JET Connectivity, a business that is helping meet pan-industry demand for 5G enabled activity at sea has received funding from the Cornwall & Isles of Scilly Investment Fund (CIOSIF), as well as UK-based and international private investors.

The £1million investment, which includes £500,000 from CIOSIF, will help JET Connectivity establish itself as a national player in the UK, open a new facility in Cornwall and begin the rollout of its proprietary mesh network prior to a follow-on equity raise to secure a capital rollout fund. 

JET Connectivity is working to deliver cost effective and resilient 5G communications and data transmission technology for the emerging industry sectors of the marine environment including aquaculture, offshore renewables, port/shipping operations, and defence/security. 

The solution is delivered through world-first 5G connected floating and self-powered buoy platforms.The platforms are fitted with JET’s proprietary 5G routers and user equipment, which enables pop-up network capabilities within any applied maritime industry. This network delivers secure, high-speed communication capabilities, multi-sensor monitoring, data collection and edge processing, tailored to end-user requirements. 

James Thomas, JET Connectivity CEO, said: “High-speed connectivity at sea saves lives, protects our environment, and ensures stable growth of the blue economy. Existing infrastructure cannot support the collection and transmission of data required by marine industry 4.0 applications, which is where our technology comes in. 

“This CIOSIF investment comes at a pivotal moment in our growth journey as we create strong foundations for our next stage of development. In FSE we have found a well-networked funder, experienced in supporting early-stage businesses, that can add value as we grow our Cornwall presence to help deliver large infrastructure support projects, such as floating windfarm communications in a sustainable manner.”

JET will be employing maritime specialists in Cornwall, with the expertise the area has to offer being pivotal for the company’s growth in the offshore renewables, environmental and port sectors.