NATO Deputy Secretary General Mircea Geoană opened the “InnovX-BCR DemoDay” innovation conference in Romania on Wednesday (15 June 2022). In a virtual keynote address, he stressed the importance of NATO maintaining its technological edge in order to protect the Alliance’s one billion citizens.
Remaining an innovative and cutting-edge Alliance is vital at a time when authoritarian regimes are challenging NATO’s edge, said Mr Geoană. He noted that Russia has invested heavily in new technologies including hypersonic missiles, cyber capabilities, and disinformation campaigns. He added that for the first time, China has joined Russia in openly challenging core security principles, and in amplifying dangerous disinformation. He further pointed to China’s massive military modernisation, including on Artificial Intelligence. Beijing is “investing heavily in these ambitions, with the second largest defence budget in the world, but with little regard for international law or human rights,” said the Deputy Secretary General.
Mr. Geoană underlined his determination to drive innovation forward across the Alliance, including through a roadmap on emerging and disruptive technologies; NATO’s new Defence Innovation Accelerator for the North Atlantic (DIANA); and work to set up a billion-euro NATO innovation fund.
The InnovX-BCR conference is aimed at promoting innovation in Romania and the wider Central and Eastern European region, bringing together venture-capital, private enterprises, and start-ups from across Europe and beyond.