Submissions open for Rail Innovation Challenge (5th Edition)

Deadline Date: November 13, 2024

 Donor Name: Ferrocampus

 Grant Size: Not Available

https://challenges.ferrocampus.fr/en/challenges/rail-innovation?t=3H7KQoOaO4xdop-QU6Tp3w&utm_source=agorize.com&utm_medium=listing&utm_campaign=agorize_thumbnail

Shape the Future of Mobility for the Rail Industry! Dive into the future of mobility with the Rail Innovation Challenge 5.0! Rail companies are calling on your creativity to come up with intelligent, sustainable solutions tailored to the rail sector. Interact with passionate professionals, get noticed by rail companies and win incredible prizes.

With increasing urbanization, the transportation needs are evolving rapidly. Solutions must go beyond simple travel by offering a rewarding experience, efficient operation and advanced technologies. Rail, with its unique potential, is at the heart of this transformation. All ideas are welcome to make rail a central pillar of the future!

Categories 

• They invite you to imagine innovative solutions in three key categories:
  • Traveler experience and attractiveness: How can they attract new users to the train, and retain those who already use it? What new services can be offered to improve the passenger experience?
  • Organization and operations: How can they improve operating performance and adapt methods and organisations to meet the challenges of today and tomorrow?
  • Techniques and systems: What technical advances should be applied to rolling stock, infrastructure and all the components of the rail system?

Topics

• Air quality on trains and in stations: How to measure it, and how to improve it?:
  • Air pollution is a public health issue and has become a major challenge for users and all those involved in the rail industry.
  • In the current context of improving the treatment of this problem, what solutions do you propose?
  • Categories: Technology and systems, Passenger Experience and attractiveness
• How can they smooth out passenger loads during peak periods in urban areas? Distribution on the platform, on board, and adapting to passengers’ mobility habits:
  • Optimise the distribution of passengers within trains.
  • Facilitate the management of passenger flows in stations.
  • Encourage customers to adapt their mobility to improve capacity and overall comfort. 
  • Categories: Passenger Experience and attractiveness, Organization and operations
• Improving accessibility and care for the frail in the broadest sense:
  • Adapting organisation and equipment to the needs of frail people, and how to take them into account when designing new solutions. 
  • Categories: Passenger Experience and attractiveness, Organization and operations
• How can existing systems be made more energy-efficient?:
  • Innovating to make existing systems more energy-efficient.
  • Rethinking control and command strategies to improve energy performance.
  • Developing the energy mix, in particular to include hydrogen. 
  • Categories: Technology and systems
• How can innovative systems enhance the passenger experience?:
  • Imagine design and ergonomic improvements.
  • Imagine the functionalities of on-board systems that can improve the passenger experience. 
  • Categories: Technology and systems, Passenger Experience and attractiveness
• Design and digitalization of the station of the future (flows, space, layout, adaptation to climate change):
  • Making the station of the future a connected, sustainable space that enhances the passenger experience.
  • Adapting to the challenges of climate change and optimising development. 
  • Categories: Technology and systems, Passenger Experience and attractiveness, Organization and operations
• Robotics for maintenance, operations and industry:
  • Devising solutions for developing robotics in working environments to make them safer, more attractive and more effective.
  • Categories: Technology and systems, Organization and operations

Challenge Stage

• The Challenge consists of several rounds:
  • Step 1:
    • Here’s how to join the adventure:
      • Create a team of 2 to 5 students or young graduates : they recommend that you vary the profiles in order to maximize your skill set and come up with a better idea
      • As a team, choose a topic among those proposed by the sponsors, or propose your own topic corresponding to at least one of the three categories. 
      • Submit your idea before November 13  at 11:55 pm: the number of slides is free, what’s important is to show how your proposal is innovative (eliminatory criterion) and feasible.
      • Do not hesitate to also submit your CVs in order to get noticed and open yourself to professional opportunities!
  • Step 2: Deepening:
    • Up to 30 teams will be selected for this second step! 
    • During this internship, you’ll be accompanied by mentors and business experts from the Challenge’s sponsors to boost your project and impress the Jury in order to win your place for the Grand Final !
    • You will be asked to submit:
      • an in-depth presentation of your idea , the number of slides is free.
      • plus a video of maximum 2 minutes or a mock-up . For example: an advert for your product, a role-play, or simply a video of you presenting the project.
  • Step 3: The Grand Finale:
    • At the end of the in-depth phase, up to 6 selected teams will be invited to pitch their idea  in front of the main players in the rail industry!
    • During the event, you’ll have the chance to meet numerous players in the rail industry and get noticed by the human resources departments of the companies present.
    • The Final will take place in Paris in May 2025 – More information will be available in the coming weeks.

Prize Information

• First Prize:
  • The winning team will receive a €4,500 voucher to spend on rail travel.
  • And a digital subscription to the magazine Ville, Rail & Transports.
• Second Prize:
  • The second team will receive a €2,500 voucher to spend on rail travel.
  • And a digital subscription to the magazine Ville, Rail & Transports.
• Third Prize:
  • The third team will receive a €1,500 voucher to spend on rail travel.
  • And a digital subscription to the magazine Ville, Rail & Transports.
• Public Prize:
  • The 4th Prize will be designated by the Public.
  • The Winning team will receive a €1,500 voucher to spend on rail travel.

Eligibility Criteria

• This Challenge is open and offered solely to:
  • Student. Any individual aged eighteen (18) years and/or with full legal capacity, who is currently enrolled at a post-secondary institution or has recently graduated from a post-secondary institution less than 2 years before the current scholar year, with a student card to prove it. Each student may only participate once in each Challenge. If the participant is a minor, you must provide this authorization signed by a parent or guardian in the name of the minor. 
• All the documents that may confirm the Participant’s eligibility will be required prior to awarding any prizes (e.g. identity document, student card, etc.). 
• This Challenge is not open to employees and representatives of the Sponsor and Agorize and the members of their families. 
• This Challenge is void in countries where it is prohibited or restricted by law.

Selection Criteria

• Deliverables will be judged according to the Selection Criteria, described. You agree and acknowledge that the Challenge relies on your creativity, capacity, ability, and ingenuity to solve difficult problems. The Challenge does not depend, even partially, on chance or luck, and therefore should not be considered as a lottery. Under no circumstances are factors such as appearance, religion, membership in a trade union, political opinions or sexual orientation considered. 

Application Requirements 

• To take part in the Challenge, they must have received your completed registration by November 13th 2024.
• To register, the Participant must first have created a user account on the Challenge website, and must have truthfully and accurately completed required information, such as full name, email address, etc. 
• Any registration based on inaccurate, false or incomplete information will result in the Participant’s disqualification. Refusing collection, recording and use of their personal data that is strictly necessary to performing the Challenge will result in the Participant’s disqualification. The participant is solely responsible for the information he/she provides while its registration. Any intentional or non-intentional mistake, anomaly or inconsistency, regarding this information, may result in the Participant’s disqualification. Sponsor reserves the right to proceed all necessary verifications regarding the Participant’s identity, postal and/or email address.
• Deletion of a Participant’s user account on the Challenge website will be deemed as a withdrawal from the Challenge. In this case, the Participant, regardless of whether the deletion results from the Participant’s personal act or not, will not participate in the Challenge, and will not obtain any compensation.
• You must also have accepted the Rules as well as the Terms and Conditions of Use and the Privacy Policy, during the creation of your user account and your registration to the Challenge. 
• Registration for and participation in the Challenge is free, with no purchase or payment obligation.

For more information, visit Ferrocampus.