subscribe now for the full regulatory roadmap.