Welsh government developing 5G-led tech cluster in Ebbw Vale

The new project within the Tech Valleys programme, entitled 5G Wales Unlocked, will see a technology cluster formed around a new campus for cyber testing and high-spec accommodation for start-ups.

The technology cluster in the county of Blaenau Gwent will centre around the ResilientWorks campus, a £7m joint project with Thales that will focus on testing cyber security for autonomous vehicles and digitally-connected energy infrastructure.

The cluster, developed on a former steelworks site, will also include research laboratories, a model street complex and 'The Box', where shipping containers will be converted into custom-designed flexible offices for technology start-ups.

Welsh deputy minister for economy and transport Lee Waters said the Wales Unlocked project will use “5G mobile connectivity to expand the base of technology-driven organisations [in the country] and show the world that [Wales is] a destination of choice for exceptional, innovative companies.”

5G Wales Unlocked builds on existing projects within the Tech Valleys programme including an AI-led smart bus and smart parking trial, a LoRaWAN network to enable IoT technology and augmented reality tours of Raglan Castle.