Future Labs is a collaborative venture involving four major UK train operators: London North Eastern Railway, Transpennine Express, Northern Trains, and Southeastern.

This rail programme offers an opportunity for startups to engage with experts from these operators, allowing them to trial their innovative ideas and products in a live rail setting. They receive direct feedback from potential clients within the rail sector, helping refine their solutions.

Over the course of a 12-week immersive experience, startups can gain unparalleled insights and mentorship, and become integrated into the world of rail.

Here’s the words of wisdom the innovation leads had to share.

Ross Welham, Lead Digital Research & Innovation Manager, LNER, said: “Always be on the lookout for new opportunities. Don’t limit yourself by thinking you need a specialist set of skills to be an innovator. A big part of my role is being able to tell a story and bring people along with your vision so they can join you in that change journey, which is a very human element of innovation. 

“You will get nowhere if you can’t change people’s mindsets when it comes to new ways of doing things, and so both core technical skills and softer human interpersonal skills are really important for a career in innovation.” 

Chrstine Lefroy-Owen, Innovation Manager, Northern Railway, shared: “Ask lots of questions and get involved in anything you can. You don’t know where a good idea or conversation is going to come from, and even if an event or project seems outside your area of interest, give it a go. Be nosey!”

Colin Kelly, Head of Continuous Improvement & Efficiency, TransPennine Express, mentioned: “Never stop moving. Have a consistent hunger for learning and growing. How can I get more ideas, more ambition, better outcomes for the business? That’s how we continue to learn and develop as individuals and as a business.”

“It’s really important that, once you’ve implemented a new initiative, the relevant team within the business can run with it themselves and is empowered to make a success of it in the long term without the innovation team steering it too heavily.”

Daniel Taylor, Retail Transformation Manager, Southeastern Railway, shared: “The key to successful innovation is consistently bringing the focus back to the end user. In my field, technology plays a crucial role in enhancing the customer experience. The real opportunity for innovators lies in developing solutions that holistically address these needs. For aspiring entrepreneurs, a valuable tip is to always think from the customer's perspective – create products or services that not only meet but exceed their expectations. When you do that, you're not just innovating; you're building something truly impactful that resonates with your audience.”