The public railway operator Renfe and the infrastructure manager Adif, both under the Spanish Ministry of Transport, Mobility, and Urban Agenda, have announced the formation of a technological watch and competitive intelligence group. This initiative is part of a collaboration protocol between the two organizations aimed at driving innovation in the railway sector.
Renfe explained that technological watch involves “an organized, selective, and continuous process of gathering information from both external and internal sources about science and technology, selecting, analyzing, disseminating, and communicating it to convert it into knowledge for decision-making with less risk and to anticipate changes.” The operator added that these systems are “essential” for any organization to stay updated with the vast amount of information generated in its environment—be it commercial, technological, legislative, or otherwise—to apply it in decision-making and problem-solving. Therefore, “it has become a fundamental part of innovation processes in companies and in the detection of new ideas and solutions,” Renfe explained.
Renfe emphasized that these systems are crucial for problem-solving and decision-making.
This initiative is part of the Railway Innovation Plan signed by Renfe and Adif, which is in effect for four renewable years and outlines a series of action axes through various programs and projects. The technological watch service was tendered at the beginning of the year, and in the coming weeks, the initiative will be definitively awarded, Renfe noted, also indicating its responsibility for the tender process. This project aims to enhance decision-making for Renfe, “although potentially other companies within the Ministry of Transport’s group may also utilize this service,” the railway operator highlighted.