20 Jun 2025
We're always looking for ways to improve your journey, enhance safety, and make our services the best they can be.
That’s why our very own innovation lab is where groundbreaking ideas take shape and we're excited to share some of the cool ideas we've introduced.
But before we dive into the latest innovations, we want to highlight that we've successfully nurtured five cohorts through our intensive 10-week accelerator programme, attracting over 300 ambitious startups eager to make a real impact.
We're incredibly proud to have already accelerated 18 startups into the rail industry, empowering them to pivot their creative solutions and ideas to improve customer experience and business efficiency.
Now, let's dive into some of the cool innovations:
Wordnerds
Remember those times you've reached out to us with feedback, questions, or even a complaint? Imagine having a super-smart system that can instantly understand the essence of your message, no matter how it's phrased. That's exactly what Wordnerds, an ingenious AI-powered text analytics solution, helps us do!
We first encountered Wordnerds in our second cohort, and their ability to provide actionable insights from numerous customer communication channels amazed us.
Initially focused on social media analysis, our four-year partnership with Wordnerds has expanded to encompass customer research, providing deeper qualitative insights, and even streamlining our complaint handling process by automatically identifying key themes.
This time saving in analysis reporting has brought a huge benefit to our insights team. https://www.wordnerds.ai/
Spatial Cortex Technology
Manual handling injuries are a significant concern in many industries, and rail is no exception. That's why we were so impressed by Spatial Cortex Technology and their groundbreaking wearable technology, MOVA, winners from our second cohort.
Spatial Cortex Technology’s MOVA is an innovative wearable technology specifically developed for railway staff. It aims to minimise the risk of manual handling injuries during various tasks, including trackside work, depot operations, and maintenance activities.
What makes MOVA unique is its ability to provide quantitative assessments and profound insights, surpassing the limitations of traditional risk-assessment practices.
MOVA’s success and promise led to a strategic partnership with Amey – a testament to the industry’s recognition of the technology’s potential impact on enhancing staff safety.
Following MOVA’s successful tests with fleet and trackworkers, we're now trialling MOVA with our front-line staff. https://www.spatialcortex.co.uk/
RoboK
Winners of Cohort 3, RoboK have been on a mission to make our railways safer with their cutting-edge AI-based computer vision solutions.
Their journey with us began with a clear goal: tackle the critical challenge of level crossing safety. The initial Proof-of-Concept (POC) was a resounding success:
· Phase 1, At Ty Glass level crossing: RoboK installed a solar-powered camera, diligently collecting data for 31 days. The technology was evolving and providing invaluable insights into potential hazards.
· Phase 2: Throughout the POC, RoboK's AI continuously refined its understanding of our unique network challenges. This iterative learning process led to incredibly insightful data, pinpointing safety risks and shaping the solution's ongoing development.
The results were so compelling that RoboK’s solution has since been adopted across the entire Core Valley Lines. This means enhanced safety measures, earlier detection of risks, and a significant reduction in the likelihood of accidents at level crossings across a vital section of the rail network.
RoboK's impact doesn't stop there. Their expertise has also earned them a prestigious partnership with the Global Centre of Rail Excellence, a collaboration that promises to further refine and enhance their computer vision solution for the broader rail industry. And as if that wasn't enough, they've also secured a successful grant from Network Rail's Performance Innovation Fund! https://robok.ai/home
JurnyOn
Next up, let's talk about JurnyOn, another fantastic alumnus from our programme, who are truly changing the game in rail ticketing. They've been making monumental progress, particularly with the development of the UK's first-ever conversational AI blockchain-based subscription ticketing platform.
Imagine a world where ticketing fraud, which currently costs the UK rail industry a staggering £240 million annually, is a thing of the past. JurnyOn's collaboration with TfW showcases how blockchain and AI can be powerful allies in tackling this challenge head-on.
But it's not just about fraud prevention. JurnyOn's platform is all about enhancing the passenger experience.
JurnyOn went live to the public in April and has been incredibly well-received! This is a truly monumental achievement: not only are they the first train operator to implement a subscription-based discount system, but to use blockchain and NFTs to do it is a world first. https://www.jurnyon.com/
We're not just running trains here at TfW; we're actively shaping the future of travel.
We're committed to continuously exploring new technologies to make your journey safer, more efficient, and more enjoyable.
Keep an eye out for more exciting updates from our Innovation Lab - https://tfw.wales/lab
