INSIGHTS / News

Businesses at the forefront of innovation for 5G+ infrastructure and applications will soon be able to access support designed to put them on the global telecoms map through the new UK Telecoms Innovation Network (UKTIN).

UKTIN, which is funded by UK Government and supported by the newly formed Department for Science, Innovation & Technology, is set to become the focal point for promoting research, collaboration, and commercial applications of 5G in the UK.

It will connect innovators in telecoms and adjacent sectors to sources of investment, targeted support, and talent, helping them on the path to commercialisation and accelerating their growth.

The University of Bristol, one of SETsquared’s university partners, is part of the consortium, which will deliver UKTIN alongside the Digital Catapult, Cambridge Wireless (CW), and WM5G

Through its Smart Internet Lab, Bristol is an international leader in Future Networks research and innovation.

To support the translation of early-stage technology solutions into commercial products, SETsquared and the University of Bristol will deliver a comprehensive programme of support, including Innovation Workouts, to ensure companies have well-developed business models with the potential to scale globally and Investment Workouts to get them investor-ready.

Companies will be able to join a digital community which will provide a space to make connections and share opportunities.

The telecoms infrastructure underpins much of the economic and social activity in the UK. All sectors rely in some shape or form on the connectivity provided by telecoms, the services it enables, and the activities it supports. As such, it’s a critical part of the UK’s national infrastructure and economy.

The UK has been at the forefront of the global adoption of 5G, and implementing UKTIN as a focal point for the sector is a key part of the Government’s strategic plan to remain ahead of the curve with 6G on the horizon.

Karen Brooks, Head of Scale-Up, SETsquared, said: “We’re delighted to be working with the University of Bristol on UKTIN, to deliver Investment and Innovation Workouts to support the next generation of telecoms companies to become globally competitive. There’s a huge amount of innovation happening in this space. We must harness that and build connections across industry and academia to stimulate further growth.”

SETsquared has a strong track record in supporting companies at the forefront of innovation for the 5G+ infrastructure and applications, including:

• Southampton-based AccelerComm has developed technology solutions that increase throughput, consume less power and reduce latency across 5G. The company has grown to a team of over 50, and the technology is being rolled out globally.
• Surrey-based Lime Microsystems specialises in field programmable RF (FPRF) transceivers, software-defined radio (SDR) platforms, and ecosystem technology for the next generation of wireless communications systems.
• Formerly Bristol-based Ubiquisys, exited to Cisco in 2013, developed and deployed million+ Small Cells for homes/office/public spaces, giving phone coverage where there was none.
• Beam Connectivity has developed ‘Connected Vehicle as a Service’, a platform that connects vehicles, the cloud, IT infrastructure and mobile apps to unlock the value of data a vehicle fleet generates. With support from SETsquared’s Scale-Up Programme, the company secured funding through the Industrial Strategy Challenge Fund Digital Security by Design project from UKRI, alongside the University of Exeter.

Dates for the Innovation and Investment Workouts will soon be available. To get early access to this support, sign up for SETsquared’s Innovation Platform

Find out more about UKTIN