Scotland’s national investment bank ploughs £10m into light-powered WiFi 

Scotland’s national investment bank has ploughed £10m into a specialist WiFi company that uses light to transmit wireless data rather than traditional radio waves.

pureLiFi secured the cash to take its ‘revolutionary technology’ into global consumer markets and offer an alternative to conventional radio frequency systems such as WiFi and 5G.

By harnessing the light spectrum LiFi is able to provide more reliable wireless communications with what the company claims is ‘unparalleled security’. The company further claims LiFi can help solve congestion issues over WiFi networks and enhance the quality of connection when the technologies are used together.

The technology was invented in Edinburgh by the ‘father of Lifi’, Prof. Harald Haas and Dr Mostafa Afgani in 2012, but has struggled to make a significant commercial breakthrough.

The Scottish National Investment Bank’s support will enable the company to further develop new technologies while opening up additional markets in areas such as mobile phones, tablets, wearables and other connected devices. It is capable of transmitting data at gigabit speeds.

pureLiFi CEO Alistair Banham said: “The bank’s investment will help us achieve our vision to connect everyone and everything with LiFi.

“We introduced our technology to the world from Scotland and it is important for us to grow our company and ecosystem from here.

“Our vision is for Scotland to be a recognised centre of excellence for LiFi. In the future customers from around the world will come to us for our innovative technology and leverage the wider photonics ecosystem that already exists here in Scotland.”

Jimmy Williamson, executive director at the Scottish National Investment Bank, said: “The bank’s investment will support pureLiFi as they look to scale up their operation, allowing them to take the innovative technology to the global market.

“By backing them the bank is also investing in highly skilled research and development jobs in Scotland and endorsing pureLiFi’s vision to create a centre of excellence of LiFi.”