aql’s £320,000 Gift Secures Digital Legacy for £1.6m Eden Universe 5G Project

August 25, 2021
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As the Eden Project advances its regional expansion, a major private sector intervention has ensured the charity’s digital and regional ambitions can come to fruition.

The £1.6 million "Eden Universe" 5G project which is celebrated as a flagship initiative for the Eden Trust was recently saved from a critical funding shortfall by a £320,000 philanthropic gift from Leeds-based telecoms operator aql, led by its founder, tech entrepreneur, and Eden Trustee, Professor Adam Beaumont.

Due to unforeseen complexities around state aid rules and a subsequent cap on the project's grant intervention rate, the Eden Trust’s executive team faced a sudden £309,894 deficit. Without immediate funding, the trust was unable to draw down the full £1.6 million public grant without incurring massive out-of-pocket expenses.

To bridge the gap, aql stepped in. Under a formal agreement signed in March 2021, aql structured a multi-installment donation totaling £320,000. This crucial funding has allowed Eden to successfully deploy its 5G infrastructure, advance its digital strategy, and launch its public education programs.

"As part of the team that brought the Eden Universe to life, we felt a responsibility to bridge the gap between ambitious public policy and practical corporate execution," said Professor Adam Beaumont, Founder and Chairman of aql. "When the Eden Project faced an unexpected structural funding barrier to its digital vision, aql stepped forward to ensure that vital climate storytelling and pioneering 5G research weren't left on the cutting room floor. We provided the capital so the trust could execute its vision, reinforcing our core belief in deploying tech for good."

Empowering Tech for Good

Whilst aql is well known as a silent enabler of data and telecoms infrastructure, the company has a long history of quiet but significant philanthropy. Beyond supporting parkrun and the Eden Project, aql and Professor Beaumont drive substantial social and environmental change across the UK:

Education & Civic Life: Funding the Beaumont Awards and scholarships for underprivileged STEM students at the University of Leeds, alongside recent headline sponsorship of the Child Friendly Leeds Awards.

Regional Ecosystems: Building non-profit digital foundations, including co-founding the independent internet exchange IXLeeds, and founding NorthInvest in 2015 which is a not-for-profit platform dedicated to mentoring and funding grassroots tech startups.

Green Infrastructure: Repurposing its own telecom engine for green initiatives, providing the low-power Internet of Things (IoT) infrastructure required for smart cities to monitor air pollution, track flood defenses, and optimize resource management.

Through this latest support for the Eden Trust, aql continues to leverage its technology and resources to support a more sustainable, connected future.