Digital Catapult, organising national tech innovation centres on behalf of Innovate UK, the UK government’s innovation agency, has recruited operator Vodafone to connect up its newest 5G innovation lab in Newcastle-upon-Tyne, in the northeast of the country. Vodafone has been appointed as “delivery partner” on the project, and will supply and manage standalone 5G (SA) connectivity (and “future networks”) to the setup.
The initiative, funded by the North of Tyne Combined Authority, and opened in phases through the summer (2024), aims to help local businesses “overcome barriers to adopting advanced technologies”. It will be open to local companies, and also residents, and provide a co-working space, meeting rooms, and event spaces. The plan is to host tech workshops and demos for local enterprises, and to tap into local digital talent.
The new 5G lab will be located in Eldon Square, in the centre of Newcastle. The lab will also provide connectivity to a digital production facility, PROTO, owned by Advanced Media Production, in Gateshead, across the river Tyne. Advanced Media Production works with animators, film makers and games developers. The pitch is to create a “robust testing ground for solutions in a real-world environment” to help the firm develop and deploy its products.
The co-working space will be ready by spring 2024, and managed by local coworking company Floe; the 5G Immersive Lab will open at the end of summer. Property management firm Pradera Lateral, which manages the venue in Eldon Square, is engaged in a “greater development” of the city’s built infrastructure, which will generate around 375 full-time jobs, 490 jobs during construction, and around £16 million in economic value, said a statement.
Vodafone quoted research that says digital opportunities in Newcastle are worth up to £30 billion to investors currently. Venture capital investment into businesses in the North East of England more than doubled to £23.9 million in the second quarter of 2023. The new lab development will support businesses in the city of Newcastle and the towns of Morpeth, Hexham and Alnwick, and communities and sectors in rural parts of Northumberland, as well.
Dynamo North East, a membership organisation for the technology industry, will help to identify SMEsin the North of Tyne region to benefit from the project. Jamie Driscoll, mayor for the North of Tyne region, said: “5G is more than just [about] streaming videos faster on your phone. It helps businesses to innovate and solve problems – [whether] more automation in offshore renewable energy, driverless cars, even improved customer experience in shops.”
He added: “We don’t yet know the full capabilities of 5G and it will mean different things for different industries. That’s why this lab is really exciting, as it will provide the right environment and tools for businesses to test it out in a low cost, low risk way.”
Richard Wearmouth, cabinet lead for clean energy and connectivity in Newcastle city council, said: “5G development is a key milestone in our journey towards a better connected region and I’m excited about the opportunities this new lab will offer businesses – especially those in our rural areas, where we know there are still improvements to be made. It’s great to see this project get off the ground.”
Nick Gliddon, business director at Vodafone UK, said: “Businesses are important pillars in any community. Not only for playing pivotal roles in driving job creation and contributing to both the local economy and the UK’s GDP, but also for sparking innovation… [But] recent research [says] UK SMEs are missing out on £8.6 billion a year in productivity savings due to the slow roll-out of 5G SA… 5G digital innovation labs are vitally important in providing these businesses with access to the latest technology, which is needed to scale up their operations and stay competitive.”
Ashmita Randhawa, director of research and development at Digital Catapult North East Tees Valley, said: “The new lab represents a tremendous opportunity for local companies to access the latest immersive and 5G technologies that will shape the future of business… [It] will break down barriers to digital adoption and empower local businesses to embrace new solutions that can drive productivity, efficiency and growth.”
