SEATOM (seatomtech.com) has been selected to join the 2026 cohort of the NATO Defence Innovation Accelerator for the North Atlantic (DIANA), marking a meaningful step for a company that sits right at the intersection of energy, maritime engineering, and defence. The company was chosen under DIANA’s Operations in Extreme Environments Challenge, a track focused on technologies capable of operating reliably where conditions are least forgiving—think Arctic waters, remote maritime routes, and infrastructure-starved regions where conventional power solutions quietly fail. SEATOM’s core proposition, an affordable and modular micro nuclear reactor system designed for marine and extreme environments, stood out as a dual-use technology with both civilian and defence relevance, which is exactly the kind of signal NATO is looking for right now.
At its core, SEATOM Technologies is building nuclear propulsion systems for the maritime industry with clear dual-use potential, a positioning that feels increasingly aligned with geopolitical and regulatory realities. Over the next six months, the company will take part in DIANA’s Core Programme, working closely with the DualTech Accelerator in Turin while tapping into NATO’s wider ecosystem of mentors, technical experts, and specialised test centres across the Alliance. This isn’t just about branding or access; the programme is structured around real-world testing, defence market navigation, and direct engagement with NATO end-users, the sort of feedback loop that can meaningfully accelerate technical readiness rather than just polish pitch decks.
The timing, according to SEATOM’s leadership, is deliberate. Roope Marttila, cofounder and co-CEO, framed the moment bluntly, noting that nuclear is re-entering the conversation as regulations evolve and public perception shifts, particularly around maritime applications where alternatives struggle to match endurance and reliability. It’s a sentiment that’s been bubbling under the surface for a while, especially as energy security, logistics resilience, and climate constraints start colliding in uncomfortable ways. Nuclear propulsion, once politically radioactive in more ways than one, is being reconsidered through a far more pragmatic lens.
Participation in DIANA also comes with tangible support. SEATOM will receive an initial €100,000 in contractual funding, with the possibility of additional resources earmarked for testing, evaluation, validation, and verification activities—the unglamorous but essential work that turns ambitious concepts into deployable systems. Beyond funding, the opportunity to take part in operational experiments and exercises alongside Allied forces adds a layer of credibility that few early-stage deep-tech companies ever reach, especially in a field as tightly regulated as nuclear technology.
More broadly, the DIANA Challenge Programme functions as an on-ramp into the defence and security markets of NATO’s 32 member nations, lowering barriers that typically keep smaller innovators at arm’s length. For SEATOM, this means not just refining its technology, but hardening its offering for real operational contexts and strengthening its dual-use narrative in a way that resonates with defence planners. The programme officially kicks off on January 19, 2026, with an International Demo Day scheduled for June 2026 in Paris—a milestone that will likely serve as a first public checkpoint for how far SEATOM’s nuclear ambitions have translated into tested, credible capability.