Collaboration drives Innovation

NATO’s ambitious approach to emerging and disruptive technologies—through initiatives like the NATO AI Strategy, DIANA, and the NATO Innovation Fund—is driven by strong collaboration with leading voices from the public, private and academic sectors on technologies and their implications. To that end, the Secretary General’s Advisory Group on Emerging and Disruptive Technologies (EDTs) is an independent group that brings together experts to provide advice to the Alliance on critical issues related to innovation and EDTs.

The first Group, appointed in 2020, provided invaluable inputs that helped shape NATO’s innovation initiatives. The new NATO Advisory Group on EDTs, appointed this autumn, is composed of 12 experts from: Belgium, Denmark, Estonia, France, Greece, Lithuania, Norway, Poland, Romania, Spain, United Kingdom and the United States of America.

The Group members hail from illustrious careers in industry, government and academia and have deep expertise in diverse fields such as quantum technologies, biotechnologies, entrepreneurship, venture capital, and responsible innovation. Together, they bring unique expertise in different segments of our transatlantic innovation ecosystem.

For the next two years, the Group will advise NATO stakeholders on key issues and innovation processes, including the Alliance’s strategic approach to specific EDTs and efforts to establish a culture of innovation across NATO. The Group will also support the two breakthrough initiatives from NATO 2030: DIANA and the NATO Innovation Fund.

On October 24th, this new Advisory Group on EDTs held their first meeting at NATO Headquarters in Brussels. As part of this launch, the Group attended the NATO Innovation Board, chaired by Deputy Secretary General Mircea Geoană, where they met with the senior civilian and military leadership from across the NATO Enterprise.