18.07.24 BRISTOL, Connected Places Catapult, the UK’s innovation accelerator for cities, transport, and place leadership, has today announced the opening of applications to join the next cohort of innovators developing their solutions as part of the Station Innovation Zone.
Now in its third year of operation, the Station Innovation Zone is a partnership between Connected Places Catapult and Network Rail, supported by Great Western Railway and funded by Innovate UK. It creates an environment for small to medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to develop technologies that have the potential to improve the passenger experience. To date, the Station Innovation Zone has supported 17 innovative firms develop their ideas, with 6 undertaking live trials.
This year’s challenges centre on three themes, which applicants are invited to respond to:
- Accessibility: tackling barriers to travel and maximising the impact of accessibility improvements
- Sustainability: making the station greener as well as supporting data-driven decision-making for better resource and energy management.
- Personal security: creating an environment that feels safe and making it easier for people to report feeling unsafe
For the first time, this year, there is also an open challenge which will welcome applications from SMEs with solutions that are truly novel to the rail environment but have the potential to contribute to a safe, seamless, social and sustainable station of the future.
Up to 8 companies will be selected to take part with each receiving an initial £4,000 to develop a proposed trial plan. Of those, up to 3 will be chosen to move forward to live trials over a six-month period at Bristol Temple Meads, with each receiving up to £45,000 to support deployment at the station. All successful applicants will receive access to station management, business development and technical trial support as well as the opportunity to showcase their technology at relevant industry events.
Prospective applicants have until midnight on Thursday 24 September 2024 to apply.