The Digital Infrastructure Programme’s 5G Innovation Fund is now open to City Deal partners and regional public sector bodies until March 2024 

Swansea Bay City Deal’s Digidol Bargen Ddinesig Bae Abertawe is picking up the pace with numerous digital developments.  One of which is the 5G Innovation Fund, which has already successfully awarded funds totalling £1.55 million to the City Deal’s Campuses Project, which is set to transform health, wellbeing and sport science technology across the region.  

The 5G Innovation Fund is now seeking additional projects to collaborate with, to extend this groundbreaking initiative, aimed at fostering the development and adoption of 5G technology within the region.    

The first round of funding now open until the end of March 2024 is for full applications as well as speculative expressions of interest, runs until the end of March 2024 and is exclusively open to Swansea Bay City Deal (SBCD) Project and Programme leads and other regional public sector organisations. The 5G Innovation fund will provide capital funding to kickstart projects that aim to harness the potential of 5G technology and align with the strategic ambitions of the SBCD.   

Geared towards interventions that drive innovation through the accelerated adoption of advanced digital applications and solutions, successful projects will need to deliver the capital infrastructure to be delivered within 12-months of grant award, to ensure swift adoption of 5G applications and delivery of their projects use cases.  

Speaking about the fund’s potential, Jason Jones, Senior Responsible Owner commented, “The opportunities that come from 5G technologies are limitless, so it is vital that projects within our region have access to funds such as this, to help make them a reality.  The City Deal area has a vast amount of potential and with the right digital infrastructure in place, it can become a world leader in technology and innovation.”  

The first awarding has already catapulted the Campuses Project’s planning, with key timelines now being set up for its delivery.  Richard Lancaster, Senior Manager at Swansea University and Campuses Project Lead said, “The £1.5 million injection from the 5G Innovation Fund will certainly make a huge difference to the project’s scope and will inevitably allow us to deliver the aspirational innovations that will change the health, wellbeing and sport-science capabilities across the region.” 

The 5G Innovation Fund represents a pivotal step forward in the Swansea Bay City Deal’s commitment to fostering innovation and digital advancements.  By supporting projects that leverage 5G technology, the fund aims to propel the region through the adoption of emerging technologies, unlocking new possibilities and driving economic growth.