NATOxDIAMOND 2025
8–12 September 2025 • Zürich, Switzerland
Partners
The 2025 inaugural Deeptech Innovation Academy was an Advanced Study Institute supported by NATO’s Science for Peace and Security Programme.
Organizing partners were from Sweden, Australia, and Switzerland.
Supporters
In addition, we recognize several organizations that helped with special outreach and support.
Directors
The directors of the Deeptech Innovation Academy bring hands-on experience and passion for creating the program’s overall learning experience for the teams involved. They work closely with the mentors.
Three-time honoree of the Top 50 Women Leaders of Education (2023, 2024, 2025)
Coauthor of the award-winning book Building Moonshots and the Playbook for Strategic Foresight and Innovation
Global expert on DARPA and ARPA-inspired models of innovation
Distinguished Global Professor of Radical Innovation, Tecnológico de Monterrey, Mexico
University Lecturer, Blekinge Institute of Technology, Sweden
Linley Lord, DBA
Academic Lead of University Transformation — Resources Technology and Critical Minerals Trailblazer, Curtin University
Previously Associate Deputy Vice Chancellor Global at Curtin University and Pro Vice Chancellor and President of Curtin Singapore
Mentors
The full academy name is the Deeptech Innovation Academy for Mentorship, Outreach, Networking, and Development (or DIAMOND for short 💎), which addresses the full scope needed to turn lab ideas into tech startups. The M in DIAMOND is all about mentorship from experienced operators, those who have hands-on experience in building a startup or company function — including understanding the specific needs and nuances that deep tech innovation requires.
Craig Litherland, JD
Intellectual Property
Silicon Valley, USA
Head of Intellectual Property at Mainspring Energy, which is a new breed of clean electric generator that replaces diesel as backup power for data centers
William Cockayne, PhD
Business Models
Stockholm, Sweden
Serial inventor and innovator
Previously award-winning lecturer of strategic foresight at Stanford University
Informal mentor to multiple founders of unicorn startups
Coauthor of the award-winning book Building Moonshots and the Playbook for Strategic Foresight and Innovation
Julia Wagner, PhD
Startup Financing & Investing
Zurich, Switzerland
Cofounder of a biotech startup and ETH spinout
Recent investor at Positron Ventures, funding moonshot teams for (planetary) health
Founding partner of S2S Ventures, a student-run Swiss venture fund
Member of European Women in VC
Tim Paciolla
Product Strategy & Development
Sydney, Australia
Chief Product Officer at Innowell, a startup focused on mental health solutions
Previously Head of Design at global software company Atlassian, Creative Director at global design agency frog, and product-related roles at Yahoo! and Apple
Schedule
In just 5 days onsite, we help your team achieve 5 critical startup milestones: how to file an initial patent, incorporate your company with a sensible cap table, build your CRM, map your funding journey, and plan your tech-into-product milestones. We start with light online prep to get your team ready, and we follow up with an online check-in series to support your team momentum.
2025 IMPORTANT DATES
Jul 1 Applications open
Jul 18 Early decision notice: apply early!
Aug 1 Applications close **now closed
Jul 31 Final decision notice & wait list
Aug 20 Team prep call online
Sep 8 Onsite program starts (Zürich)
Sep 12 Onsite program ends (Zürich)
Dec 19 Post online series ends
PREP
August 20
16:00—17:30 CET
Team orientation
In an online call, we review the onsite program agenda, explain key team preparation items due, and discuss any questions you have beforehand to get your team ready.
Online
Dial-in details will be sent in advance prior by email.
MONDAY
September 8
9:00–20:00 CET
File your patent
We help you identify your deep tech strategic advantage, work through the tough questions on intellectual property, and translate that into a US provisional patent application. We end the day with a group welcome dinner!
Timing
9:00—12:00 Team welcome at Kraftwerk (📍map pin)
12:00—14:00 Lunch
14:00—17:00 Team GSD
17:30—20:00 Group welcome dinner
TUESDAY
September 9
9:00–17:00 CET
Incorporate your startup
We help you submit incorporation papers and build a cap table, which is an important founding document that shows the equity ownership of a company for cofounders, investors, employees, and other stakeholders.
Timing
9:00—12:00 UZH cafe
12:00—14:00 Lunch
14:00—17:00 Team GSD
WEDNESDAY
September 10
9:00–17:00 CET
Build Your CRM
CRM stands for Customer Relationship Management. We work with your team to build an initial CRM strategy and target list to help your team anticipate and manage customer knowledge throughout the customer lifecycle.
Timing
9:00—12:00 UZH cafe
12:00—14:00 Lunch
14:00—17:00 ViCAFE Rösterei & Kaffeebar (📍map pin)
THURSDAY
September 11
9:00–17:00 CET
Define a Funding Journey
We help your team define which kinds of funding exist for your idea, plot the next set of investor conversations, and prepare what you need to be truly investable.
FRIDAY
September 12
9:00–17:00 CET
Map Product Milestones
Before your team rushes to build the proverbial MVP (minimum viable prototype), we help you understand tech-into-product thinking and how to “productize” and stage delivery milestones appropriate to deep tech.
Timing
9:00—12:00 ETH Alumni Pavillon (📍map pin)
12:00—14:00 Lunch
14:00—17:00 Team GSD
17:30—20:00 Group farewell dinner
POST WORK
October 6, 16:30 CET
November 26, 8:00 CET
Team Follow Up
We will organize regular touch points after the program from October through late December to continue your team’s momentum and activities.
Online
Dial-in details will be sent in advance by email.
All program instruction is in English. Teams may switch to their preferred language during group exercises.
Program Kickoff
Kraftwerk
Located in a former power plant, Kraftwerk is an industrial-style venue featuring working and event spaces, plus a retro-chic restaurant, bar and cafe. It is within walking distance of Zurich main station.
We will start upstairs in their Command Room.
https://kraftwerk.zuerich
Selnaustrasse 25
8001 Zürich, Switzerland
(📍map pin)
Nearest station: Zürich Selnau
Event hotel #1
Hotel KRONE
KRONE is Zürich’s first pop-up hotel, located directly on the Limmatquai (river) in the historical heart of this beautiful city. We have arranged a room block for program participants. Simply furnished rooms in a nearly 500-year-old house feature free internet and desks, along with river and old city views. There is a mix of single rooms and double rooms that have private sinks and shared bathrooms. The Rudolf-Brun-Brücke tram stop is right in front, and the Zürich Hauptbahnhof (Zürich HB central train station) is a 7-minute walk away from the hotel.
https://www.kronezurich.ch
Limmatquai 88, Zürich, 8001, Switzerland (📍 map pin)
Event hotel #2
Fred Hotel Hauptbahnhof
We have a second hotel block at Fred Hotel Zürich Hauptbahnhof. Family run, this hotel is well located near the main train station with a Starbucks cafe at the street level. Participants staying here will share a room.
https://fredhotels.ch/en/fred-hotel-zurich-hauptbahnhof/
Limmatstrasse 5, 8005 Zürich
(📍map pin)