Belfast 5G Innovation Region Funding Competition (UK)

Advanced wireless networks, such as 5G, are key to driving economic growth and innovation across a range of industry sectors including health, manufacturing, transport and logistics, creative industries, and public services.

5G offers faster speeds, lower latency, higher capacity, increased flexibility, and increased reliability – supporting a range of digital technologies such as automation, IoT, AI, robotics, and immersive applications.

The competition is part of the Belfast 5G Innovation Region (5GIR) programme, led by Belfast City Council’s City Innovation Office. Belfast 5GIR is working with businesses, academia, and the public sector to support the adoption of 5G and other advanced wireless networks across the Belfast Region.

Funding Information

• Total funding available is £280,000.
• Businesses and organisations can apply for grants of between £50,000 and £100,000 of capital funding.
• Applicants must provide 30% match funding – Belfast City Council will fund capital expenditure of up to 70% of project costs. Match funding can include in-kind contributions such as the cost of labour associated with the project.
• All grant funded activities must be completed by 31 March 2025. Non-grant funded activities can continue beyond this point.

Project Requirements

• Proposals should:
  • demonstrate one or more use cases for 5G and/or other advanced wireless connectivity;
  • aim to solve real-world issues such as delivering improvements to existing business activities, processes or operations;
  • deliver use cases in a real-world setting (testbeds, trials and research will not be funded);
  • drive economic growth in the Belfast region;
  • deliver economic, social, and/or environmental impacts such as cost savings, productivity; gains, efficiencies, welfare improvements etc;
  • demonstrate how the project will be commercially sustainable beyond the funding period.

Eligibility Criteria

• The competition is open to:
  • businesses and organisations with a business address and operations in the Belfast Region City Deal council areas: Antrim and Newtownabbey, Ards and North Down, Belfast, Lisburn and Castlereagh, Mid and East Antrim, and Newry, Mourne and Down;
  • private sector, public sector, academia, RTO, non-profit and charitable sectors; and
  • all industry sectors.
  • Projects must be delivered in the Belfast Region City Deal area.

For more information, visit Belfast.