Colonel Michał Żołnierowicz is the Acting Deputy Director and Head of the International Cooperation Branch at the Innovation Department of the Ministry of Defence in Warsaw. He has extensive experience in international cooperation and advanced defence technologies, supporting their development and implementation both domestically and internationally.
Previously, as Chief Specialist for Science and Technology and Armaments at the International Military Staff of NATO Headquarters, he was responsible for implementing key Alliance documents on emerging and disruptive technologies and innovation. This position enabled him to directly influence NATO’s approach to adopting new technologies and strengthening the defence capabilities of Allied nations.
Currently, he specialises in the research and development of defence technologies, with a focus on enhancing the capabilities of the Polish Armed Forces. He coordinates national and international projects, including those conducted within NATO, the European Union, and through bilateral cooperation. He oversees the participation of Polish technological, scientific, and industrial entities in initiatives funded by the European Defence Fund, as well as in other innovative mechanisms such as the IDA (Investments, Dual-use, Adaptation) Bootcamp, DIANA (Defence Innovation Accelerator for the North Atlantic), and the NATO Innovation Fund (NIF).
He represents the Director of the Innovation Department as Poland’s member on the DIANA Board of Directors and Finance Committee, and serves as the National Director for Research and Technology on the European Defence Agency’s Steering Board and NATO Science and Technology Organization (STO).
His mission is to introduce mechanisms into the Armed Forces to identify, accelerate, and rapidly adopt dual-use technologies with the potential to revolutionise future defence capabilities.