New 5G testbed and PoC grant for NI businesses

Start-ups and SMEs are invited to apply for £75,000 innovation grant following the launch of a new 5G testbed in Derry~Londonderry

Local technology consortium Smart Nano NI has launched a new 5G testbed in Derry~Londonderry, marking a significant step in a five-year plan to accelerate smart manufacturing in Northern Ireland.

Led by consortium partner Digital Catapult, the 5G testbed will deliver cutting-edge 5G and 4G private network facilities in partnership with the global IT and business consulting services firm CGI.

The testbed will consist of:

• a smart education site at the Industry 4.0 Centre in the Northwest Regional College's Springtown Campus that will give both students and industry access to test and explore new use cases of the 5G private network
• the manufacturing site, hosted at Seagate's manufacturing facility, that will give businesses the opportunity to test the technology in a live manufacturing setting

Both will be instrumental in upskilling the next generation of innovators and experts across the country.

Manufacturing Innovation Challenge

Following the launch, Digital Catapult have also opened a call their Smart Nano Accelerator Programme, offering businesses access to the 5G testbed for the first time, and a chance to potentially win a £75,000 grant as part of a new Manufacturing Innovation Challenge.

As part of the competition, startups and SMEs can submit ideas for new technology solutions to solve manufacturing challenges and compete for a Techstart Ventures Proof of Concept (PoC) grant to explore the viability and commercial potential of their concept.

There are two strands to this call:

• Seagate Technology Challenge - looking at how organisations utilise immersive technology to aid the manufacturing process and improve efficiency, quality or health and safety
• Open Challenge - businesses can address their R&D priorities relevant to their own roadmap, including but not limited to adopting 5G, immersive technology and sustainability

Businesses interested in participating can find out more and apply online.

First published 26 September 2023