NATO officially launches industry “front door” portal

NATO has officially launched its Front Door for Industry, a single portal that allows companies to access procurement opportunities, innovation support mechanisms, and events from across the alliance, among other pathways for engagement.  

Announced by NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte at the NATO Summit Defence Industry Forum in Ankara, Turkey on 7 July, the portal is designed for businesses of all sizes, including SMEs and startups.  

DSEI Gateway reported in May that the portal was due to be launched, with a NATO official explaining that it will help companies “navigate NATO's organisational complexity”. According to the official, the Front Door for Industry will evolve over time, with plans to expand its remit. 

Rutte emphasised that the portal will “improve awareness of opportunities and streamline engagement with the alliance”.  

Through the portal, NATO has also released a “consolidated unclassified demand signal”. This signal is intended to provide industry with the alliance’s innovation priorities and capability requirements, so that companies can identify what technologies are relevant. 

How will NATO support defence production?  

Alongside the Front Door for Industry, Rutte also announced NATO Engine, a framework designed to bring manufacturers that have excess or flexible capacity together with companies that require facilities to scale up their production.  

A request for information has been launched by NATO, inviting manufacturers to express their interest in taking part in a NATO Engine pilot for 12 months. The alliance is seeking respondents in additive manufacturing, engineering services, and manufacturing-as-a-service. The deadline to respond to the notice is 27 August.  

This framework is specifically intended to support collaboration between European, Canadian, and US companies.