Future of Railway Construction 2026

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Calling all innovators that want to contribute to a more sustainable, modern and technologically advanced railroad construction industry with Deutsche Bahn Group and strong industry partners from Zukunftsinitiative Bahnbau (ZIB)!

For the 4th time we are hosting a program together with our partners from the rail construction industry and planning offices from the industry initiative. Together with partners such as KAF Falkenhahn, LEONHARD WEISS, Rhomberg Sersa Rail Group, A+S Consult GmbH, Obermeyer Gruppe, W. MARKGRAF GmbH & Co KG, Swietelsky AG, Firmengruppe Max Bögl as well as BUG Verkehrsbau SE, SPITZKE SE, Willke Holding GmbH, DB InfraGO and DB Bahnbau Gruppe and many more, we want to tackle today‘s challenges in the railroad construction industry.

Within the program, we are focusing on four major topics:

Robotics and Physical Relief on Construction Sites
Digital Construction Documentation
Transforming Construction Processes for Efficiency and Sustainability
Building Information Modeling (BIM)

Our 100-day program gives startups the chance to customize and live-test their solution to real challenges faced by the construction companies and DB. What's in for your startup?

Connect with companies from the construction industry as well as DB experts while gaining access to relevant data
Receive EUR 25,000 in funding – no equity taken
Tap into a curated network of coaches and mentors
Full-time access to our vibrant coworking space at Berlin-Jannowitzbrücke
Get hands-on guidance from a dedicated DB mindbox startup manager

This is a great opportunity to lay the foundation for joint projects and successful long-term collaboration with leading construction companies as well as Deutsche Bahn Group, Europe’s largest mobility and infrastructure provider.

You have questions about the program?Join our weekly open Q&A session Wednesdays from 12:15 – 13 pm (CEST) here. We are happy to answer all of your questions!

01 – Robotics and Physical Relief on Construction Sites

Construction workers are often exposed to substantial physical strain. In order to reduce this burden, we are looking for robotic solutions that can support or automate physically demanding tasks. These include systems for drilling, lifting and transporting, as well as technologies for on-site additive manufacturing (3D printing). We are especially interested in mobile and adaptable solutions that can be used in varying environments and improve the modularity of construction processes.

Robotics & Automation for Construction Sites

We are seeking startups that can provide an innovative solution to support or automate physically demanding construction tasks such as drilling, lifting or cable laying. We are especially interested in robotics systems that are suitable for use in mobile, outdoor environments. Solutions that contribute to modularization or enable entirely new construction workflows are particularly welcome.

Further Solutions

Do you have another innovative solution that could support employees or accelerate construction site processes with robotics and automation? We look forward to receiving your application.

02 – Digital Construction Documentation

Construction documentation is a critical part of every project, but it is still dominated by paper-based processes, redundant data entry, and manual handovers. We are looking for startups that simplify and digitalize key documentation steps such as daily construction reporting and approval processes. The goal is to make documentation faster, more reliable, and seamlessly integrated into planning environments like BIM or iTWO.

Digital Daily Construction Report

The daily construction report is an important tool for documenting project progress, incidents, weather conditions, and deployed resources. However, it is often filled out manually and later transferred into other systems, which leads to inefficiencies and potential errors. We are searching for startups that offer (a mobile) and easy-to-use solution for creating digital daily reports — ideally with functions for photo documentation, speech-to-text, time tracking and structured data export.

Digital Construction Approval Processes

The approval of construction processes is a key milestone in every project and often involves handwritten notes, scanned documents, and complex coordination. We are seeking solutions that enable digital and legally compliant acceptance processes — including features such as checklists, signature capture, automated protocols, and integration with project management tools. The aim is to improve traceability, reduce errors and simplify communication between all involved parties.

03 – Transforming Construction Processes for Efficiency and Sustainability with regard to cost planning, billing, approval and sustainability data and processes

In railway construction projects, processes for cost planning, billing, approval, and tendering are often complex, manual, and susceptible to errors. We seek startups offering digital, intelligent, and integrated solutions to streamline these operations, enhance transparency, and ensure data consistency. Our focus extends from mobile service documentation on-site, AI-driven cost planning, to standardized tendering, with an emphasis on sustainable data management practices and integration.

Digital Approval and Billing Workflows

Today, many billing processes rely on handwritten documentation and multiple manual handovers between construction sites, offices and clients. We are looking for innovative startups that have a central, digital solution for billing, auditing and approval of construction services.

AI-based Cost Planning and Calculation

Preparing cost estimates and price calculations requires time and a high level of expertise. We are interested in AI-powered tools that support or automate cost planning, detect inconsistencies, and assist in decision-making. The solution should ideally work with existing data structures and integrate with common costing or project management tools.

Improved Tendering Processes

Tender documents are often compiled manually and difficult to compare, which reduces transparency and efficiency. We are looking for startups that help standardize and improve modularity of performance descriptions in digital form. This will enable automated tender document generation and support faster, data-driven decision-making during tender evaluation. Other approaches to improve the tender process for bidding companies are also searched for.

04 – Precision Measurement & Automated Modeling in BIM

In modern construction projects, efficiency and accuracy are crucial for staying on schedule and within budget. Yet, the use of BIM models in everyday work has some hurdles – some essential processes are still time-consuming, error-prone, and fragmented. By leveraging BIM more effectively — from precise in-model measurements to automated creation of accurate models from point clouds — we can accelerate planning, reduce manual work, and create a seamless digital workflow. We are looking for innovative solutions that enable faster, more accurate, and more collaborative construction processes.

Dimensioning Directly in BIM Models

Today, there is often a lack of measurements in BIM models or 2D plans that are generated from BIM models. These are usually not in accordance with DIN.This forces site managers, supervisors, and planning authorities to measure manually or rework 2D drawings, leading to inefficiencies and delays. We are searching for solutions that enable precise dimensioning directly within 3D BIM models, sections, or automatic 2D derivations — ensuring consistent standards and reducing repetitive manual tasks.

Automatic Generation of BIM Models from Point Clouds

Capturing site data with drones, scanners, or robotic platforms creates detailed point clouds — but converting them into usable BIM models still requires extensive manual post-processing. We want to explore solutions that automate this conversion, integrate seamlessly into existing planning tools, and reduce data loss. Such tools should support standardized interfaces, automated attribution, and the creation of up-to-date as-built models to improve decision-making and transparency across all stakeholders.

Timeline

19. Oct. 2025 – Application deadline

Last day to apply for the program (eod).

Beginning of November – Announcement of candidates

By this date, you will hear from us whether you are selected to pitch on stage.

26. Nov. 2025 – Selection day

Pitch your idea on stage to a jury and audience at DB mindbox in Berlin.

mid-January 2026 – Start of program

Start of the 100-day Proof-of-Concept (PoC) to develop and test a prototype in cooperation with DB is expected to take place in mid January (tbc).

April 2026 – End of program

The end of the 100-day PoC and the presentation of the results are expected to take place at the end of April 2026 (tbc).

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