Smart Nano Advanced Connectivity Technology Access Programme

The Smart Nano Advanced Connectivity Technology Access Programme is a 11-week programme connects industry to a powerful combination of expert mentoring, cutting-edge and best in class future networks testbed facilities (including 5G and IoT).   

Designed to accelerate innovation and validation, participants can leverage deep technical expertise and advanced testbed facilities to solve complex challenges and fast-track their technological solutions, driving growth in Northern Ireland’s connected landscape. 

The Smart Nano 5G Testbed is a real‑world environment where companies can safely test, check, and improve connected products and services. It is designed to support validation activities at any stage—whether you are exploring feasibility, investigating performance, comparing connectivity options, or preparing for wider deployment.  

Rather than relying on lab simulations or standard office networks, the testbed allows businesses to run trials in conditions that reflect real industrial and operational settings. This helps teams understand how their solution performs in practice, identify potential issues early, and gather evidence to support technical or commercial decisions.  

Companies can use the testbed to investigate questions such as reliability, responsiveness, scalability, and how their solution behaves when multiple devices are connected at the same time. It also enables side‑by‑side comparisons, helping businesses determine which connectivity or technical approach best suits their needs.  

All testing takes place in a secure and controlled environment using the same types of private mobile networks found in real deployments. This ensures results are realistic, trustworthy, and useful for future planning, customer discussions, or investor engagement. With reliable internet access and secure systems in place, the testbed provides a practical space to test, refine, and demonstrate solutions with confidence.  

The testbed was built to allow development and testing of a broad range of technologies and applications and offers capabilities beyond simply a local 5G network.

Connectivity  

• Support for modern mobile connectivity, including 4G and 5G networks, to test devices and applications in real‑world conditions  

• Support for low‑power cellular IoT technologies (NB‑IoT and LTE‑M) for sensor‑based and battery‑operated solutions  

• Ability to compare performance across connectivity options, including mobile networks and Wi‑Fi, to identify the best fit for a given use case  

• Use of licensed mobile spectrum, aligned with how public and private 5G networks are deployed, allowing realistic and compliant testing  

Compute  

• On‑site edge computing, allowing applications and data processing to run close to devices for faster response times  

• Storage and compute resources to support real‑time data handling, analytics, and application testing  

Testing  

• A fully operational, real‑world test environment for moving solutions beyond R&D and into early deployment trials  

• Suitable for proof‑of‑concepts, pilots, and trials related to industrial and Industry 4.0 use cases  

• Enables validation of performance, including responsiveness, reliability, and behaviour when many devices are connected at once  

• A platform to test and benchmark new devices and applications under realistic network conditions before scaling or deployment  

Security  

• Secure, controlled testing environment suitable for early‑stage and pre‑deployment solutions  

• High‑capacity internet access (up to 1 Gbps) with dedicated firewall protection for safe and reliable testing 

Smart Nano NI is a Northern Ireland consortium which aims to develop game-changing advanced prototyping and smart manufacturing methods to deliver new technologies. The consortium shares a niche capability around nanomanufacturing and world-leading knowledge in photonics.  

The consortium has been awarded £42.4m by UK Research and Innovation’s Strength in Places Fund. The total project value including leveraged funding from other sources is £63.9m. Our collaboration is aimed at driving self-sustaining local industry and economic growth through research and innovation. 

UK registered technology startups/scaleups/SMEs in any sector who wish to test or validate their applications’ or solutions’ performance in a private 5G and Cellular IoT testbed.  

• Sensor/IoT or industrial IoT companies. 

• Companies working on AI algorithms based on sensor data.  

• Companies working on building Digital Twin models based cellular Industrial IoT sensors.  

• Companies developing or investigating solutions involving 5G and cellular network capabilities  

• Companies working on AR/VR/XR applications or products. 

Applicants must be eligible to receive up to £17,000 in State Assistance and have the demonstrable need or desire to develop and test use case enabled, supported or refined by at least one of the technologies from Future Networks (5G, or NB-IoT). 

If your application is successful, you will be notified by email by 27th March 2026 and will need to complete signing the programme participation agreement the following week. An Onboarding Pack will also be sent to you prior to the kick off event. 

Applications will be judged by a team of 5G and innovation experts from Digital Catapult. The selection criteria to assess and select application submissions are detailed below:  

There are 4 criteria upon which applicants will be assessed, each has the same weighting at 25%. 

• Problem and Solution  

The applicant should demonstrate that their company is addressing a clear problem, as well as applying advanced technologies to tackle the challenges in their selected focus areas.  

• Growth Potential  

The company should be capable of identifying the key demand and growth areas for their solution and its demographics.  

• Business Strategy  

The company should be able to articulate its revenue model and who its customers are.  

• Ability to Execute  

The company and its employees should have the necessary experience and skill to consistently develop, deliver and commercialise their solution. 

The application information will be used by Digital Catapult in compliance with GDPR regulations. It will only be used for the purposes of the programme and its evaluation and will be securely retained by Digital Catapult only for the duration of the programme. 

The programme has been made possible by the Smart Nano NI consortium, which has been awarded £42.4m UK Research and Innovation’s Strength in Places Fund. The total project value including leveraged funding from other sources is £63.9m. 

No, there is no funding provided. Participation in the programme is fully funded with no cost to participants. 

This programme will be delivered remote with the exception of kick-off event, demo showcase and use case testing carried out in-person at North West Regional College’s Industry 4.0 Centre in Derry, Northern Ireland. 

Location: 

Industry 4.0 Centre,   

Springtown Campus,   

Springtown Road, Derry,   

BT48 0LY 

Northern Ireland 

No, unfortunately the terms of our funding dictate that we are unable to support travel and subsistence for participants.  

By joining the programme, participants will be able to access: 

• Regular interactions with the Digital Catapult team including up to 10 hours of support with Technologists, to refine use case, define test plan, validate prototype and expand their network of peers, investors and customers.  

• Mentoring, workshops and IoT equipment/ 5G test bed access to test and validate refined use case.  

• Peer support from other participants on the Programme, sharing learnings and insights gained from the Programme as well as previous expertise.  

• A showcase/ demonstration day during which Participants will present to an invited audience of relevant stakeholders, partners and industry representatives  

• Delivery of a technology adoption or development roadmap specific to their proposed use case   

• Upon successful completion of the Technology Access Programme, the opportunity to join the Digital Catapult Alumni Network, which keeps them informed of opportunities and relevant updates from the Digital Catapult, and which provides additional opportunities to engage with Digital Catapult and other Alumni.