A rare inside account of innovation at the sharp end of global technology 

Tracking a Cambridge startup’s real-life journey to bring a breakthrough electronic component to the world’s smartphones, Tony Golding reveals how innovation really happens. From early promise and hard-won credibility to securing a coveted place inside handsets produced by China’s national tech champion, Down to the Wire provides an inside look at high-stakes entrepreneurship. But, just as success comes into view, rising geopolitical tensions between the United States and China intrude with devastating effect, demonstrating how international politics can derail even the most innovative company.   

Readers are guided clearly through the technology and business dynamics behind the device we all carry every day. Part business narrative, part technology explainer and part cautionary tale, Down to the Wire is essential reading for anyone interested in innovation, entrepreneurship and the hidden forces shaping our digital world. 

The narrative takes the reader inside Cambridge Mechatronics’ roller coaster ride towards smartphone acceptance of its unique component technology, a ride abruptly cut short by the technological rift between the United States and China. The book explores three intersecting themes: innovation and entrepreneurship; the technology and business of smartphones; and China’s dominant position in handset manufacture, allied to the harsh impact of geopolitics on the industry.

What others have said about it

“Tony Golding has unearthed a little-known technology success and tells its story with great care and precision. It’s a great reminder – if one were needed – that British ingenuity continues to play a vital role on the world stage.”   James Ashton, author of The Everything Blueprint: The Microchip Design that Changed the World.

“Like all the best business histories, this is far more than just the compelling story of one plucky British startup’s struggle to commercialise its cutting-edge innovation. The challenges it faces sharply illuminate the profound geopolitical and technological shifts reshaping our world.”  Simon Nixon, Publisher of the Wealth of Nations newsletter, and former Chief Leader Writer at The Times.

“Centred on a British company that manufactures a key component for smartphones, Down to the Wire clearly sets out the remarkable story of how and where handsets are made. It also reveals how China’s rise as a major innovator presents both challenges and real opportunities for UK companies with global ambitions.”  Kerry Brown, Professor of Chinese Studies and Director of the Lau China Institute at King’s College, London.

“Down to the Wire is a fascinating study that unpacks the complexities of one of the 21^st century’s most transformative and accessible inventions. Dr Golding masterfully explains the rise of smartphone innovation and the challenges facing a UK-based start-up as it attempts to pivot towards emerging technology leaders in China”.  Professor Jeremy Hall, Director, Science Policy Research Unit (SPRU), University of Sussex Business School

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About the author

After graduating from Cambridge and the University of Sussex, where he gained a doctorate in industrial economics at the university’s Science Policy Research Unit, Tony Golding spent several years with an international electronics company. He then entered the City in a research role and spent 24 years there, largely with a London-based investment bank. He left in 1998 to write The City: Inside the Great Expectation Machine which, in September 2002, went into a second edition. An early investment in Cambridge Mechatronics Limited, taking him back to his roots as a technology analyst and investor, inspired him to write Down to the Wire.