Rail Growth Support Programme

Connected Places Catapult, in collaboration with Network Rail and funded by Innovate UK, is launching the Rail Growth Support Programme — a capability-building programme for mid-to-early-TRL innovators with solutions applicable to challenges in the railway sector, supporting SMEs to understand the progression route for their solutions.

Summary
Challenges
Eligibility
Dates
How to apply

Overview

The Rail Growth Support Programme brings together a group of alumni as a single combined cohort, offering tailored business support designed to develop early stage solutions applicable to challenges within the railway sector.

The railway is currently undergoing significant restructuring, with the upcoming introduction of Great British Railways (GBR) set to reshape how the sector is organised and operated. The programme connects innovators with the people who keep the railway running — across corporate, track, station and operational roles — transferring their knowledge and frontline insight to innovators keen to make a difference.

Support is delivered through modules including:

Workshops
1-2-1 industry mentoring / matchmaking
Station tours and site visits
Trial design support
Connected Places Catapult skills workshops

Together these are designed to support SMEs in moving from innovation to procurement in the rail sector.

Open call

We support the submission of all relevant solutions that solve core challenges across UK rail. Please ensure you cite any relevant literature / documentation to demonstrate evidence that there is an industry challenge that your solution directly targets.