Signalbox wins LNER accelerator, FutureLabs 3.0

Signalbox is delighted to announce that it is the winner of London North Eastern Railway’s (LNER) accelerator programme.

For the project, Signalbox developed a hybrid version of its technology which uses a sophisticated network model to plot the location of trains across network rail.

From left to right: Toby Webb, Director of Signalbox (overall cohort winner); Danny Gonzalez, Chief Digital and Innovation Officer at London North Eastern Railway; Faizan Patankar, CEO of Amygda (best collaborator winner); Imran Anwar, CEO of Alt Labs.

During the 12-week Future Labs 3.0 programme, run by Alt Labs, Signalbox worked closely with LNER’s customer insights, data and tech teams to refine its product in order to meet the needs of LNER’s passengers.

Available at a custom URL, lner.signalbox.io, the solution brings together a live train map, find my train tool and ETA in one place for the first time. Customers can search for trains by operator, area (latitude, longitude) as well as starting point and destination.

Using the live train map, it’s also possible to view the whereabouts of individual trains in real time and whether they are on time, while the ETA function enables customers to share their train’s arrival times with friends and family by SMS text message.  

Says Imran Anwar, CEO, Alt Labs:  

"This year's programme produced some remarkably innovative solutions. It was great to see how Signalbox's live train map was developed into a minimum viable product, during the programme.

“Working closely with stakeholders at LNER and the FutureLabs Team, they developed a solution that showed it could remove anxiety and stress from train travellers’ onward journeys.”

Adds Toby Webb, Founder of Signalbox:

“We are delighted that Signalbox has been chosen as the winner of this prestigious accelerator programme.”

“For the first time, our live train map, find my train tool and ETA are available in one application. It’s a more user-friendly way of letting passengers access real-time information that’s personalised for their journey. It’s a first for the rail industry, built exclusively for LNER.”

FutureLabs is LNER’s flagship accelerator programme, offering innovative start-ups the opportunity to develop technology solutions to address set challenge statements, develop a minimum viable product and pitch to senior management at LNER.

Signalbox’s hybrid version of its technology which uses a sophisticated network model to plot the location of trains across network rail.

FutureLabs aims to transform the rail experience and scale-up innovations that will make a real difference to LNER’s customers, colleagues and communities – as well as lead the industry. It ran its first FutureLabs in 2020 which included projects such as At Seat Food Ordering and an air purifying 'tree'

For more information about the programme go to LNER Future Labs.