Ferrovial supports entrepreneurs and innovation in municipal services with the Madrid Smart Lab programme

News

Madrid SmartLab
Ferrovial and Madrid City Government today announced the names of the ten winning companies in the Madrid Smart Lab programme, a pioneering initiative to support entrepreneurs in developing innovative solutions that improve citizens' mobility and living standards. The programme evidences Ferrovial's unwavering commitment to innovation. At an event today in the Cibeles Palace, attended by Ana Botella, Mayor of Madrid; Íñigo Meirás, CEO of Ferrovial; and Concepción Dancausa, Deputy Mayor of Madrid and Alderman in charge of Finance and Administration, Ferrovial and Madrid City Government presented the ten winning solutions chosen for the Madrid Smart Lab programme, a novel initiative to identify and promote entrepreneurial projects in the area of municipal services with a view to enhancing citizens' living standards and urban mobility. Ana Botella, Mayor of Madrid: "Under this programme, entrepreneurs will receive support to turn their ideas into profitable businesses, and we will have the opportunity to test novel formulas that may improve our living standards". MeirásÍñigo Meirás, CEO of Ferrovial, noted that "innovation is a hallmark of our company, as well as an instrument for improving productivity and competitiveness, and one of the principal sources of value creation, inside and outside the company". The programme asked entrepreneurs to address two challenges: how to improve mobility and living standards in the Las Tablas area and in the Fuencarral-El Pardo district. It was launched on 15 July and the deadline for proposals was 1 October. A total of 59 proposals were received: 28 in the area of mobility and 31 addressing quality of life. Ten companies were selected and will participate in an accelerator/incubator programme to ensure they receive training and advice so that their ideas can be turned into viable businesses. The entrepreneurs have the option of performing a pilot test of their idea. The programme will be headed by Ferrovial Servicios' Cities Centre of Competence. The winning solutions in the mobility challenge are:
  • Trazeo: a website and mobile application to provide real-time information about kids as they walk to school.
  • Moovit: a public transport application enabling users to plan a route, check times and report incidents, as well as rate bus drivers, vehicle cleanliness, etc.
  • I-Bump: a speed bump that adapts to the vehicle speed so as to regulate traffic efficiently and provide information on speed.
  • BuzzStreet: a platform that provides real-time information about road infrastructure, detects problems, and advises users on alternative routes.
  • AccityMAPS:an application that calculates accessible routes for persons with disabilities or reduced mobility; the app is valid for any means of transport and for routes on foot.
  The winning solutions in the quality of life challenge are:
  • Mejora Tu Ciudad (MTC): an open government platform that facilitates communication between citizens and the city government and promotes transparency in governance.
  • CivilLift: a platform for citizen connectivity and involvement that provides citizens with a calendar of events, a city browser, blogs, and a mechanism for submitting ideas to improve the living environment.
  • SmartAppCity: an application that aggregates the services available in a city, providing immediate information on services of tourist or commercial interest.
  • Alehope: a solution for managing small communities, such as residents' associations and social clubs, which is scalable for larger population groups.
  • nanoCure: a solution for application to surfaces of all types so as to keep them clean for longer; it can be used on stone, concrete, steel, and graffiti-proof surfaces.
Madrid Smart Lab is part of Ferrovial Servicios' strategy to effectively support cities in implementing cutting-edge initiatives, enhancing services using the most innovative solutions, and contributing to the development of society by supporting entrepreneurship. Ferrovial uses innovation as a strategic tool to respond to the global challenges faced by the infrastructure industry. To that end, the company supports entrepreneurship through its open innovation strategy with the participation of entrepreneurs, SMEs, and institutions in the public and private sectors. It has collaboration agreements with Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and over 30 universities and technology centres to develop specific solutions. The company has been distinguished on several occasions for its innovation in various areas of its activity. Íñigo Meirás was recently presented with the National Innovation Award by King Felipe VI in recognition of the initiatives developed and executed by the company in the countries where it operates as part of its ongoing internationalization strategy. For more information about Madrid Smart Lab, visit its official website: Madridsmartlab.com

NEWSLETTER AND ALERTS

Configure newsletters and alerts.

Check your email address.

Newsletters and alerts

Thank you for subscribing!

We have just sent you an email to confirm your subscription.

DOWNLOAD OUR APP

The Ferrovial app provides instant access to all of the latest at Ferrovial; informative content, job offers and basic information for investors.