Imperial Innovations invests £250K in Cambridge mobile infrastructure company

Imperial Innovations has made an investment of £250,000 in Cambridge Communication Systems Ltd (CCS), a recently launched technology company that will provide a cost-effective backhaul solution for the mobile infrastructure.

Innovations has invested alongside Cambridge Angels in the round, which totals over £1 million. Cambridge Angels’ investment in the round was led by successful telecom entrepreneurs Robert Sansom and David Cleevely. This is Innovations’ first investment in a Cambridge-based technology company.

CCS (www.cambridgesys.com) is developing a low cost, high performance solution to the problem of backhaul in small-cell mobile communications networks. Small-cell networks are accepted as the only realistic solution to the pressing data capacity problem in mobile communications, but as yet no credible solution for backhaul – the transfer of data between these networks and the core infrastructure – has been developed. CCS’s technology is a unique self-organizing, self-optimizing multipoint-to-multipoint microwave communications system which operates in cheap and plentiful licensed spectrum. It is easy to deploy and maintain, has a small physical footprint, and can be rapidly scaled.

CCS was founded by Steve Greaves and John Porter both experienced entrepreneurs who were co-founders of Adaptive Broadband Limited and Cambridge Broadband Networks Limited.

Susan Searle, Chief Executive Officer of Imperial Innovations, commented: “CCS is developing technology to solve the critical issue of data capacity in mobile communications, backed by a strong founding team and a number of experienced investors in the telecommunications space. We are delighted to be investing alongside Cambridge Angels in this, our first investment in a Cambridge technology company.”

Steve Greaves, Chief Executive Officer of Cambridge Communication Systems Ltd ([email protected]) also commented: “We are very pleased to welcome Imperial Innovations as an investor. Our unique solution to the problem of cost effective small-cell backhaul has generated a great deal of interest and support from key operators within the mobile industry. This round of investment allows us to complete the development of our system and move forward to early stage trials.”