Quartet of rail companies unite in Dragons’ Den-style search for innovation – Business Link Magazine

Four train operators have joined forces on a Dragons’ Den-style scheme to support innovation in the rail industry. LNER, Northern, TransPennine Express, and Southern are looking for cutting-edge technology startups to apply to Future Labs – a scheme designed to accelerate ideas that address common and emerging issues for the sector. Successful applicants will gain access to industry data and resources as well as mentors and subject matter experts working for the train operators to bring their products and services to life. They will be able to apply, test and demonstrate their ideas in real-world environments over a 12-week period. A spokesperson said: “Future Labs is all about transforming the rail industry through open, pioneering and proven innovation. By giving technology startups access to live environments and expert mentorship they can test their proposed solutions in a real-world environment. “Ultimately, this is all about advancing the passenger and employee experience as well as supporting performance and operational excellence.”