The Birmingham Centre for Railway Research and Education (BCRRE) launched the DIGI-RAIL project on 22 March to West Midlands businesses looking for support in accessing opportunities that the digital railway has to offer.
The event brought together rail professionals from across the supply chain and gave an opportunity to discuss, network and build partnerships, and to understand how the DIGI-RAIL project can support them.
Dr Al-Amin Dabo, Business Engagement Manager for the DIGI-RAIL project at BCRRE said, “We are delighted to have launched DIGI-RAIL today thanks to ERDF funding. By working with SMEs on specific R&D challenges, we anticipate seeing the development of new products, processes and services into the rail industry, which will in turn provide substantial benefit to the businesses through increased turnover and the creation of new jobs in the region.”
The unique digital rail, demand-led, business support and demonstrator programme (DIGI-RAIL) will run over three years and aims to help solve challenges within the railway sector and to access the increasing number of digital rail commercial and research opportunities that currently exist in the UK and internationally.
The ERDF (European Regional Development Fund) part funded project provides long-term innovation support to eligible SMEs specifically within the Greater Birmingham and Solihull Local Enterprise Partnership (GBSLEP) and Coventry and Warwickshire Local Enterprise Partnership (CWLEP) areas, on developing digital products and services for the rail industry.
DIGI-RAIL will deliver seminars and workshops, bespoke 1:1 consultations and diagnostic activities provided by technical experts from BCRRE. Support given on DIGI-RAIL must be a minimum of two days and will be at no cost to the company.