U Mobile opens its 5G-Advanced sandbox to Cradle’s startups, but the cheques are not part of the deal

U Mobile's initiative provides startups with access to its 5G-Advanced network capabilities through its Enterprise Innovation Platform, a collaboration with Cradle Fund. The explicit condition that U Mobile will not provide direct financial compensation to these startups places the initial investment and commercialization risk on the participating companies.

This strategy aims to foster an ecosystem of innovation where startups develop new applications and services that leverage U Mobile's advanced network infrastructure. By encouraging development "before anyone has agreed to pay for the result," U Mobile is seeking to generate future demand for its network services, potentially attracting new enterprise clients or subscribers through novel use cases.

The approach reflects a challenge telcos across the region have faced: incentivizing external developers to build on their networks without direct payment. U Mobile's gamble is that the opportunity to innovate with 5G-Advanced technology, potentially coupled with non-financial support from the government-linked Cradle Fund, will be sufficient to attract and sustain startup engagement.