Transport for NSW launches start-up accelerator with industry

Transport for New South Wales today launched its ‘Future Transport Digital Accelerator’ in Sydney to help start-ups collaborate with the agency and industry to “solve real customer needs”.

The accelerator, situatedinside the Sydney Startup Hub in the CBD,will serve as the agency’s “open door to industry,” it said.

It has received the backing of Commonwealth Bank of Australia (CBA), Amazon Web Services, Optus, Mastercard and City Innovate Foundation.

The aim of the accelerator is to speed up the realisation of the state government’s Future Transport Technology Roadmap published in 2016 which includes five technology strategies: personalise customer interactions; increase automation of transit networks; foster shared demand-responsive services; enable connected and automated vehicle platforms; and create intelligent transport networks managed with data.

The accelerator launched today with its first challenge: ‘How would you give customers an ideal door-to-door mobility service experience and seamless combinations including the first and last mile options?’

“It would be hard to think about your daily bus or train ride to workwithout using your real time transport apps, so just imagine what these incubator partnerships could provide for the future of our transport network,” NSW Minister for Transport and Infrastructure Andrew Constance said.

“Out of this partnership we look forward to seeing whatdevelopers and innovators will be able to come up with, whether that’s better management of network capacity or improved mobility and connectivity,” he added.

CBA will be offering accelerator participants access to its Centre of Expertise and Innovation Lab facilities as well as time with experts.

“CBA has a strong track record innovating with the NSW Government and Transport for NSW. This latest partnership is a co-creation between both organisations to reimagine travel and transport solutions for the community,” said the bank’s managing director, health, education and government, Julie Hunter.

Mastercard’s partnership follows a successful pilot of Mastercard contactless payments on the F1 Manly Ferry, and rollout of contactless transit payments across all Sydney Ferries and light rail services. More than 15,000 tap-and-go fare payments for card holders from more than 40 countries were made during the trial, the company said.

“For Mastercard, the concept of smart cities is not an end in itself, but a means towards improving the quality of life for all segments of society. Through our global standards, digital technologies, data insights and expertise, we will work withTransportfor NSW to drive inclusive and sustainable urban growth,” said Richard Wormald, Mastercard division president for Australasia.