Public Transit Agencies Promoting Innovation
Innovation is playing a key role in the public transport sector. The potential of digital applications and solutions for public transit is endless. Transit agencies or operators around the world are building innovation hubs to attract new ideas. Some of the agencies are investing in technology companies/startups to drive innovation.
The article is covering some of the initiatives taken by transit agencies to work closely with startups in the mobility sector.
JR East has created a special subsidiary (JR East Startup Co. Ltd.) that is creating a new business and services by utilizing the management resources of the JR East Group together with start-up companies with good ideas and advanced technology. JR East startup program is focusing on 6 areas – Improved convenience, Creating comfortable movement, Innovation, Station building, Regional activation and Solving social issues.
SNCF offers several start-up programs around major themes such as new mobility, flows, the future of work, the customer experience, etc. OUI Link is an acceleration program offered by OUI.sncf. SNCF Digital has created the investment arm “574 Invest” which manages all venture capital activities through 4 fund managers: Idinvest, Hi inov, BPI, Partech).
DB mindbox is a central place where the company manages its startups initiatives, connecting startups and Deutsche Bahn. The mindbox runs 3 key programs – StartupXpress, DB Challenge and DB Open Data. In 2022, DB mindbox is focusing on improving its legacy hardware and software, including weather-related technologies to derive forecasts and courses of action as well as innovative coatings and materials for more efficient work in the stations.
Laval Smart Mobility Incubator and Accelerator (CIAMIL) is a centre of excellence/testing laboratory for technology projects carried out in collaboration with originators, namely the Société de transport de Laval (STL) and the City of Laval.
The Transit Tech Lab is an accelerator program for startups solving public transportation challenges. Successful companies have an opportunity to pilot their technology with the MTA and transform New York City.
The Urban Mobility Incubator is part of a larger partnership with the Ministry of Public Works and Transport (MPWT) known as the Sustainable Urban Mobility for All Initiative(SUMAI), created by UNDP and supported by GRAB.
RATP Group created RATP Capital Innovation in Feb 2017, an investment fund dedicated to SMEs, VSEs and start-ups, in order to contribute to the emergence of new business models and new mobility technologies. The fund aims to invest in innovative companies seeking financing regardless of their stage of development
Keolis actively engages in partnerships with French and International start-ups to help improve its business agility. The company has invested in various startups around the world, focusing on creating new solutions that continuously simplify travel and mobility, as well as, contribute to innovation and the local digital economy
The Billion Journey Project is the UK’s largest transport proof of concept program, developed with the ambition of helping start-ups and scale-ups implement their product across the Rail & Bus industry. 12-week programs offer companies unparalleled access to industry experts, behind-the-scenes knowledge, and advice on how their technology could be delivered across the Go-Ahead group and beyond.