5G
5G is more than just another upgrade in the mobile telecoms landscape. 5G promises to become the underpinning technology for the entire global digital economy, capable of generating trillions of pounds of value.
The Innovate UK Business Connect Digital team is at the heart of the UK’s strategic plans for 5G, determined to help shape the future of this technology. 5G is of key importance to the UK economy. The Government is coordinating efforts to accelerate making 5G a reality and is funding trials of the technology, ground-breaking applications and innovative business partnerships across urban and rural applications.
Innovate UK Business Connect is a founding delivery partner of the UK5G Innovation Network, using its deep expertise and collaborative approach to support the network. UK5G is dedicated to the promotion of research, collaboration and the commercial application of 5G in the UK.
UK5G facilitates the engagement and coordination of organisations working on 5G activities in the UK. As part of the network, Innovate UK Business Connect helps strengthen powerful connections between research and development activities across telecoms and other sectors, including the UK Government’s 5G Testbeds and Trials Programme.
The UK5G network has created 7 sector working groups to focus on the real-world benefit and applications of 5G.
To enable and facilitate deeper cross sector collaboration, a vendor directory has recently been created.
Click here to see all open funding opportunities in the Digital sector.
Related Opportunities
Solution Development for Advanced Connectivity Technologies
Opens: 01/04/2026 Closes: 13/05/2026
UK registered organisations can apply for a share of up to £25m to develop secure, sustainable or sovereign connectivity technologies that support the UK’s Advanced Connectivity Technologies programme.
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Contracts for Innovation: Advanced Connectivity Technologies (ACT) – Call 1
Opens: 01/04/2026 Closes: 03/06/2026
UK registered organisations can apply for a share of £15m to develop near term, testable solutions that advance the UK’s Secure & Resilient and Sustainable Network Grand Challenges through deployable prototypes on UK testbeds.
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European Space Agency: Connectivity and Secure Communications (ARTES)
Calls open year-round
ARTES is ESA’s main programme for technology development in satellite communications – it transforms investment in space into successful products and services.
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UK Space Agency: Navigation Innovation and Support Programme (NAVISP) - open calls
Apply anytime
Organisations working in Position, Navigation and Timing (PNT) can receive funding from the European Space Agency, with support from the UK Space Agency.
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Contracts for Innovation: Enabling Commercial Quantum Networking
Opens: 14/04/2026 Closes: 20/05/2026
Organisations can apply for a share of £20m to develop a deployable prototype of an enabling component or sub-system for commercial quantum networking.
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Contracts for Innovation: Cyber scale in critical sectors
Opens: 01/05/2026 Closes: 10/06/2026
Organisations can apply for up to £300k each to develop, demonstrate and commercialise their cyber security solution in real end user environments within critical sector organisations.
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Related Events and Recordings
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16/09/2025
Join Innovate UK as an Expert Assessor in Advanced Connectivity Technologies
Applications are currently closed. Are you a professional with industry experience, applied practice or lived expertise in your field, with a passion for innovation? Do you want to contribute to the success of future innovators? If so, apply to be an Expert Assessor and help shape the UK’s innovation ecosystem.
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How the DRCF AI and Digital Hub can support business growth
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