Mindflair PLC (AIM:MFAI) shares rose to 0.7p this morning after the AI-focused investment group said its portfolio company Vizgard had secured a slot in NATO’s Defence Innovation Accelerator for the North Atlantic (DIANA) 2026 cohort, one of the most competitive programmes in defence technology.
Vizgard was chosen from nearly 4,000 applicants. The UK start-up specialises in “visual autonomy”, software that allows cameras and optical systems to interpret their surroundings and make decisions without human oversight.
The idea is to automate long, repetitive monitoring tasks that would otherwise require personnel, especially in defence and critical infrastructure settings.
Its customer list already includes the Ministry of Defence, the Home Office, HMGCC and several police forces, as well as British camera maker Sesanti.
Being part of DIANA brings meaningful advantages: €100,000 of non-dilutive funding, access to more than 180 NATO test centres, tailored mentoring and a simplified route into procurement across the alliance.
Mindflair director Nicholas Lee said the selection was “a strong endorsement” of Vizgard’s technology and bolstered confidence in its long-term prospects.