06 May 2022

Transport for Wales’ innovation accelerator programme is set to host its first in-person technology industry event later this month.

Lab by TfW, developed with Alt Labs, and launched in July 2020 and sees business innovators from across the Wales and Borders region develop their ideas to improve safety, performance, and customers’ experiences on the railway.

Following three successful 11-week programmes held virtually throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, Lab by TfW is ready for its biggest event yet at one of Cardiff’s most innovative spaces, The Depot.

Taking place on Thursday 26^th May from 5.30pm, the free event will see three tech companies showcase their ideas directly to senior TfW innovation managers and industry leaders.

Michael Davies, Transport for Wales’ Insight and Innovation Manager, commented: “After two successful years of the Lab by TfW programme we are delighted to be able to take it to the next level by hosting our first in-person event.

“The standard of ideas from our previous three groups has been very high, so we’re looking forward to hearing the solutions our latest cohort have developed over the last three months.

“The event is also a chance to meet directly with senior TfW colleagues, so we’d be delighted to welcome as many people as possible from the tech industry in the UK.”

There are ten companies taking part in this month’s event;

Cohort 4 start-ups:

• Porter Travel – A digital travel companion designed to make travel effortless from discovery and booking, through to experiencing and enjoying. They focus on connecting their members to their best matched travel options.
• Cufflink – Cufflink makes businesses more secure and compliant by distributing their personal and sensitive data and licensing its access, so they’ll always know exactly who’s accessing their data, from where and for what reason.
• Clickflow – Clickflow are a technology company that helps organisations make more informed decisions through deployment of business intelligence solutions.

There will also be the chance to hear from cohort one, two and three alumni, these companies are:

Cohort 3 Alumni:

RoboK - Build efficient AI-based computer vision solutions to democratise safety in transportation. 

Qubopt - Offer a low-code machine learning platform that allows domain experts to deploy digital twins, test hypotheses and optimise outcomes at speed. 

Jnction - Developing a multi-modal journey planner and passenger assistant app which aims to minimise stress for passengers with Autism and Hidden Disabilities, when using public transport. 

Utility AR -vWork with innovators in industrial sectors like Manufacturing, Pharmaceutical, Utilities, and Data Centres to unlock the potential of Augmented Reality applications. 

Cohort 2 Alumni:

Spatial Cortex - Wearable bio-mechanical monitoring system that combines proprietary technologies.

Route Konnect – Tracking & Counting technology that can capture pedestrian and passenger movement.

Cohort 1 Alumni:

Briteyellow Limited -  An indoor mapping, wayfinding and asset management solution to help transport operators create intelligent space. They use augmented and virtual reality, to improve user experience and unlock new revenue.

PassageWay - Transforms connected totems, kiosks and screens into real-time transport and digital wayfinding signs. PassageWay signs display local multi-modal mobility information with real-time updates. This enables operators to push information to both existing and new customers.

Imran Anwar, CEO of Alt Labs, said: “The Demo Day is a huge milestone for TFW Lab where we get to showcase 10 innovative startups who have a viable solution to some of the challenges in an ever-changing Rail sector.

"The products and services these startups have worked on within the Lab since Cohort 1 will inevitably go on to improve the passenger experiences and support the different departments at TFW.

"Through the 4-innovation programmes, the starts-ups have had direct access to data, subject matter experts, stations, trains, and key stakeholders which have enabled them to build the solutions they have today for TFW.

"Alt Labs Innovation team is extremely privileged to have worked with these innovative start-ups and have been part of their journey and proud to have delivered the 4 successful programmes for TFW”

"It follows a period of dedicated mentoring by business experts both remotely and at TfW’s state-of-the art facility in Newport.

To sign up to the event visit Lab by Transport for Wales Cohort 4 Demo Day Tickets, Thu 26 May 2022 at 17:30 | Eventbrite