The initiative, organised through Renfe’s TrenLab accelerator in cooperation with Al-Andalus Innovation Venture, aimed to match rail-related startups with potential investors and partners during a two-and-a-half-hour journey at 300 km/h.
The mobile pitching event featured early-stage companies focused on artificial intelligence, quantum computing, and logistics technologies. Four of the participating startups have previously worked with TrenLab:
- Cyraco: develops railway inspection tools using AI and augmented reality.
- Robot Technology Solutions: offers a generative AI assistant for real-time passenger information.
- QCentroid: explores quantum computing use cases in rail operations.
- Arsoft: applies virtual reality to technical training; it has already conducted pilot training with Renfe.
They were joined by five additional startups from the mobility vertical of Al-Andalus Innovation Venture:
- Eaship: provides collaborative logistics fleet management.
- ESEA Propulsion: designs modular electric propulsion systems for maritime applications.
- Grasshopper Air Mobility: focuses on autonomous drone solutions.
- Zero Labs: uses blockchain to track renewable energy.
- Precise Cycles: develops optimisation tools for urban recycling logistics.
After arriving in Seville, Renfe’s innovation team participated in the Al-Andalus Innovation Venture 2025 forum, where broader topics such as artificial intelligence, green hydrogen, and diversity in tech were discussed. The event gathered over 300 companies and 100 investment funds.
Renfe launched TrenLab in 2018. Since then, it has supported 26 startups, awarded over EUR 2.5 million in pilot contracts, and facilitated startup agreements worth more than EUR 6 million. The “Pitch Train” format is one of the most visible expressions of the company’s open innovation strategy.
