Mobile World Congress

A team of Future Telecoms and Digital experts from Innovate UK will join representatives from the Department for Business and Trade (DBT) at the world’s largest connectivity event, Mobile World Congress (MWC).

Over 100,000 delegates from over 200 countries are expected at the event in Barcelona from 3-5 March.  Innovate UK will be on hand in Hall 7 on Stand 7B26 to talk to delegates about relevant programmes and support offered by the UK’s innovation agency.

Travel grant recipients

This expo represents a tremendous opportunity for businesses in this sector and Innovate UK has enabled several companies to attend MWC through travel grants.

• Acculink
  AccuLink Technology is developing solutions to improve the ability to deploy 5G network infrastructure more reliably by the establishment of automatic alignment of microwave backhaul. AccuLink secured funding from the £70m Technology Missions Fund Future Telecoms Mission, delivered by UK Research and Innovation. It has provided the funding to advance technologies vital for upcoming telecom networks like 6G.
• Archangel Lightworks
  Archangel Lightworks builds deployable communication systems to connect networks in space with networks on the ground, driving down the Size, Weight and Power & Cost (SWaP-C) of optical terminals to make lasercom available and affordable. Its core product, the TERRA-M, is a miniature Optical Ground Station. The TERRA-M brings deployable, resilient connectivity to wherever it is needed, helping to solve some of Earth’s most critical problems from economic inclusion to climate change. Archangel has secured funding from the £70m Technology Missions Fund Future Telecoms Mission and funding from Innovate UK.
• Finchetto
  Finchetto is developing two revolutionary products in the networking space leveraging its patent-protected IP: an ultra-fast, low latency and low power packet switch for high-performance compute; and a sub-wavelength switching ROADM for telecoms. Finchetto secured funding from the £70m Technology Missions Fund Future Telecoms Mission. It has provided the funding to advance technologies vital for upcoming telecom networks like 6G.
• FlexiFone
  FlexiFone is a Multi-Network MVNO in the UK, offering a Multi-Network mobile service. Its eSIMs/SIMs automatically switch between all four UK networks (EE, O2, Vodafone, and Three) based on the network with the strongest signal in a location, ensuring the best coverage. This solution improves mobile network coverage across the countryside, dense city centres and on trains.
  FlexiFone was funded by Innovate UK in 2024 through a grant enabling it to build the MVP and conduct pilot testing with hundreds of beta users across the UK.
• Nephelie Technologies Limited
  Nephelie Technologies specialises in creating high-performance wireless access networking solutions designed for applications demanding exceptional bandwidth (exceeding 10Gbps) and low latency (under 10 milliseconds). Its cutting-edge technology seamlessly integrates multiple wireless access methods—including 5G, Wi-Fi, mmWave and Li-Fi—into a unified ‘network of networks.’ This cohesive system is managed through a software-defined control platform, ensuring robust connectivity for the most demanding applications.
• Praeferre
  Praeferre specialises in helping data-dependent companies simplify data security, prevent cyberattacks, and ensure compliance. Praeferre’s simple and innovative solutions cover every aspect of data privacy and security.
  • AI driven centralised compliance tool for managing regulatory requirements from a single platform.
  • Blockchain based universal privacy acknowledgement for enhanced user experience and citizen engagement.
  • Continuous metadata assessment and PII element tracking to prevent cyber breaches.
  • Enhanced cybersecurity by centralising data access and privacy controls across the entire enterprise within a single platform.
• Slicefinity
  Slicefinity recognises the immense potential of 5G Standalone as an API-driven technology, distinct from traditional legacy systems. It has created a robust application and accompanying services designed to facilitate the transformation of 5G Network APIs into commercially viable and monetisable products, enabling their growth.  The company won Innovate UK’s “New Innovators in Communication Networks 2024” grant competition.

If you are visiting MWC, visit the Innovate UK stand to find out more about its offer in the Future Telecoms area and make connections with companies in the sector.

The following companies received SBRI funding through the Technology Missions fund: Finchetto, Nephelie Technologies Limited, Acculink Technologies and Archangel Lightworks.

These companies received new innovators funding through the Technology Missions fund: Slicefinity, Flexiphone and Praeferre.