FRANCE: SNCF is to establish a subsidiary branded 574 Investments to manage its involvement with technology start-ups.
The name refers to the 2007 world rail speed record set by a modified TGV.
SNCF has already invested in four funds dedicated to supporting young technology companies, but 574 Investments will be a vehicle enabling the group to take minority stakes in specific businesses.
SNCF believes its total portfolio of investments in transport-related start-ups is likely to reach €160m.
SPAIN: CAF Group has launched CAF Startup Station as a venture client unit which will partner with ‘top tier’ start-ups with ideas for the rail and bus sectors. CAF Startup Station will provide the entire CAF Group with in-house services to identify start-ups, validate their ideas ...
Supremely confident engineers from SNCF, RFF and Alstom pushed railway technology past known limits with a dramatic dash on April 3 that shattered the previous world speed record for passenger-carrying trains. Murray Hughes reports from France
