IoT service provider UnaBiz has launched the Sub0G programme, a subcategory of the Sigfox 0G protocol engineered to deliver cost-efficient and massive-scale IoT applications, starting with the supply chain and logistics sector.

The programme (www.unabiz.com/sub0g) is a market-driven initiative that addresses user difficulties in asset tracking and inventory management, aligning with sustainability objectives, regulatory requirements and ESG reporting frameworks such as the EU’s Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD).

The global returnable packaging market size was calculated at $123bn in 2024 and is expected to achieve around $208.6bn by 2033, registering a CAGR of 6% from 2024 to 2033. The Sub0G programme targets cost-efficient, entry-level returnable and short-lived assets, including $5 cardboard boxes for valuables, $10 wooden pallets, $15 plastic crates, $50 plastic pallets and $80 roller cages, tapping into a market with more than 155 million KLT industrial plastic crates alone. The programme ensures tracking insights even without pinpoint location accuracy, driving efficiency in large-scale IoT operations, particularly in:

• ETA optimisation: Enhancing logistics efficiency
• Delivery acknowledgement: Ensuring smooth handovers and transparency
• Identifying grey zones: Pinpointing high-risk areas for asset loss
• Geo-marketing applications: Supporting direct marketing campaigns
• Short-lived asset tracking: Monitoring items with a lifecycle of up to three months before recycling

As businesses seek large-scale data for AI-driven decisions, Sub0G’s approach sets a benchmark for sustainable and efficient IoT operations by simplifying networks, devices and chipsets with machine-learning services, eliminating the need for BLE or RFID infrastructure and enabling precise, reliable data collection for analytics.

Linxens (www.linxens.com), an electronics firm with 40 years of expertise, contributes roll-to-roll manufacturing to the Sub0G programme, with the capacity to produce millions of flexible labels annually to enable Sigfox 0G technology.

“The integration of Sigfox into our flexible label presents a remarkable opportunity to redefine power efficiency and scalability in IoT,” said Laurent Coussonnet, director at Linxens. “This innovation addresses massive-volume use cases such as industrial inventory management, transforming them with unparalleled cost and energy efficiency.”

Dutch electronics giant NXP (www.nxp.com) is among the first collaborators to join the Sub0G programme.

“NXP has been a long-standing supporter of Sigfox 0G technology, and we are thrilled to collaborate with UnaBiz in their new Sub0G programme, a collaborative effort that brings together best-in-class players to unlock the full potential of massive IoT applications starting with our OL series chipset,” said Markus Staeblein, NXP senior vice president.

Zinergy (zinergy-power.com), a designer and manufacturer of paper-thin, flexible batteries, will provide lithium-free, environmentally safe, non-toxic printed batteries for the Sub0G programme.

“Our partnership with UnaBiz’s Sub0G programme underscores our commitment to greener, more energy-efficient battery for the future of IoT,” said Pritesh Hiralal, CEO of Zinergy in Europe. “We aim to optimise device performance by tailoring the battery design and capacity to minimise wastage and environmental impact.”

Geolocation services such as Sigfox Atlas (sigfox.com/services/atlas) reduce reliance on expensive electronics, providing cost-effective alternatives to BLE and RFID with more efficiency and scalability.

“The Sub0G programme represents a new chapter for Sigfox 0G technology, combining sustainability, cost efficiency, innovation and scalability,” said Alexis Susset, group CTO of Singapore-based UnaBiz (www.unabiz.com). “Backed by software-driven radio networks and advanced cloud services, it enables sustainable IoT deployments. Our programme fosters strategic partnerships to advance cost and energy-efficient IoT, enabling net-positive digital transformation. We invite organisations to collaborate on shaping sustainable and effective IoT strategies.”