Fivecomm, officially known as 5G Communications for Future Industry Verticals S.L., operates as a specialized developer of 5G-enabled Internet of Things (IoT) and edge computing solutions for industrial clients. Founded in 2019, the company emerged as a spin-off from the iTEAM Research Institute at the Universitat Politècnica de València (UPV), leveraging a deep academic and research foundation in mobile communications dating back to 1995. The founding team consists of professors and researchers from UPV: Narcís Cardona, José F. Monserrat, and David Gómez-Barquero, who brought their extensive expertise in 5G technology to the commercial sector. The company is currently led by CEO Héctor Donat, who has a notable 14-year background in R&D at Ericsson. The firm provides end-to-end, cost-efficient solutions that span from custom hardware device development to the deployment of analytics applications at the network edge. This full-stack approach allows Fivecomm to serve B2B clients across various industries, including water management, mobility, ports, automotive, and media. Its B2B model appears to be a mix of providing SaaS-based solutions and selling a portfolio of high-tech hardware, which developed from an initial focus on demonstrating 5G’s potential to commercializing tangible products. A significant milestone was achieved through a partnership with Idrica, which led to the deployment of over 20,000 IoT devices for the smart water management sector. The company has also secured funding, including a notable €450,000 investment from GoHub Ventures in 2020 to accelerate its growth. Fivecomm’s product portfolio is designed to be versatile and adaptable. For the water utility sector, it offers devices like WIOTHUB, WIOTRAD, and WIOTPRESS that provide real-time data on water consumption, flow, and pressure. In the mobility and logistics sectors, its technology is used for real-time vehicle counting and classification in industrial zones and to provide guidance for vessels during berthing operations in ports. Another key offering is an autonomous and remote-controlled 5G mobile robot, which can be customized for uses ranging from social interaction in hotels to operational tasks in factories and warehouses. This ability to customize solutions, combined with participation in European innovation projects like iNGENIOUS and 5G-RECORDS, keeps the company at the forefront of applying 5G technology to solve real-world industrial challenges. Keywords: 5G IoT, edge computing, industrial digitalization, smart water management, B2B IoT solutions, UPV spin-off, telecommunications hardware, mobile robotics, NetApps, private 5G networks, smart mobility, Port 4.0, real-time data analytics, Narcís Cardona, José F. Monserrat, David Gómez-Barquero, Héctor Donat, GoHub Ventures, iTEAM, industrial automation
