Birmingham Firm Secures Over £3m in Funding for New 5G Technology

By Anushka Malhotra

1 minute 8 seconds

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Quick Read: Birmingham-based antenna specialist Novocomms has secured £3.6m from the Government's Small Business Research Initiative (SBRI) to develop advanced 5G mmWave consumer premises equipment (CPE).

Birmingham-based antenna specialist Novocomms has successfully secured £3.6 million in funding from the Government’s Small Business Research Initiative (SBRI). This significant grant will be allocated towards the development of 5G mmWave consumer premises equipment (CPE).

The funding will enable Novocomms to hire up to ten new electronic engineers and has the potential to create an additional 50 production jobs if the new technology proves successful. The goal is to develop next-generation 5G solutions using advanced silicon, software, and an electronically steerable antenna over the next 13 months.

Current high-speed CPE units on the market often rely on existing technology for the new 28 GHz bands, potentially limiting the full capabilities of 5G at mmWave frequencies. Novocomms aims to overcome these limitations with its innovative approach.

The funding for this project was provided by Innovate UK through the Small Business Research Initiative. Sampson Hu, founder and CEO of Novocomms, expressed his enthusiasm for the funding:

“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.”

This funding represents a significant boost for Novocomms and the broader Birmingham tech community, promising advancements in 5G technology and job creation in the region.

For more information, visit Novocomms.

What's new

DigiSpinWM Pilot Celebrates Milestone as 11 Investor-Ready Innovations Emerge in the West Midlands

The DigiSpinWM pilot programme, a bold initiative designed to accelerate the spin-out of digital and advanced manufacturing innovations in the West Midlands, has marked a key milestone with a showcase event in Birmingham, unveiling 11 investor-ready ventures developed over the past six months.

Transforming Ideas into Investment Opportunities

Backed by Research England and delivered through a partnership between the University of Wolverhampton, Coventry University, and Birmingham City University via the West Midlands Combined Universities, the programme set out to test a collaborative model for commercialising innovation more efficiently and effectively.

In just six months, DigiSpinWM has:

- Assessed over 40 high-potential technologies for commercial viability
- Delivered tailored support to participants on spin-out strategy and intellectual property development
- Nurtured 11 ventures to investment readiness
- Developed a shared framework for technology transfer across participating universities

The recent showcase celebrated these achievements, spotlighting innovations spanning early-stage development to near-market solutions with the potential for significant societal and economic impact.

A Regional Model for Innovation

Ceri Jones, Director of Research & Enterprise at the University of Wolverhampton, reflected on the programme’s success:

The DigiSpinWM pilot has been a transformative journey. Seeing 11 investor-ready ventures emerge from such a collaborative, regional approach shows what’s possible when we unify efforts across institutions. These spinouts will drive real-world change and position the West Midlands at the forefront of digital and advanced manufacturing.

The pilot’s success is also credited to a strong ecosystem of academic mentors, business advisors, and industry reviewers who provided essential support and guidance to participants.

The showcase event featured live pitches from select ventures to an audience of investors, stakeholders, and innovation leaders, marking a key step towards unlocking the funding required to bring these innovations to market.

With the DigiSpinWM model proving its value, the programme signals a new chapter for spin-out activity in the West Midlands—one built on collaboration, shared infrastructure, and investment-ready innovation.

By Anushka Malhotra

8 Jun