5Groningen

Name

5Groningen

Legal name

5Groningen Program

Website

https://5groningen.nl

Company type

Private

Founded year

2016

Operating status

Closed

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

5G Innovation Testbed Services

NAICS

Computer Systems Design and Related Services (54151), Computing Infrastructure Providers, Data Processing, Web Hosting, and Related Services (5182)

SIC

Services-Computer Integrated Systems Design (7373), Services-Telephone Interconnect Systems (7385)

akta.pro primary industry

Private LTE/5G Network Operators & Managed Services (HDAIAGAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Private LTE/5G Mobile Network Operators (Campus/Industrial) (HDAIAAAE), Wireless Networking Services (Wi‑Fi, Private LTE/5G) (BPAEAEAE)

Keywords

• 5G field testing
• Rural connectivity testbed
• Telecom innovation program
• Mobile network pilots
• IoT application development

Headquarters

HQ city

Groningen

HQ country

Netherlands

HQ region

Europe

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Operations, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Publicly funded innovation program: 5Groningen is a government-initiated innovation program funded by Economic Board Groningen. It is not a commercial entity generating revenue. The program's goal is to accelerate 5G innovation among regional SMEs rather than to generate income.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

5Groningen operates a publicly funded regional 5G innovation program that gives SMEs and non-profit organizations in North and Mid-Groningen access to two linked 5G test facilities — an indoor 5G Lab on Zernike Campus for initial concept validation and the world's first rural 5G Fieldlab for scaling validated concepts in real-world conditions. The program delivers multi-sector 5G pilot projects across healthcare, transport and logistics, agriculture, energy, smart industry, and living environment, supported by hackathons (5G Student Battles) and educational masterclasses in partnership with telecom operators, technology vendors, research institutions, and government.

Product overview

5Groningen is a 5G innovation program and testbed initiative rather than a traditional product company. The core offering consists of the 5Groningen Fieldlab (world's first rural 5G test environment) and the 5G Lab on Zernike, which work together to enable testing of 5G applications. The program offers multiple sector-specific use case modules covering healthcare, traffic & logistics, agriculture, smart industry, energy, and living environment applications. Additional offerings include 5G Student Battles (hackathon competitions) and 5G Masterclasses for education. The successor program ICCS continues this innovation work. The program ran from January 2016 to December 2022.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• 5G Fieldlab: The outdoor testing ground for 5G applications in Northern Groningen, described as the world's first rural 5G test field.
• 5G Lab op Zernike
• 5G Student Battles
• 5G Masterclasses

Products and services

• 5Groningen Fieldlab The world's first rural 5G test environment in North Groningen, where SMEs and non-profit organizations work alongside telecom, knowledge-institution, and government experts to test 5G applications at full scale in real-world rural conditions.
• 5G Lab on Zernike Indoor 5G testing facility on Zernike Campus in Groningen where entrepreneurs and organizations initially develop and test 5G concepts before scaling to the rural Fieldlab environment.
• 5G Student Battles Annual hackathon competition in which student teams develop innovative 5G-powered solutions for regional challenges, supported by 5G technology and design-thinking preparation clinics.
• 5G Masterclasses Educational sessions (online and on-site) covering IoT, 5G-driven precision agriculture innovation, antenna policy, 5G frequency spectrum, automotive applications, the economic and societal impact of 5G, and the 6G roadmap.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 50 documented 5G pilot projects and use cases delivered across multiple industry verticals
• +3 more outcomes

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability10 records

Feature7 records

Partnerships

13 partnerships are on record, tiered core and supporting.

• Economic Board GroningencoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2022Economic Board Groningen is the initiating and funding body of the 5Groningen program. It provides strategic direction, regional coordination, and SME outreach. It is also the core partner in ICCS, the successor program to 5Groningen.
• ICCS (Innovation Center Connected Solutions)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2022ICCS is the formal successor organisation to 5Groningen, continuing to stimulate and support innovative applications using the latest communication technologies. Hanzehogeschool Groningen is the lead (penvoerder) and Economic Board Groningen is a core partner.
• KPNcoreTechnology or Integration · 1 January 2016KPN serves as the telecom operator partner in the 5Groningen consortium, providing mobile network infrastructure and 5G connectivity capabilities for the program's test environments in Groningen.
• VodafoneZiggocoreTechnology or Integration · 1 January 2016VodafoneZiggo is a telecom operator partner contributing connectivity infrastructure and expertise to the 5G testbed, complementing KPN's participation in the program.
• EricssoncoreTechnology or Integration · 1 January 2016Ericsson provides radio access network (RAN) technology and 5G infrastructure expertise as a technology partner in the 5Groningen consortium, supporting the rollout of the rural 5G test environment.
• HuaweicoreTechnology or Integration · 1 January 2016Huawei participates as a technology vendor partner, contributing 5G network equipment and technical expertise to the 5Groningen testbed infrastructure.
• TNO (Nederlandse Organisatie voor toegepast wetenschappelijk onderzoek)coreTechnology or Integration · 1 January 2016TNO is the Dutch Organisation for Applied Scientific Research, serving as a research partner in the 5Groningen consortium. TNO conducts multidisciplinary research on 5G-enabled automation, including robotics for wind turbine maintenance, drone inspections, and augmented reality for remote expert guidance.
• Rijksuniversiteit Groningen (University of Groningen)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2016The University of Groningen is a knowledge institution partner contributing academic research expertise to the 5Groningen program, supporting evidence-based innovation and providing student talent through programs such as the 5G Student Battle.
• Hanzehogeschool Groningen (Hanze University of Applied Sciences)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2016Hanzehogeschool is the lead institution for ICCS, the successor program to 5Groningen. Within 5Groningen, it contributes applied research capabilities, student involvement, and technical expertise, and serves as the lead partner in the continuation of 5G innovation activities.
• SurfsupportingTechnology or Integration · 1 January 2016Surf is the Dutch research network organisation providing advanced networking infrastructure and expertise for research and education, contributing to the connectivity backbone of the 5Groningen program.
• VMWaresupportingTechnology or Integration · 1 January 2016VMWare provides virtualisation and cloud infrastructure technology as part of the 5Groningen consortium, supporting the software-defined networking and edge computing layers of the 5G test environment.
• Dell TechnologiessupportingTechnology or Integration · 1 January 2016Dell Technologies contributes hardware infrastructure (servers, storage, edge computing) as a technology partner in the 5Groningen program, supporting the backend systems for data processing in 5G applications.
• Rijksdienst voor Digitale Infrastructuur (RDDI, formerly Agentschap Telecom)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2016The Rijksdienst voor Digitale Infrastructuur (formerly the Netherlands Telecom Agency) is a government partner overseeing spectrum allocation and regulatory aspects of 5G testing, ensuring compliance with Dutch and European telecom regulations.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• IMEC: Belgium-based world-leading applied research center in semiconductor and digital technology, operating testbed infrastructure for advanced connectivity and IoT. Comparable to 5Groningen's TNO/research partner model at a much larger scale.
• Fraunhofer Institute: German applied research organization operating numerous technology testbeds across ICT, mobility, and production. Comparable to 5Groningen's research and testbed function but at national scale with much broader technology scope.
• 5G PPP (5G Public Private Partnership): Joint EU initiative between European Commission and industry to deliver 5G research, pilots, and deployment. Comparable to 5Groningen as a multi-stakeholder 5G innovation framework, but operates at EU-wide scale rather than a single rural region.

Direct peers

• UK5G: UK government-backed innovation network that connects organizations across the 5G ecosystem, supports testbeds, and runs adoption programs. Comparable to 5Groningen as a publicly backed national/regional 5G adoption program with multi-stakeholder structure.
• 5G Hub Berlin: German 5G application hub co-founded by Deutsche Telekom and Ericsson that provides a testbed for SMEs and developers to build and trial 5G applications. Directly comparable to 5Groningen as a multi-stakeholder 5G application testbed targeting SME innovators.
• Digital Catapult: UK innovation accelerator that provides deep tech testbeds (including 5G/IoT) and connects startups with enterprise customers. Comparable to 5Groningen as a publicly funded testbed and SME enablement program focused on emerging connectivity technologies.
• 5G Innovation Centre (University of Surrey): UK-based 5G research and innovation center operating one of the world's first 5G testbeds, partnering with major telecom vendors and government. Comparable to 5Groningen as a 5G testbed combining academic research, vendor partnerships, and SME engagement.
• ICCS (Innovation Center Connected Solutions): Formal successor to 5Groningen, led by Hanzehogeschool with Economic Board Groningen as core partner, continuing innovation support using latest communication technologies. The most directly comparable entity as it inherits 5Groningen's mandate and ecosystem.

Regional players

• Innovation Quarter (Zuid-Holland): Dutch regional development agency that funds and supports innovation projects in the Zuid-Holland province. Comparable to 5Groningen's parent Economic Board Groningen as a Dutch regional economic development organization driving innovation programs.
• Brainport Eindhoven: Dutch regional innovation ecosystem centred on high-tech manufacturing and applied research in Eindhoven. Comparable to 5Groningen as a major Dutch regional innovation hub that convenes industry, academia, and government.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@economicboardgroningen8416
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/5groningen

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about 5Groningen