This week We launch cohort 2 of our innovation accelerator programme. August 26th we’ll be going live with our first ever remote cohort.

We’re a little bit excited to say the least!

Cohort 1 was a great success. We helped accelerate 5 start-ups through to the negotiation stages with Transport for Wales Rail.

We’ve got a new series of challenge statements and 10 start-ups eager to tackle them.

COVID may have had have us locked down – but it hasn’t knocked us down.

Our remote innovation accelerator will deliver the same innovative experience for all start-ups and TfW.

Let’s take a look at who will be taking part in cohort 2

The Cohort

  • Route Konnect – Tracking & Counting technology that can capture pedestrian and passenger movement.
  • SpatialCortex Technology – Wearable bio-mechanical monitoring system that combines proprietary technologies.
  • Shapes AI – AI video analytics platform that detects events and behaviours of interest.
  • Wordnerds – Artificial intelligence using deep learning and natural language processing to teach computers to read and understand language.
  • Window Seater – Mobile app aimed to improve the passenger experience by delivering amazing stories about what travellers can see outside their windows based on location.
  • EMU Analytics – Cloud-based, real-time geospatial data analytics solutions.
  • You Smart Thing – Cloud-based ‘travel assistant’ for organisations to manage people-flow and travel demand whilst delivering world-class visitor experiences.
  • Doopoll – Real time polling solution to gather instant results.
  • Yoello – Mobile ordering solutions
  • Razor Secure – Cyber Security Solutions
  • Urban CSR – Making human communication possible where it normally couldn’t be

The Programme

Cohort 2 launches this Wednesday (August 26th). It will span 10 weeks, covering a range of topics from ideation to stakeholder scanning, user testing and product development.

Start-ups will take their idea and by week 10 will have developed a proof of concept or minimum viable product to present to TfWR stakeholders.

The programme will then conclude with a demo day on the 11th week.

Michael Davies, insight and innovation manager at TfW, said: “We’ve been so impressed with the high calibre of ideas that have been pitched to us over this stage of the programme. This has made our job of selecting the best startups for cohort 2 extremely tough. TfWL allows both local, Welsh companies, and those further afield to grow, develop and accelerate their business. Importantly, it also presents the opportunity to develop and fast track any new ideas that can make a meaningful difference to passenger experience across our network.”

The Outcome

Start-ups will pitch their final solution and MVP/POC to a panel of TfWR stakeholders.

The panel will then decide which solutions they would like to progress development with and implement across TfWR.

Successful startups will enter negotiations with TfWL to secure a contract of work/funding, in order to finish development of their solution and launch it across TfW.

Start-ups can also win a share of £25k for their performance on the programme.

Follow The Programme

We will be releasing company profiles on each startup throughout the duration of the programme. For the latest updates visit https://twitter.com/WalesLab