University of Bristol’s JOINER Platform Recognized with National AI Award for Innovation in Telecommunications

Representatives from the JOINER Project research team receiving their award.
Image credit: The National AI Awards

(IN BRIEF) The University of Bristol’s JOINER Platform, led by its Smart Internet Lab, has won the AI Award for High Tech & Telecom at the National AI Awards 2025. Recognized for its pioneering open testbed for AI-native network development, JOINER enables large-scale experimentation, collaboration, and innovation in next-generation telecommunications. Funded by UKRI, EPSRC, and DSIT, and developed in partnership with industry innovators, the project showcases Bristol’s leadership in AI-driven infrastructure research and follows its previous success as AI University of the Year.

(PRESS RELEASE) BRISTOL, 22-Oct-2025 — /EuropaWire/ — The University of Bristol has once again strengthened its position as a leader in artificial intelligence innovation with its JOINER (Joint Open Infrastructure for Networks Research) Platform earning the AI Award for High Tech & Telecom at the National AI Awards 2025. Led by the University’s Smart Internet Lab, the project was recognized for its groundbreaking role in developing a large-scale, open testbed for AI-driven telecommunications and digital infrastructure innovation.

Following Bristol’s recognition as AI University of the Year in 2024, this new accolade reinforces the University’s pioneering reputation in advancing AI research and education. The JOINER Platform provides an environment for testing and refining AI-native network technologies, enabling collaborative experimentation between academia and industry. It facilitates the development and real-world demonstration of interconnected AI infrastructure designed to enhance next-generation telecommunications systems.

“To build the next generation of telecoms, we must harness AI. With JOINER, we’re proud to lead as the UK’s native-AI network experimentation platform, and we’re honoured to receive recognition in the form of a National AI Award,” said Professor Dimitra Simeonidou, Director of the Smart Internet Lab at the University of Bristol.

(Left to right) Dan Regan JOINER Senior Research Project Manager, Weaver Labs co-founder and CEO Maria Lema and Madevo co-founder and CEO Alex Mavromatis grace the red carpet at The National AI Awards ceremony.
Image credit: University of Bristol

JOINER was selected from four national finalists for its commitment to experimentation, collaboration, and innovation, offering a real-world test environment for developing scalable AI solutions. Among its key highlights are the agentic AI and Hypervisor as a Service (HaaS) technologies developed in collaboration with industry partners Madevo and Weaver Labs, which showcase the platform’s practical applications and impact.

Funded by UK Research and Innovation (UKRI), the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC), and the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT), JOINER exemplifies the power of academic–industry partnerships in driving the UK’s digital future. The platform’s open-access approach is accelerating the deployment of AI-native networks that will underpin future connectivity and communication systems.

“We are thrilled that the Smart Internet Lab’s JOINER project has won the National AI Awards 2025 High Tech & Telecom category, reinforcing the University of Bristol’s position as a global leader in AI innovation,” said Professor Evelyn Welch, Vice-Chancellor and President of the University of Bristol. “This marks our second consecutive year winning this prestigious award, following our REASON project’s triumph last year. Our researchers continue to demonstrate how innovation and collaboration can deliver transformative solutions to global challenges.”

The National AI Awards celebrate outstanding contributions to artificial intelligence across multiple sectors. JOINER’s recognition in the High Tech & Telecom category highlights how the University of Bristol continues to define the cutting edge of AI-driven communications, infrastructure resilience, and digital transformation.

Further information

About JOINER

JOINER is an international scale open experimental platform for future networks research, development, and innovation, born out of the UK.

It unites academia, industry, and regions to drive new research, innovation and accelerate research translation and commercialisation.

By federating 14 labs and testbeds across the UK, JOINER advances technology readiness, end-to-end system solutions, network automation, telco cloud, security, spectrum, and NTN powered by emerging AI. JOINER positions the UK as a global leader in intelligent, AI-driven next-generation networks.

About The National AI Awards

The National AI Awards celebrate excellence in the field of artificial intelligence across multiple sectors, recognising the brilliant individuals, teams, and innovative organisations making significant contributions to technological and societal progress.

Recently, Bristol emerged as the fourth most AI-ready city in the UK, according to the SAS AI Cities Index 2025, which annually reveals the cities that are most likely to benefit from the growing appetite for AI.

Media contact:
Email: press-office@bristol.ac.uk
Telephone: +44 (0)117 428 2489

SOURCE: University of Bristol