Father-son cofounders Edmond and Armand Capart are on a mission to solve challenges telecom operators face by offering a new technology solution complemented by a new financial model: 5G as a service. The model operates on the principle of leasing network capacity, instead of building it. This way, operators can avoid large upfront investments, high capital expenditure required for network deployment, scale efficiently, and pay for services directly from its revenues.
“We identified many years ago that the existing business model of mobile operators is a challenge. It is becoming too expensive for them to increase the capacity of their network solely based on the revenues they can generate from their clients,” explains Edmond Capart. To enable this new leasing model, AciesNova also developed a technology package, what it calls “network in a box” or a “mini 5G network”, which includes two innovative software and two hardware components, giving operators access to a fully operational solution that can be used individually or in addition to an existing network.
We identified many years ago that the existing business model of mobile operators is a challenge.
Beyond these, AciesNova also sees itself as an orchestrator, not just a technology provider. Their role extends to building an entire ecosystem, connecting system integrators, financial partners, and end clients – mobile operators and private enterprises – to facilitate the seamless deployment of this new “network as a service” model. “Our key software called EdgeCore is at the heart of our development. Then around it, we have integrated other pieces, like the radios, the antennas, the servers, through the partner companies we work with. This solution enables a new architecture of low power radios closer to the users, resulting in important cost reduction, more bandwidth, and much reduced electricity consumption” states Edmond Capart. “For us, the end goal is about efficiency and scalability,” adds Armand Capart.
Luxembourg: A strategic anchor of stability for future expansion
After 2 previous telecom ventures and years of R&D in Asia, choosing Luxembourg as its global headquarters was a deliberate and strategic decision. “We clearly see this business as something industrial and long term. And that explains why we are in Luxembourg. It’s for stability and for the long-term. That’s what we are looking for,” Edmond Capart reiterates. He explains that stability goes beyond financial environments to robust legal and governmental frameworks. Luxembourg’s ability to provide all three frameworks and more is paramount for the company currently focused on large-scale, long-term projects and attracting international investment.
A big key selling point of our technology is that it enables mobile operators to offer private networks and indoor 5G to small and medium enterprises.
As an example, the Grand Duchy’s position as a leading financial hub, particularly in infrastructure finance, is a critical advantage. AciesNova’s disruptive business model hinges on offering 5G infrastructure through leasing, transforming capital expenditure into operational expenditure for mobile operators. “The financial element is very important in what we are offering. So… the best place to do that, in Europe, probably in the world, is Luxembourg,” emphasises Edmond Capart.
The company is currently looking for partnership to further develop its technology though new R&D projects. Armand Capart is also preparing to relocate to Luxembourg, which will serve as the sales hub and operational heart of their global ambitions.
A crucial ecosystem for strategic partnerships
Luxembourg’s central European location and its proactive approach to fostering innovation and international partnerships are equally significant draws. “When we were exploring where we were going to set up AciesNova, we looked extensively at the Luxembourg Chamber of Commerce, and also the missions abroad, and the motivation behind these missions. At the core of it was a win-win message about doing businesses with other countries and partners in a responsible way, which is something we stand behind,” points out Armand Capart.
We are in Luxembourg for stability and for the long-term.
Edmond Capart expresses enthusiasm about collaborating with local telecom operators like POST, Tango, and Orange, envisioning Luxembourg as a vital demonstration centre to showcase their cutting-edge solutions for network expansion, private networks, and indoor 5G to a global audience. “I’m really looking forward to developing partnerships with those companies, to keep developing the technology, demonstrate the energy saving potential and also to launch a new project on metadata,” he states.
For Armand Capart, there’s an immediate opportunity within the SME sector, where private 5G networks, now made accessible and affordable by AciesNova, can drive digital transformation and enhance security. “A big key selling point of our technology is that it enables mobile operators to offer private networks and indoor 5G to small and medium enterprises, to which private 5G until today, has not been accessible,” highlights Armand Capart, pointing to a significant untapped market within Luxembourg itself, but also worldwide. The vision is ambitious: to build a “new telecom champion based in Europe, based in Luxembourg,” concludes Edmond Capart.