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Interested? We think there is not just one master approach to solve problems. That is why we set up a whole program...

Nothing less but developing, sharing and growing innovation is the core mission of DB mindbox! Since 2015, DB mindbox is the startup hub of Deutsche Bahn. So far, we've launched 9 batches and accelerated up to 40 startups and thus co-created success stories such as KONUX, HOLOPLOT and Haferkater. However, DB mindbox is not only about startup acceleration but is also part of DB Open Data, an initia

tive that aims at freely available and accessible data in order to simplify the development of data-driven applications. This includes both publishing our railway data and hosting several hackathons throughout the year.

18/06/2026

Meet us at VivaTech in Paris!

Innovation doesn't happen in isolation - It happens when startups, corporates, and innovators come together to exchange ideas, challenge perspectives, and explore what's next.

That's why our colleagues Janna Howaldt and Sebastian Wixforth are in Paris this week, looking forward to meeting startups, partners, and innovators from across the globe.

For us, events like VivaTech are a valuable opportunity to connect with the broader innovation ecosystem and identify new ideas that could help shape the future of mobility.

Here are three reasons why we value international events so highly:

🔹 Exploring startup collaborations
Meeting innovative startups and discussing how their solutions could create value for Deutsche Bahn.

🔹 Expanding our network
Whether reconnecting with familiar faces or building new relationships, great partnerships often begin with a conversation.

🔹 Spotting emerging trends
From AI to mobility and beyond, international events provide insights into the technologies and ideas shaping tomorrow.

We're looking forward to inspiring discussions, fresh perspectives, and exciting new connections throughout the week.

📍If you're attending VivaTech, don't hesitate to connect with Janna and Sebastian.

17/06/2026

🇫🇷 Paris, here we come.

Today, our colleagues Janna Howaldt and Sebastian Wixforth are heading to VivaTech, one of Europe's leading events for innovation and technology.

And, as you would expect from Deutsche Bahn colleagues, they're travelling to Paris by train. 🚆

Over the next few days, they'll be exploring the latest tech trends, connecting with founders and innovators, and expanding our network within the international startup ecosystem.

What we're looking forward to:
✔ Meeting innovative startups from around the world
✔ Exploring emerging technologies and industry trends
✔ Building new connections across the innovation ecosystem

With around 14,000 startups attending VivaTech, there will be no shortage of inspiring conversations and fresh ideas.

As Deutsche Bahn's startup hub, we're always looking for promising startups that are interested in collaborating with DB and turning innovative approaches into real-world solutions.

We're excited about the conversations, insights, and partnerships that may emerge over the next few days.

👉 Who will we meet in Paris?

16/06/2026

Some of the most impactful mobility innovations don't emerge in big cities - they emerge where challenges are most tangible.

With the kick-off of the 2nd accelerator cohort of the Flämingo Startup Hub at Coconat in Klein Glien last week, five startups are now embarking on a six-month journey to develop and scale their solutions.

The program started with getting to know each other, defining shared goals, and gaining insights into funding strategies and economic development opportunities available in Brandenburg.

We're excited to support the following startups in our mobility cohort:

🚚 MUVN - Die Mitfahrgelegenheit für Gegenstände
A platform connecting private individuals who need to transport items.

🔒 Keeper Lockers
Reinventing smart lockers for public spaces and modern mobility ecosystems.

♻️ foom
Turning organic waste into fertilizer within just two days.

⚡EVIMO
Simplifying the inspection and maintenance of EV charging stations through digital solutions.

🚲 CONVOY by MML
Developing innovative e-bike trailers that make transporting children safer and more convenient.

Together with our partners ignore gravity, COCONAT - a workation retreat, Media Deals, Fraunhofer IZI-BB, and Fraunhofer ZDD, we aim to strengthen the Fläming region as a place where startups from mobility, logistics, healthcare, and the creative industries can grow and thrive.

At DB mindbox / Deutsche Bahn, we support startups as mentors, sparring partners, and connectors. Throughout the program, our colleague Christian Temath serves as the cohort’s main point of contact, working side by side with the founders to support their growth and strengthen sustainable mobility solutions for rural areas.

The journey has just begun - and we're looking forward to seeing the progress these teams make before the cohort concludes in December.

10/06/2026

Kick-off for our new startups – welcome to the program!

With Amygda, SP Tech Solutions, Moonbility, Embever & Incremental Ltd, five exciting startups have joined forces with us and DB Regio / Deutsche Bahn. Together, we’re bringing innovation to where it creates real value – directly into practice.

The onboarding yesterday already set the tone:
➡️ Check-in & introduction to the DB mindbox program
➡️ Insights into the world of DB Regio and Deutsche Bahn Group
➡️ Lego mini-build sessions and team pitches to break the ice and get to know each other
➡️ Introduction of our coaching partner Startup Colors
➡️ Site visit to the DB Regio maintenance facility & operation control center in Berlin-Lichtenberg – experiencing operations first-hand
➡️ Alumni startup knowledge sharing from Klarso
➡️ Wrapping up the day with a shared cooking session

And we’re just getting started:
In dedicated kick-off workshops this week, the project teams will define their project scope and set clear goals for the next 100 days.

Our focus is clear:
🔍 truly understand the challenges and use cases
🤝 collaborate closely
⚡ test fast and build solutions that work

We’re excited about the collaboration and the fresh perspectives on topics like Automated fine coding, real-time route management for bus services, automated and optimized depot and circulation planning and sensor based prediction of door malfunctions

👉 Stay tuned – we’ll be sharing insights and progress along the way!

08/06/2026

More than 70 international applications for our bridge monitoring challenge - thank you to all participating teams! 🌍 🙏

Before yesterday’s deadline, we received many exciting submissions featuring very different approaches to sensor technology and infrastructure monitoring. From intelligent sensing systems to data-driven analysis models, the variety of solutions has been impressive.

Over the next days, we’ll review, evaluate and discuss the applications together with the experts from Die Autobahn GmbH des Bundes and DB InfraGO / Deutsche Bahn.

Now it’s time for coffee, Haribo's, deep dives and lots of evaluation sessions - greetings from our colleagues at the DB mindbox evaluation HQ. ☕👀

We’re looking forward to the next steps and the exchange with the startup teams. Stay tuned for more!

04/06/2026

🚨 Last Call for our Bridge Monitoring Challenge - Only a few days left to apply

Together with and / , we are looking for startups and technology teams developing innovative solutions for intelligent bridge and infrastructure monitoring.

The challenge focuses on innovative technologies and approaches in areas such as structural health monitoring, AI-driven analytics, sensor systems and IoT, predictive maintenance, computer vision, digital twins, and automated inspection processes.

The challenge offers startups & tech teams the opportunity to:
→ collaborate with leading infrastructure partners
→ work on real-world infrastructure challenges
→ receive direct feedback from experts
→ further develop and validate their solutions
→ potentially implement a 100-day proof of concept

If your team is working on technologies that can make infrastructure monitoring smarter, more resilient and more efficient — we would love to hear from you.

📅 Application deadline: June 7, 2026

https://www.dbmindbox.com/mindbox/current-calls/autobahn-gmbh-db-infrago-bridge-monitoring-challenge

Apply now or share this opportunity with relevant teams in your network.

28/05/2026

Modern bridge monitoring goes far beyond traditional inspections.

Infrastructure operators today are facing growing challenges:

aging assets, increasing traffic loads and the need for more efficient maintenance processes.

That is why the Bridge Monitoring Challenge focuses on several concrete use cases around intelligent infrastructure monitoring.

Together with and / , we are looking for innovative solutions in areas such as:

• intelligent condition monitoring
• AI-based damage and anomaly detection
• predictive maintenance and maintenance forecasting
• automated inspection and monitoring processes

We are particularly interested in scalable technologies that can help infrastructure operators:

→ identify risks earlier
→ improve maintenance planning
→ reduce manual inspection effort
→ increase resilience and operational efficiency

Relevant technologies may include:
• structural health monitoring
• sensor systems & IoT
• AI and machine learning
• computer vision
• digital twins
• intelligent data platforms

📅 Companies with relevant solutions are invited to apply until June 7
https://www.dbmindbox.com/mindbox/current-calls/autobahn-gmbh-db-infrago-bridge-monitoring-challenge

27/05/2026

Our May newsletter is about to go out, focusing on what it takes to bring innovation into real railway operations.

From live tests in Minden to final pitches in Berlin, we’ve seen startups, industry partners and experts collaborate to bring new ideas onto the tracks. 💡

In our May newsletter:
🔹 Insights from current innovation projects
🔹 Bridge Monitoring Challenge by DB InfraGO & Die Autobahn GmbH des Bundes (apply until June 7!)
🔹 LiveEO’s €28M funding milestone
🔹 Hackathon winners honored in Berlin
🔹 Open calls, startup programs & upcoming industry events

Including:
👉 ERCI Innovation Awards
👉 WECONOMY startup support
👉 Free SET Hub coaching by dena
👉 Events like Rail.S conference, TECH IN CONSTRUCTION & GITEX EUROPE

📩 Want to stay up to date on innovation in mobility & rail?
Subscribe to our newsletter (link in Bio).

22/05/2026

🚉 Four teams. Four different approaches. One shared goal: making regional transport smarter

Congratulations to Sascha Thiergart & Richard Abendroth Embever, Faizan Patankar & Klaus Paul from Amygda, Piotr Sikorski from SP Tech Solutions and Andre WangWang from Moonbility on being selected for the innovation program with us and DB Regio / Deutsche Bahn👏

The presented solutions showed how tangibly innovation in regional transport is already being approached today - practical, data-driven and with a clear focus on operational reality.

We’re excited to support the teams together in the next phase of our program. In early June, the 100-day program kicks off, including onboarding and close collaboration with the business units on the specific use cases.

A big thank you to all teams for the strong pitches, open conversations and different perspectives on the future of regional transport. And of course, our expert jury around Martin Puetz, Frederik Ley, Bernd-Michael Spiecker, Christian Alexander Hahn, Christa Singer and Lutz Weiler.

Now the real work begins 💪

📸 Deutsche Bahn AG | Jason Krüger

21/05/2026

🏆 Congratulations to Incremental Solutions on winning the DB Regio Train Positioning Challenge 👏

At today’s Selection Day in Berlin, the team around Lewis Gill & William Nutbrown from Incremental Ltd impressed with its pragmatic data-driven industrial approach for the rail sector, focused on real-time monitoring to precise train positioning - without requiring any additional hardware on the vehicle.

Not an easy challenge:
Especially in stations or on parallel tracks, traditional GPS/GNSS data quickly reaches its limits.

That’s why it was exciting to see how the participating teams approached the problem by making existing positioning data smarter and more reliable - with a clear focus on real operational applicability and scalability for railway operations.

A big thank you to our expert jury around Martin Puetz, Miguel Colino, Kevin Klebe, Michael Mark & Stefan Kowski, who faced the challenging task of selecting the top candidate. Many thanks as well to Sara Sadeghloo & Adrian Taciulescu from ALYN AI and Sebastian Baumann & Christian Preusche from DATAbility GmbH for the strong pitches and the open exchange throughout the day.

For the selected team the next step is a 100-day proof of concept together with us and the business unit of DB Regio / Deutsche Bahn. We’re looking forward to kicking off the onboarding phase in early June.

And there’s more to come:
Tomorrow, we’ll announce which teams were selected for our Regional Traffic 2026 program 👀

📸 Deutsche Bahn AG | Jason Krüger

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