Birmingham firm receives £3.6M funding for cutting-edge 5G tech
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Novocomms, a Birmingham-based antenna specialist, has successfully secured £3.6 million in funding from the Government’s Small Business Research Initiative (SBRI).
The funding will be utilised to develop 5G mmWave consumer premises equipment (CPE), positioning Novocomms to potentially recruit up to ten new electronic engineers. The successful implementation of the new technology could lead to the creation of an additional 50 production roles.
Current market offerings for high-speed CPE units often incorporate existing technologies designed for the new 28 GHz bands, which may restrict the full potential of 5G at mmWave frequencies.
Over the next 13 months, Novocomms plans to craft a solution using advanced silicon, software, and an electronically steerable antenna, aiming to set a new standard in the sector.
The project received its funding through Innovate UK, as part of the Small Business Research Initiative.
“We’re delighted to have secured this funding from the SBRI, as it gives us the vital support we need to develop new technologies that will be used across the world. This is not simply research and development but is linked commercially to our belief that the global market for 5G mmWave devices is enormous. Our predictions on the huge potential for this technology were re-confirmed at this year’s Mobile World Congress, where there was a lot of interest in the adoption of 28 GHz,” explained Sampson Hu, founder and CEO of Novocomms.