• Today, the technology company and the startup of the year in Italy signed an agreement for expertise exchange, joined development of innovative solutions for the railway sector and for pilot projects
  • Integration of Indra sensors and systems in Greenrail eco-sustainable railway sleepers will allow to obtain real time data about track’s and train’s condition, offering new functionality of maintenance, reducing its cost and increasing safety

 Madrid, 21st March 2018: Indra, one of the main technology and consulting companies in the world, and Greenrail, an Italian startup specialized in production of eco-sustainable railway sleepers, signed today a collaboration agreement for joint development of products and innovative technological systems for the railway transport sector. In the following months, Indra and Greenrail will study the technical and economic feasibility of developing a model of an eco-sustainable and smart sleeper, able to collect, elaborate and send real time data about the situation of the track and trains to the railway traffic control centers. Equipping Greenrail sustainable sleeper with Indra’s advanced systems opens doors to new functionalities of predictive maintenance, with impacts such as reduction of costs of installation and energy consumption, and increased safety. Among the objectives of the agreement, there is also a joint development of other solutions and products for the railway sector, as well as conducting pilot projects for clients and research & development centers. Both companies will evaluate the applicability of Greenrail technology as a complement to Indra’s advanced solutions for the railway transport; exchange expertise and disseminate the results in publications, conferences and other events. The collaboration agreement has been driven by Indraventures, Indra’s initiative aimed at strengthening relations with startups, spin-offs, universities and entrepreneurs. Indraventures’ and Indra transport market’s executives have appreciated high potential of Greenrail, which has patented its technology in 80 countries, and is considered the first mover in the new generation railway sleepers market.

“Innovation is a fundamental part of our strategy, as a leading technological company. We have created an open innovation model, which allows us to collaborate with firms able to provide us with differentiating elements and enrich our offer, strengthening our leadership. After having analyzed more than 500 startups last year, we can say that the model works, bringing positive results such as these that we expect from the agreement with Greenrail” – underlined Manuel Ausaverri, Innovation & Strategy Director of Indra, after signing the agreement.

“For Greenrail, signing this important agreement means a fundamental, strategic step towards creating an international partnership, aiming at improving railway sleepers’ performance and developing innovative technologies with Indra – one of the leaders of technological solutions in transport sector. Solar and Linkbox systems will be an integral part of Indra’s solutions, for an increased energy efficiency and an improved safety of whole railway infrastructure” – said Giovanni De Lisi, CEO & Founder of Greenrail.

Greenrail, one of the startups with biggest potential in the railway sector

 Recently, Greenrail has been selected as the best startup of the year in Italy during StartupItalia!’s Open Summit for its innovative design of eco-sustainable railway sleepers, made of an inner core in concrete and an outer shell from a mix of rubber collected from end-of-life tires and recycled plastics. The product significantly reduces environmental impact, limiting also railway tracks’ maintenance costs. The company has just finalized its first licensing contract to commercialize its railway sleeper in the USA.

Indra’s commitment in transport innovation

The agreement with Greenrail is part of Indra’s commitment towards innovation. This goal has put company’s solutions in vanguard of the sector on the global level, allowing it to modernize railway infrastructures in Spain, Colombia, Argentina, Chile, USA, China, United Kingdom, Australia, Morocco, and other countries. This leadership has made Indra an exemplary technology provider in Spanish consortium in the project AVE Meca-Medina in Saudi Arabia. Advanced developments of the company for the railway traffic control and signposting, payments systems and new solutions aimed at improving the services for passengers, together with its commitment in innovation, have brought Indra to guide Shift2Rail, the principal European innovation initiative in the railway sector.

Indraventures, unit for innovation and transformation

Open innovation model of Indra, agile and flexible, is in tune with the process of company’s transformation, contributes to the improvement of its products’ offer, and generates a more innovative culture in whole organization. Indraventures is dedicated to the development and financing of new initiatives, and, depending on needs, provides technology, human capital and Indra’s infrastructure, as well as access to markets or its capacity for internationalization.

Since its launch in 2017, through Indraventures Indra finalized agreements with technological startup from transport sector AutoDrive Solutions (ADS), with Zero 2 Infinity, a startup specialized in space transport, and with companies such as Enisa or Investor Partners. With Cabildo de Gran Canaria, the company launched an invitation to support innovative ideas related to its challenges of intelligent island; it has personally followed the work of research and spin-off groups from numerous universities and has promoted and recognized the entrepreneurial spirit of its professionals through Innovators, its entrepreneurship initiative.

Greenrail

Greenrail is an international company characterized by a great innovative drive, able to catalyze qualified interdisciplinary profiles and research centers, connected to each other and active in the design of technologically advanced solutions. Greenrail handles the designing, prototyping, production and testing of its products, with a perspective of innovating the process, favoring the development of new and specific competences, thanks to the collaboration with universities, research centers and a network of authoritative partnerships, which allow an extraordinary opportunity for growth. Greenrail technology permits to produce a railway sleeper made of an inner core in reinforced concrete, and an outer shell obtained from a mix of rubber collected from end-of-life tires and recycled plastics, which poses an important contribution to the circularity concept of Green Economy.

Thanks to its particular composition, Greenrail sleeper is able to provide increased standards of security and innovation. In addition, the company has designed smart sleepers, useful in handling challenges such as big data and energy efficiency.

Greenrail Solar integrates a photovoltaic panel, allowing to transform the railway infrastructure into photovoltaic field, with a significant capacity of sustainable energy production.

Greenrail LinkBox is a Greenrail Solar sleeper, which integrates various types of systems, for the transmission of control and safety data, and for telecommunication.

The company, founded as a startup in PoliHub, Innovation Districts & Startup Accelerator of Fondazione Politecnico di Milano, has developed important partnerships with entities such as: Politecnico di Milano, Ecopneus (the biggest Italian consortium for collection and disposal of end-of-life tires), Sustainable Development Foundation, Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche.

The speed in incorporating innovation and flexibility are key factors in the development and evolution of Greenrail, today an international example of sustainable industrial development according to the principles of the Circular Economy, whose technology is protected in 80 patent offices worldwide.

Indra

Indra is one of the world’s leading technology and consulting companies for the key business operations of its customers around the world. The company is a leading provider of proprietary solutions within specific segments such as Transportation and Defense markets, and is a leader in Information Technology in Spain and Latin America. It develops complete technological offer of proprietary solutions and advanced services with high added value. In addition, Indra provides a unique culture of reliability, flexibility and adaptability to the needs of its customers. The company is the world leader in the development of technological solutions in following sectors: Security and Defense, Transport and Traffic, Energy and Industry, Telecommunications and Media, Finance, Electoral Processes, Public Administration and Health. Minsait is Indra’s business unit for digital transformation. In 2017, Indra reached 3,011 million euros of revenues, 40,000 professionals, with a local presence in 46 countries and commercial operations in more than 140 countries.

In Italy, Indra has 900 professionals working in offices in Rome, Milan, Naples and Matera. The company has developed advanced skills in innovative areas such as Content & Process Technologies, Customer Experience Technologies, Solutions Architects and Data & Analytics, which allow it to offer solutions and services with high added value in the markets, in which it operates. In Italy, Indra has located its global development center for Customer Experience solutions, completing its positioning through the Naples Software Production Center, which interacts with 23 centers operating in Europe, Asia and Latin America as advanced R&D centers. In 2016, the company presented in Italy Minsait, a business unit that responds to the challenges that digital transformation poses to Italian companies and institutions.