South Gloucestershire Council has chosen CyberHive as one of five SME businesses to receive part of a £125k grant to further develop its products and services, in areas such as robotics and wireless communication, in a ‘real world’ environment.

The small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) from the digital technology sector were selected through the council’s recent UMBRELLA competition. As well as the grant, the SMEs also receive technical support and will be able to trial their products through the region’s UMBRELLA project network.

UMBRELLA is a project which provides an open, real world platform for the testing and evaluation of innovation in the fields of robotics, wireless communication, smart city and general Internet of Things (IoT) applications. With the ultimate aim to develop industry research and advancement in the South West of England and beyond.

CyberHive (trading name of 100 Percent IT Ltd), based in Newbury, Berkshire, is working to develop technology that will future-proof the security of data transmitted between vehicles and infrastructure, which will help enable the future of sustainable, connected transport.

Head of Product Gareth Lockwood said: “We are excited to have our innovation potential recognised and look forward to future partnership opportunities with UMBRELLA to help accelerate the strategy towards secure, sustainable, smart transportation.

“Access to technology testbeds such as the UMBRELLA IoT network provided by South Gloucestershire Council, is invaluable to UK SMEs as it facilitates field testing that would otherwise be financially out of reach, and as such allows us to remain focused on product development and optimisation.”

UMBRELLA is a joint project between South Gloucestershire Council and Toshiba, with the backing of West of England Combined Authority and Local Enterprise Partnership.

Councillor Toby Savage, Leader of South Gloucestershire Council, said: “It has been exciting to hear about the innovative products and services that are being developed in South Gloucestershire and further afield, which will help tackle our current and future challenges.

“I am pleased that as a local authority we are continuing to build on our area’s innovative heritage and are able to support this pioneering work. I look forward to learning more about these specialist projects and seeing how they develop.”

The other four successful businesses include:

• Aware Technologies Limited
• Altered Carbon
• Tryambakam Digital
• DIREK

UMBRELLA is one of the world’s largest programmable ‘Living Labs’, connecting South Gloucestershire’s five innovation hubs: Bristol & Bath Science Park, National Composites Centre at Emersons Green, the University of the West of England, Bristol Robotics Lab, and Future Space.

The competition is being funded by the UK Government through the UK Community Renewal Fund.

Learn more about the our work around connect truck networks for the Secure Connected Transport Challenge.