Cohort 1 saw eight startup companies working with development experts Alt Labs and KeolisAmey Wales’ own innovation team as part of a 12-week programme to develop a project, product or idea into something able to improve the customer experience. 

Products developed included passenger information systems, app integration for greener travel, smart benches and more – with three coming out on top and securing funding and further development of their product with KeolisAmey Wales. They were:

Brite Yellow Ltd - an app that improves passenger experience for all. The app is designed to help customers navigate our stations and provides real-time information about facilities and potential crowds. It features the exciting capability of a virtual tour as well as visual, voice and haptic guides to check accessibility points, guide customers around the station and identify a passenger assist request.

Passage Way - a personal passenger information system, My Journey. The system aims to provide customers with up-to-date real time information that includes delays, disruption, parking and bus availability. It does not require download data or any form of registration, making it a swift process for customers to get information at their fingertips.

CleverCiti - a state-of-the-art ap to minimise congestion and emissions within cities. Through the use artificial intelligence (AI) in overhead sensors it feed local parking guidance and parking management analytics through an app, meaning customers and colleagues will be able to digitally check if spaces are available and where to find them.

Cohort  2 is now recruiting on https://tfwlab.wales/, with the deadline for entries next week. We hope it proves to be as much of a success as Cohort 1.

The cohorts accelerate tech startups with its 12-week accelerator programme, in partnership with Transport for Wales Rail, by delivering innovation workshops, mentoring & training covering;

• market research
• customer insights
• value proposition design
• prototyping
• validation
• developing a minimal viable product
• demo day