Teaching Innovation Through Practice.
Project Mercury is a joint endeavor between Allied Command Transformation and Innovatrium Ann Arbor, designed to build the innovation skills, culture, and connections your unit needs to thrive. Led by a dynamic PhD-level faculty, Project Mercury provides an immersive environment in which individuals and teams have to research, experiment, and take appropriate risks. We require a highly motivated, diverse group of individuals dedicated to building the innovation culture, competencies, and community NATO and Allies need.
Next Cohort
A hybrid programme including pre-course preparation, virtual orientation, a three-day in-person kick-off, a 12-week Innovation Acceleration Phase, coaching, academic elements, team-based innovation work, and a final pitch with a video submission. Approximately 40 participants from across the Alliance take part each year.
Cohort 3
March – June
Cohort 3 Jumpstart
March 17 – March 19
Grünheide (Mark), Germany
What is Project Mercury
Project Mercury is NATO’s innovation development programme sponsored by Allied Command Transformation. Its mission is to instill a strong culture of innovation, build practical competencies, and nurture a connected community of innovators across the Alliance, with the ultimate goal of outpacing competitors in a rapidly evolving security environment. As Allies confront new technological, operational, and geopolitical pressures, the programme supports the continuous transformation of the Military Instrument of Power to meet both current and future needs.
Adapted from a successful U.S. model, Project Mercury is fully rank-neutral, bringing together personnel from different nations, roles, and experience levels to collaborate as equals. While designed primarily for NATO staff, selected external applicants may also participate. The programme’s unique value lies in its hands-on approach: participants are immersed in the foundations of emergent military innovation culture, learning through experimentation, creative teamwork, and the direct application of innovation tools to real NATO challenges.
Through this practical, immersive method, participants develop a shared innovation mindset, gain repeatable problem-solving skills, and build the adaptability required for complex operational environments. They also join a lasting multinational network of peers committed to driving innovation across the Alliance. Recent examples, such as the agile implementation of NATO Task Force-X Baltic, illustrate the kind of rapid, cross-functional innovation mindset the programme seeks to cultivate.
What The Programme Aims To Achieve
- Empower Innovative Thinkers. Participants learn to challenge assumptions, explore alternative solutions, and operate confidently amid uncertainty.
- Strengthen Collaboration and Reduce Hierarchy. A rank-neutral structure enables open dialogue and cooperation across NATO’s diverse workforce.
- Build Lasting Innovation Capacity. The annual Cohort Programme blends academic learning, coaching, and team innovation work over 13 weeks, beginning with an in-person kick-off and concluding with a final pitch and video.
- Expand a Multinational Innovation Network. Workshops and cohorts steadily grow a community of innovation practitioners who share ideas and accelerate progress across commands.
- Turn Ideas Into Actionable Solutions. Participants produce practical concepts addressing NATO challenges. For instance, participants in the November 2025 workshop held at the NATO Joint Force Command Brunssum developed concepts and solutions related to:
- Improving knowledge-sharing and onboarding across NATO
- Countering Russian hybrid activities
- Fostering a culture of adaptability across the Alliance
- Accelerating the adoption of advanced private-sector technologies
- Embedding a multidomain mindset
- Planning infrastructure for future requirements
Leadership at JFC Brunssum expressed interest in implementing several of these proposals, illustrating how Project Mercury transforms creativity into operational benefit.
Programme Structure
Annual Cohort Course
A hybrid programme including pre-course preparation, virtual orientation, a three-day in-person kick-off, a 12-week Innovation Acceleration Phase, coaching, academic elements, team-based innovation work, and a final pitch with a video submission. Approximately 40 participants from across the Alliance take part each year.
Applications available here.
Workshops (Two Per Year)
Project Mercury Workshops are three-day, in-person events designed to accelerate the adoption of innovation culture, competency, and community across NATO. They introduce participants to foundational innovation concepts and immerse them in hands-on teamwork experiences that build practical skills and shared understanding. The workshops help individuals and their organizations cultivate lasting “innovation readiness,” the ability to innovate repeatedly by applying the mindsets, tools, and connections developed throughout the Project Mercury experience. They also serve as an accessible entry point for those considering participation in the more extensive Cohort Programme.
Why Project Mercury Matters
NATO faces accelerating technological change, hybrid threats, and growing strategic complexity. Preparing for this environment requires new ways of thinking as much as new capabilities. Project Mercury contributes by developing innovators who can drive change within their commands, enhancing resilience and adaptability across the Alliance, strengthening multinational cooperation through a shared innovation community, and transforming creative ideas into operational advantage. In doing so, it helps ensure NATO remains agile, competitive, and ready for the challenges ahead.
Learn More
Get more information on Project Mercury at NATO: https://www.act.nato.int/activities/project-mercury/