LABCOM

What LABCOM does

LABCOM (Laboratório de Comunicações Sem Fio) is a research laboratory within the Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina (UFSC), located on the Blumenau campus in Santa Catarina, Brazil, with a stated headcount of 17 members including founding faculty Professor Dr. Adão Boava and researchers Christian Mailer and Dener Kraus. Founded in 2020, the laboratory focuses on researching and developing technologies for the Internet of Things (IoT), Industry 4.0, and mobile networks, and is positioned as a pioneer in 5G research in the state of Santa Catarina. LABCOM's stated objectives include network interoperability, the transition from wired to wireless communications, and the creation of resources for smart cities, smart farms, smart grids, and blockchain applications, with the lab explicitly serving as a reference institution for organizations seeking to operate in the 5G, IoT, and Industry 4.0 sectors.

LABCOM's technical activities span 5G Core network architecture (service-based architecture with nodes including AMF, SMF, UPF, NRF, UDM, AUSF, PCF, NSSF, and N3IWF), 5G New Radio technologies (massive MIMO, beamforming, FR1 450 MHz–6 GHz and FR2 24.250–52.600 GHz, Carrier Aggregation), network slicing, 5G edge computing, SDN/NFV, Non-3GPP access integration via IKEv2/IPsec tunnels, and industrial Ethernet protocols (EtherCAT, Sercos III, Ethernet/IP, PROFINET, CC-Link IE Field, Modbus TCP). Outputs are disseminated through an open website with tutorials, blog posts, and news articles, plus at least 16 academic publications (TCCs, a master's dissertation, and journal/conference papers), and educational events such as the minicourse delivered at ERRC 2021.

LABCOM does not generate commercial revenue. As a university research laboratory, its operations are funded through institutional research grants from UFSC and industry-partnered projects. The most prominent industry engagement is the Open Lab 5G – V2COM project, conducted in partnership with WEG, Nokia, Qualcomm, ABDI, Anatel, and Claro, which executed practical 5G connectivity tests at WEG's factory in Jaraguá do Sul, Santa Catarina, measuring throughput, latency, and packet loss at varying distances from a Nokia Small Cell in the n78 band. The lab has no commercial product portfolio, no pricing model, and no disclosed customers in the conventional sense, operating instead on a community-led academic GTM motion.

Name

LABCOM

Legal name

Laboratório de Comunicações Sem Fio

Website

https://labcom.ufsc.br

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

LABCOM is a UFSC university research laboratory in Blumenau, Brazil, conducting academic research on 5G, IoT, Industry 4.0, edge computing, and SDN/NFV. It serves industry and government partners through tutorials, publications, and the Open Lab 5G – V2COM industrial testing project.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Blumenau

HQ country

Brazil

HQ region

Latin America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations

Revenue model

1. Research Funding: As a university research laboratory at UFSC, LABCOM operates primarily through institutional research funding and partnerships with industry players such as WEG, Nokia, and Qualcomm for 5G testing projects. No commercial revenue generation as a primary activity.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

LABCOM is a university research laboratory (Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Campus Blumenau) that conducts academic research, publishes tutorials and educational materials, and delivers minicourses on wireless communications, 5G networks, IoT, Industry 4.0, edge computing, network slicing, SDN/NFV, and industrial Ethernet protocols. It also collaborates with industry partners such as WEG, Nokia, and Qualcomm on practical 5G connectivity testing in industrial environments.

Product overview

LABCOM (Laboratório de Comunicações Sem Fio) is a research laboratory at the Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina (UFSC). It is not a product company; it conducts academic research and publishes educational materials (tutorials, blog posts) on wireless communication technologies including 5G, IoT, Industry 4.0, edge computing, blockchain, Industrial Ethernet protocols, and satellite communications. No commercial products, software-as-a-service offerings, or named product/module portfolio exists.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Minicourse on 5G and Edge Computing (ERRC 2021)
• Open Lab 5G – V2COM Industrial 5G Testing Project
• 5G Educational Tutorials and Blog Publications

Quantifiable outcome

• Pioneer status in 5G research in Santa Catarina
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature7 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• WEGcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2021LABCOM collaborated with WEG on the Open Lab 5G – V2COM project, conducting practical 5G connectivity testing at WEG's factory in Jaraguá do Sul, Santa Catarina. Tests evaluated performance and coexistence of devices and antennas with 5G technology in real-world environments, gathering data on frequency ranges, latency, power, and other characteristics needed for industrial applications.
• NokiacoreTechnology or IntegrationNokia partnered with WEG and LABCOM as part of the Open Lab 5G – V2COM project, providing the private independent network (Small Cell) operating in the n78 band (3.5 GHz, 3.7-3.8 GHz), with 100 MHz channel bandwidth, in SA mode and TDD with 3:7 distribution.
• QualcommcoreTechnology or IntegrationQualcomm partnered with WEG and LABCOM on the Open Lab 5G – V2COM project, contributing technology expertise for industrial 5G applications testing in Jaraguá do Sul, Santa Catarina.
• Agência Brasileira de Desenvolvimento Industrial (ABDI)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerABDI is a partner in the Open Lab 5G – V2COM ecosystem alongside WEG, Nokia, and Qualcomm, contributing to industrial 5G development initiatives in Brazil.
• Agência Nacional de Telecomunicações (Anatel)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAnatel is involved as a regulatory partner in the Open Lab 5G – V2COM ecosystem for 5G testing and validation in industrial environments in Brazil.
• ClarominorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorClaro is a telecom partner involved in the Open Lab 5G – V2COM ecosystem for industrial 5G testing in Brazil.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• Ericsson Research: Industrial research arm of a major telecom equipment vendor, conducting 5G NR, network slicing, and IoT research. Comparable as an established telecom R&D organization with industry co-development partnerships.
• InterDigital: Wireless and video technology R&D company with deep involvement in 5G standards and patent licensing. Comparable as a research-driven telecom technology organization whose outputs feed into standards bodies and industry.
• Samsung Research: Global research organization covering mobile networks, 5G/6G, and AI. Comparable as an established industry research entity producing applied wireless communications research with vendor and ecosystem partners.
• Nokia Bell Labs: Global industrial research lab pioneering telecommunications research including 5G, network architecture, and edge computing. Comparable as a much larger incumbent that conducts foundational telecom research and partners with universities.
• Huawei 2012 Laboratories: Central research arm of a major telecom equipment vendor, covering 5G, AI, and networking. Comparable as a large-scale telecom research entity conducting 5G research with industry partners across geographies.

Emerging players

• MIT Lincoln Laboratory: Federally funded research and development center with programs in advanced communications and networking. Comparable as a university-affiliated applied research lab working on next-generation communications technology with government and industry backing.

Direct peers

• CPqD: Brazilian telecommunications R&D center focused on network technologies, IoT, and 5G. Highly comparable as a national telecom research institution driving Brazilian digital transformation, with overlapping scope in next-generation networks and industrial applications.
• 5G/6G Innovation Centre, University of Surrey: University-based 5G/6G research centre with deep industry partnerships (including major telecom vendors). Comparable as an academic 5G research lab driving standards, testing, and commercialization collaborations.
• 5G Lab Germany, TU Dresden: University-based 5G research lab focused on end-to-end 5G systems, network slicing, and industrial applications. Directly comparable as a small academic lab collaborating with industry on applied 5G research and Industry 4.0 use cases.
• Inatel (Instituto Nacional de Telecomunicações): Brazilian institution combining telecom-focused education and applied research, with active 5G and IoT programs. Directly comparable as a Brazilian academic-industrial telecom research and training hub.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/labcom-ufsc

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about LABCOM