Cambridge Wireless »»CWConnected
A new brand name to reflect Cambridge tech membership organisation’s evolution and global ambitions
Sector: Tech
The client
Cambridge Wireless is a global not-for-profit membership organisation at the forefront of innovation in connectivity and digital technology.
Founded in 2000 and deeply embedded in one of the world's most intensive science and technology clusters, it connects over 400 technology companies, start-ups, network operators, and universities to encourage collaboration and R&D.
These words - connect, connection and connectivity - are central to the Cambridge Wireless community and how it operates.
For more than two decades, it has brought together the organisations shaping advanced connectivity, the digital industries and telecommunications; facilitating collaboration, accelerating innovation, and connecting members who lead the conversations that matter most.
The services
Brand name concept development
The numbers
26-year heritage
400+ organisations across 5 membership tiers
34 pairings of name and tagline
3 insight gathering calls with Board and team
2 feedback surveys
Dozens of options ruled out
Launched at Cambridge Tech Week 2026 to 5000 delegates
The challenge
In 2026, Cambridge Wireless introduced a new membership structure with five tiers to reflect the breadth of the community:
Digital
Connectors
Engagers
Architects
Pioneers
The team said at the time that this was the beginning of an exciting evolution, and developing a new name that reflected the nature of the organisation and its ambitions was the next step.
"Cambridge" has its pros and cons. It carries huge global prestige and is a significant part of the organisation’s heritage, but is sometimes at odds with the goal to be a truly global community.
And technology has advanced to such an extent since 2000 that "Wireless" no longer captures its breadth.
As CEO Michaela Eschbach explained, “The new name will help us eliminate confusion in the market and therefore enable us to position the organisation correctly.”
The approach
Being Cambridge based and part of the tech sector, the biggest challenge lay in finding a name that hadn’t already been taken or was simply too similar to other organisations and groups.
We carried out very extensive research into names already in use in the local business ecosystem and globally, capturing all the findings on a virtual whiteboard so no ideas were lost.
Multiple storytelling avenues were explored around people, place, metaphors, even Latin roots – these were all ruled out. And for each naming concept, we checked: Is the domain name taken? Is the trademark available?
“Your spontaneous, flexible and approach paired with your creativity enabled us to achieve our goal within the given timeline. You were able to help us successfully conduct the project to find a new name that ticks all the required boxes.”
The process
Insights gathering workshops with members of the team, the Board, and CEO, with transcripts taken so every response was included.
4 initial naming concepts developed and presented to the core group for feedback, with the thinking behind each one.
Refined to a narrow set of suggestions then expanded back out, developing 5 fresh ideas + 6 options for taglines = 30 pairings.
To streamline the process among naturally very busy senior leadership and Board members, a Microsoft Form was sent out to gather further feedback.
With a very clear frontrunner, the name provisionally decided upon, the naming concept was tested ‘in the wild’ at Mobile World Congress.
Board approval.
The project was then handed over to a separate agency to handle the design for the logo and full rebrand.
Launch at Cambridge Tech Week, the global tech gathering which unites world-leading experts, visionary innovators, and strategic investors to drive growth in the technology.
The outcome
Following the very comprehensive research and consideration process, the decision was made by the Board and a name and tagline pairing was agreed:
CWConnected
Shaping the future of technology, together
It was felt the naming concept worked on multiple levels.
1. The name CWConnected preserves the organisation’s heritage – the CW that the community knows and trusts – while pointing clearly to what has always been at its core: connectivity. Not just the technology of connectivity, but the act of it. The bringing together of organisations, ideas, expertise, and ambition.
2. As a standalone pairing it explains simply what they do - connecting organisations across the global tech ecosystem – which speaks to their purpose and their model.
3. It sums up a very core part of the membership body’s identity; it’s a community, which is all about connectivity. The name felt inclusive, imparting a sense that we are actively shaping the future together and all are welcome to be part of this
4. It reflects where they are going: a future in which connection, in all its forms, is more important than ever. And while it’s different, it’s not a complete split with the past – reflecting a transition rather than a complete pivot.
A spontaneous, flexible and approach paired with creativity
We truly enjoyed working with Sookio. They are not only friendly, flexible and timely, but were listening carefully to the brief which enabled us to achieve our goal, finding a new name that is evolutionary but not revolutionary.
With their dedication of creating a name that meets all our criteria, we were able to bring all parties involved on board and can now launch a great new name that ticks all the required boxes.
CEO, CWConnected [formerly Cambridge Wireless]
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