Iarnród Éireann staff will be able to attend an entrepreneurial programme to develop ideas about the future of rail as part of a new partnership with startup hub Dogpatch Labs.
The employees will be immersed into an entrepreneurial community, mentored by real entrepreneurs, and engage in an annual programme run over three months, aimed at accelerating ideas into commercially viable solutions within Iarnród Éireann.
The partnership, which is called ‘Future Track’, aims to use a startup approach to drive innovation and support Iarnród Éireann’s sustainable transport goals.
The programme will culminate in a “demo day,” where Iarnród Éireann teams will present their ideas directly to senior leadership.
“We have big ambitions for rail to become the backbone of a sustainable transport system for Ireland, for both passengers and freight,” said Jim Meade, CEO of Irish Rail.
“To achieve these, we want to further build our innovation capacity, encouraging and developing new ideas that can enhance customer experience and support rail decarbonisation,” Mr Meade said.
Patrick Walsh, CEO at Dogpatch Labs, described the partnership with Iarnród Éireann as a perfect fit.
“There is so much innovation already happening within the organisation and we’re looking forward to adding to this by instilling a startup mindset in their staff and giving them access to the entrepreneurial community, ecosystem and network to tackle the most pressing sustainability challenges head-on,” Mr Walsh said.
