Rail
Rail is essential to the economic, social and environmental health and growth of the UK, supporting essential travel, commuters, social and leisure travel, healthcare journeys and travel for education purposes. The rail network is the UK’s travel backbone, connecting rural communities to urban areas and facilitating opportunities for all.
The UK rail industry contributes £36bn to the UK economy annually, directly employing 115,000 people and supporting another 250,000 through its supply chain. There were 1,718 billion journeys on the National Rail network in 2016, making it the fifth most used in the world.
As the sector continues to grow, passenger satisfaction, safety, capacity, efficiency, sustainability, digitisation and inclusion are crucial factors to ensuring a resilient rail network.
Innovate UK KTN’s rail team works with major stakeholders within rail to identify key industry challenges, then uses our wider network to connect solution holders (including SMEs, academics and other businesses) to industry to address these needs. We also provide support through events, guidance on grant applications and other networking opportunities.
Rail and Covid-19
Covid-19 has had a major impact on the UK and around the world. Within rail, this has created a number of challenges, and has significantly impacted the industry. UK companies have risen to meet these challenges, providing innovative products and services to tackle a range of needs. Find out how Innovate UK KTN has worked with Innovate UK to promote some examples of how UK innovators can contribute to the rebuilding and growth of rail in the UK and around the world.
The wider transport team works to connect innovations across transport modes, highlighting new opportunities, and projecting your insights in a crowded marketplace.
First of a Kind: Rail Innovation Directory
First of a Kind (FOAK) is funded through the SBRI process to develop demonstrators of innovative solutions to rail challenges. Find out more about SBRI here.
This booklet is a showcase of projects funded through the First of a Kind and Accelerating Innovation in Rail competitions from 2017-2020, and aims to highlight innovative technologies which have been successfully demonstrated, for potential customers within the UK rail sector.
Click here to download the directory.
First of a Kind: video case studies
Focusing on ‘Passenger Experience’, ‘Safety and Performance’ and ‘Sustainability’, these videos are a spotlight on some of the companies funded by the SBRI First of a Kind rail innovation competitions.
Related Opportunities
Innovate UK BridgeAI: AI Solutions to improve productivity in key sectors
Opens: 27/09/2023 Closes: 08/11/2023
Apply for a share of up to £32m for innovation projects that can improve productivity in key sectors through the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI).
More Information
Net Zero Living: User focused design
Opens: 01/08/2023 Closes: 04/10/2023
UK registered businesses can apply for a share of up to £3.8m to support them in developing net zero products or services.
More Information
Travel Support for UK-based R&D SMEs to attend European Transport Research Events
Opens: 12/09/2023 Closes: 27/09/2023
Up to £700 to attend Urban Mobility Days (4-6 Oct, Seville) and/or European Automotive Research Partners Association Forum (17-18 Oct, Brussels)
More Information
Related Events and Recordings
Wed
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2023
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2023
SBRI Competition Rail Demonstrations: First of a Kind 2023
10.00 - 16.15 | London & Online
Watch now
Related News
11/05/2023
Department for Transport and High Speed Rail partner launch 2023 First of a Kind Rail Competition
The Department for Transport (DfT) and High Speed Rail partner are launching a new Small Business Research Initiative (SBRI) competition to accelerate innovation in the UK rail sector and enable technologies to be readily and efficiently integrated into the railway system.
Read more
10/03/2023
The 2023 Accessible and Inclusive Transport Report
Download the March 2023 Accessible and Inclusive Transport Report, published by Innovate UK KTN.