Photonics and future connectivity solutions demonstrate UK-wide industrial applications 

Digital Catapult, a deep tech innovation organisation, has announced that ten deep tech companies have successfully trialled practical applications of photonics and advanced communications solutions, demonstrating the value of deep tech innovation across different sectors. These solutions were developed for supply chains, manufacturing, agriculture and health during Digital Catapult’s photonics and advanced connectivity accelerator programme, enabling participating startups to scale successfully and bolster industrial supply chain resilience.  

By providing access to photonics and advanced communication technologies including 5G and NB-IoT, Digital Catapult convened capabilities with technological experts and industry leaders in Northern Ireland, which served as a microclimate for innovation. Northern Ireland’s largest 5G testbed was available to participants, accelerating the deployment and development of future networks, and participants also received expert counsel and mentorship from consortium partners Yelo and Seagate, as they trialled solutions across the latter’s Northern Ireland sites.  

The accelerator programme was delivered by Digital Catapult and funded by UKRI’s Strength in Places Fund as part of the Smart Nano NI acceleration programmes. To enable the successful scaling of new solutions, each participant has now received a tailored technology adoption roadmap, outlining next steps for prototype success and commercialisation. This is alongside investment readiness support and guidance on securing future funding through initiatives such as the Digital Transformation Flexible Fund (DTFF) and Invest NI’s Business Innovation Grant (BIG).  

As a result of engagement on the programme, Sanyx International successfully deployed an IoT solution into harsh environments with key clients to improve data modelling and predictive analytics.  

Through support from Digital Catapult’s technologist and innovation practice team, Falcon Tag developed an opportunity to engage with Seagate to iterate a tailored solution for an asset tracking use case, utilising their advanced communication and AI enabled product developed during the programme.  

Delivering additional impact from the programme, participants Flax & Teal and KAIOptix supported the development and became founding members of a newly formed collaborative network; the ‘Northern Ireland – Photonics Innovation Cluster’ (NI-PIC), which has successfully bid for funding from Invest Northern Ireland’s Cluster Acceleration Programme. The cluster aims to build upon local photonics capability developed through the Smart Nano NI consortium and enhance the supply chain within the region and beyond.  

The Smart Nano NI Technology Access Programme is part of Digital Catapult’s broader mission to accelerate the practical adoption of deep tech across the UK, supporting businesses to take their innovations further, faster. 

The participating companies:

1. DigitalBio Systems – empowering the future of medicine by assisting early and late-stage clinical biotech, vaccine, and cell gene therapy research companies in their journey to digitally transform.
2. Falcon Tag – analysis and automation of business processes across supply chains utilising AI.
3. Finnebrogue – one of the UK’s premier family-owned food producers, dedicated to pioneering innovation and sustainability in the food industry.
4. Flax & Teal – developing innovative solutions and platforms in computational engineering, geospatial analysis, and data science.
5. Helix8 – harnessing the power of AI, IoT and data platforms to foster sustainable growth.
6. KAIoptix – at the forefront of medical innovation, using advanced AI and photonics to predict cancer and prioritise diagnoses.
7. Kolayam – an independent B2B marketplace company dedicated to transforming the hydrogen and manufacturing industries.
9. Sensor IT – specialising in developing and manufacturing solutions for connected devices across the IoT value chain.
10. SANYX – leading the charge of innovation in the steam sector, dedicated to reducing energy losses and improving carbon emissions.
11. We Bottle – specialise in the manufacturing of high-quality bottles tailored for a diverse range of industries.