Technical and non-technical business support is now available for eligible SMEs in the South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority to help them enter or grow their business in the rail industry, with a focus on the Digital Railway.
This scheme is part of the DIGI-RAIL project, based at the University of Birmingham, within the Birmingham Centre for Railway Research and Education (BCRRE). The DIGI-RAIL team offer support in a variety of areas of expertise, working with their industry partner Unipart Rail who also have a wealth of experience working with SMEs.
There are several support packages available all fully funded for eligible SMEs. Your DIGI-RAIL journey starts with one of the Business Engagement Managers (BEMs) discussing with you, your business goals and ambitions and how they can help you to enter or grow your business in the digital rail sector. You will then be referred to the relevant content and workshops, which will give you a clear understanding of where your business can fit into the future digital railway and how your product/service development can continue into a collaborative development project.
All DIGI-RAIL clients will receive a minimum of 12 hours of free technical and non-technical support. Should you wish to continue into a product/service development project, this will be agreed together working towards an agreed project outcome.
This could be development of a prototype, testing an idea with rail users, or carrying out some desk-based research for you to make better-informed decisions, to name but a few opportunities.
DIGI-RAIL supports a broad range of Digital Systems areas including:
- Future Railway Operations and Control
- Traffic Management
- Rolling Stock Design
- Energy Optimisation
- Railway Traction
- BIM and Industry 4.0
- Smart Ticketing
- Future Wireless Networks
- Station Information Systems
- Smart Stations
- IoT and Cyber Security.
Any independent company with fewer than 250 employees and a turnover of less than 50 million euros within the South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority are eligible for support. So if you are looking to introduce your digital product or service into Rail or would like some business and/or technical support to make further digital business development gains in Rail then get in touch by completing the enquiry form here.
