Rail passengers and frontline staff are set to benefit from a new wave of technology‑led innovation, as the Department for Transport (DfT) today opens the latest round of the First of a Kind (FOAK) competition.
Launched in partnership with Innovate UK, the FOAK26 competition will make £4.8 million in grant funding available to innovators developing pioneering solutions to some of the railway’s most persistent challenges. The programme is designed to help new ideas move from concept to real‑world trials, increasing their chances of being adopted across Britain’s rail network.
Opening today (11 May 2026), the competition focuses on improving safety, reliability and passenger experience, while also addressing issues such as anti‑social behaviour, environmental impact and the delivery of major rail projects on time and on budget.
Rail Minister Lord Peter Hendy said:
“Supporting new ideas is all part of our plan to modernise track and train under Great British Railways, designing and adopting world-leading technology that improves passenger experience while supporting jobs, growth and homes."
A proven pathway from innovation to deployment
Now in its ninth round, the FOAK competition has received £62.5 million in government backing since 2017. The programme has built a strong track record of helping early‑stage technologies gain traction with industry partners.
One of the 2025 winners, Transmission Dynamics Ltd, developed an intelligent roadside warning and analysis system aimed at reducing disruption caused by vehicle strikes at low‑clearance bridges and tunnels. Trials are already underway, including in Northumberland, where the system recently alerted Network Rail to a bridge strike, enabling rapid assessment and helping minimise disruption on the East Coast Main Line.
Claire Spooner, Director of the Innovation Service at Innovate UK, said:
“Since 2017, Innovate UK has delivered the Department for Transport funded First of a Kind competition to accelerate the development, demonstration and adoption of breakthrough technologies into rail innovation.
“FOAK26 marks the next step, introducing more focused, industry led challenges aligned to DfT priorities and supported by strong sponsorship across the sector. By working closely with industry partners and stakeholders, FOAK26 will maximise the impact of public investment, support the commercialisation of innovation, and drive economic growth by helping new solutions reach the rail network faster.”
Supporting HS2 delivery and smarter infrastructure
Another FOAK‑funded project from 2025 saw the development of an automated AI‑enabled monitoring system to track deliveries at an HS2 construction site. Using existing CCTV infrastructure, the system alerted site teams to the arrival of time‑critical supplies, helping keep complex projects on schedule.
Hao Zheng, Co‑founder & CEO of Robok Limited, said:
"Innovate UK's FOAK funding allowed us to develop SiteFlow with EKFB on a live HS2 site, turning existing CCTV into supplier-assurance and safety insight. That foundation is now enabling us to take the product to the wider HS2 community, and to scale this practical AI across UK infrastructure."
Similarly, Furrer+Frey used FOAK support to accelerate the development of Lineform.AI, delivering measurable cost savings for Network Rail.
Noel Dolphin, GB Managing Director of Furrer+Frey, said:
"The first of a kind competition has allowed us to take risks and innovate further and faster than we otherwise would. We've taken sound, but commercially risky concepts and used FOAK funding to develop and demonstrate them, working with a broad range of partners, into real-world products. Developing www.Lineform.AI in the FOAK 2025, has already delivered cost savings to Network Rail and UK infrastructure.”
Innovation aligned with Great British Railways
The FOAK programme supports the Government’s wider ambition to rebuild a publicly owned railway under Great British Railways (GBR). With eight of fourteen train operators now publicly owned and more than 1,100 stations under public management, GBR aims to bring track and train together under a single guiding organisation.
The transition to full public ownership is expected to be completed by the end of 2027, with a focus on improving standards, simplifying journeys and delivering better value for passengers.
Organisations have until 24 June 2026 to submit applications. Successful projects will begin delivery from 1 September 2026.
Image credit: iStock
