Rail industry start-up news
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Rail Business UKTrain operators launch joint innovation programme
UK: Four train operators are to run a joint programme giving technology companies the opportunity to demonstrate AI, telecoms, quantum and other innovations in a real-world rail environment. The Future Labs programme is to be run by the government-owned operators LNER, Northern, Southeastern and TransPennine Express ...
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NewsIarnród Éireann seeks to develop start-up mindset
IRELAND: National railway Iarnród Éireann and Dogpatch Labs have launched Future Track which aims to bring a ‘start-up mindset’ to innovation in the rail sector. Iarnród Éireann staff will be mentored by entrepreneurs and engage in an annual three month programme which aims to make ideas ...
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Rail Business UKPlastic waste 3D printing project wins LNER Futurelabs accelerator competition
UK: London North Eastern Railway has announced the winners of its fourth annual Futurelabs accelerator programme for start-ups and SMEs. The themes were to encourage passengers to choose rail, to strengthen the sustainability of the network, to create a frictionless journey, and to explore emerging technology. ...
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NewsTalgo Inspire seeks alliances with transport technology start-ups
SPAIN: Rolling stock manufacturer Talgo has launched a programme to work with innovative start-ups in the worldwide transport sector. The Inspire programme will use a venture client model under which Talgo will buy a start-up’s products rather than acquire an equity stake. ‘We are looking for ...
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Rail Business UKNorthern sets the pace in cyber resilience
Over the past seven years, Northern has worked with supplier RazorSecure to develop an ambitious programme of cybersecurity risk management, the operator’s Onboard Systems Manager Marc Silverwood tells Tony Miles.
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Metro Report InternationalTransit Tech Lab to pilot transport efficiency and human resources innovations
USA: The Transit Tech Lab initiative created by New York Metropolitan Transportation Authority and the Partnership for New York City has selected 15 companies to participate in its annual transport innovation challenge. The latest round attracted nearly 150 applicants. The selected proposals are: Accure Battery ...
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Rail Business UKRail innovators call for improvements to the funding ecosystem
UK: The Rail Innovation Group has produced a report suggesting ways to improve the outcomes from innovation funding, setting out its micro, start-up and SME members’ experiences of receiving public support to help them enter the supply chain. The three recommendations are for funders to: ...
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Rail Business UKSeatfrog secures £6m investment for European expansion
UK: Ticketing app developer Seatfrog has secured £6m of investment to support planned expansion across Europe. The growth funding round was backed by investors Pembroke, Praetura and Octopus Ventures, and advised by FinnCap’s Private Growth Capital team. Seatfrog launched in 2018, initially offering a way for ...
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NewsBelgian start-up to test freight train ATO on Betuwe Route
NETHERLANDS: Gent-based automation start-up OTIV has announced plans to test an autonomous train on the Betuwe Route freight corridor within the next two years.
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Rail Business UKFive innovators to work at HS2 contractor sites
UK: High speed line project promoter HS2 Ltd has launched the fifth round of its Innovation Accelerator programme, focusing on the use of artificial intelligence and advanced sensing technology to drive cost and carbon efficiencies across the construction programme. The five SMEs in the new cohort ...
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Rail Business UKFunding available for rail construction innovation projects
UK: Innovators from across the UK are being invited to submit proposals for the Innovation in Railway Construction Competition, which is making £7·44m available for ideas which could be tested at the Global Centre of Rail Excellence in South Wales. The competition is being run by ...
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Rail Business UKBristol Temple Meads to host Station Innovation Zone
UK: Bristol Temple Meads station has been selected as a Station Innovation Zone which will host trials of technology to improve the passenger experience. The five-year partnership between Network Rail and the Connected Places Catapult innovation accelerator will select start-ups to test ideas such as smarter ...
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Rail Business UKRail innovation cluster launched by the University of Birmingham
UK: A BCRRE Rail Innovation Cluster to support businesses looking to deliver to deliver greater value and innovation into the rail supply sector has been announced by the University of Birmingham’s Centre for Railway Research & Education during InnoTrans. Building on BCRRE’s many years of experience ...
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Metro Report InternationalMTR Corp to invest in start-ups
CHINA: MTR Corp and Hong Kong Cyberport Management Co Ltd have signed a memorandum of understanding for a two-year collaboration to invest in digital technology start-ups. The MTR Lab and Cyberport Macro Fund will select start-ups from Cyberport’s ecosystem that have potential and suit MTR’s rail ...
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Rail Business UKShape-changing wayfinding and self-deploying flood barriers among innovation funding recipients
UK: Shape-changing passenger wayfinding technology and self-deploying flood barriers are among the 51 projects awarded a share of £1·95m of Department for Transport funding under the Transport Research & Innovation Grant programme. TRIG is run by the Department for Transport and Connected Places Catapult to bring ...
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NewsMainRail to digitalise ADIF maintenance records
SPAIN: Aldesa Group company Coalvi and Rover Rail have selected the MainRailMT digital platform for tracking and asset condition and managing maintenance tasks in real time. The two companies will deploy the technology to support their contract to maintain more than 2 700 km of ADIF’s ...
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NewsStructure monitoring system developed
INDIA: Kerala Rail Development Corp has signed a memorandum of understanding to use technology developed by Lab2Market for the real-time monitoring of civil engineering structures in areas prone to land settlement and flooding on the planned Silver Line. The 530 km double-track 200 km/h railway is ...
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NewsCAF looks to partner with rail and bus start-ups
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 ...
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NewsFour start-ups chosen in Rumo’s Fuse safety innovation programme
BRAZIL: Ideas and concepts to improve safety at level crossings are to be developed and tested under plans announced by freight concessionaire Rumo. Four proposals have been selected for development under the Fuse programme to identify and implement safety improvements, which was launched by the operator in ...
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NewsCall for booking platforms to be given access to train operators’ data
EUROPE: The ALLRAIL association of independent passenger train operators and retailers has called on EU member states to ensure that market-dominant incumbent operators share their data with third party journey planning and ticket selling platforms. Commenting on calls by EU stakeholders for the creation of a rail ...