Outstanding Innovations in Mobility & Energy
6 international startups took the stage at the ÖBB Open Innovation Factory to present their innovative solutions for a sustainable energy and mobility future. Here’s a quick summary:

• IPIN LABS is developing an AI-based indoor positioning system. Their solution helps companies utilize assets more efficiently, reduce search times, and increase safety. Already used by major international companies, the technology brings smart automation to modern industrial environments.
  
• Batterfly provides comprehensive e-mobility solutions – from real-time battery monitoring and used EV certification to CO₂ tracking. Combined with ecosystem support and technical know-how, they deliver safe, sustainable, and data-driven mobility solutions from production to reuse.
  
• TRAKEN is building an innovative software solution for data management and traceability in smart grids. Using blockchain technology, they offer a secure, transparent, and decentralized platform aimed at giving small energy producers access to premium energy markets.
  
• GERAD Tech produces low-carbon hydrogen from industrial emissions – without using water and without emitting CO₂. Their patented process integrates directly into refineries and supports the decarbonization of aviation and other industries through a resource-efficient alternative to traditional hydrogen production.
  
• Link Robotics develops intelligent localization and navigation systems for outdoor vehicles. Their solution combines cameras and sensors to determine precise positioning even in GPS-challenged environments like tunnels, between buildings, or under trees. It’s weather-resistant, cost-effective, easy to install, and provides centimeter-level accuracy.
  
• sonnnig helps companies make their energy transition visible and impactful – not just environmentally, but also as a benefit for employees. Through energy communities, employees can measure their power consumption, smart-charge EVs, and save money. The solution works without new hardware or tariff changes and brings sustainability into everyday work life.
  

👉 All startup pitch decks and event photos can be found here.

“Mobility & Energy in Action” was once again a great success this year and highlighted the importance and inspiration that come from exchanging ideas across the mobility and energy sectors.

Want to join one of our upcoming events? Check out our event page for more details.

For this reason, Deutsche Bahn commissioned the film “A human ride”, in which various people were accompanied on their everyday journeys. The film shows that mobility is a very individual decision, but is nevertheless influenced by external conditions.

The movie picks up on a variety of people’s stories and vividly shows how diverse the basic need for mobility is and what obstacles exist. For example, one family decides not to buy a car and therefore travels many journeys by bike. A pensioner is no longer able to walk well and can only manage his everyday life by car due to a lack of infrastructure, but is afraid of no longer being able to drive at some point. Women with a migrant background who were not allowed to ride a bike in their childhood are relearning this skill and thus gaining a whole new opportunity to participate. A man in a wheelchair experiences daily how his mobility is restricted by non-accessible infrastructure and would like to see an improvement. 

Exchange promotes better cooperation in mobility

The subsequent panel discussion, moderated by Peter Schindlecker (Head of ÖBB Innovation), also centred on this diversity. As orchestrator, Claudia Falkinger emphasised the goal of “Community creates Mobility”: to transform mobility by connecting different people. For Ali Mahlodji (protagonist in the film & entrepreneur), public transport is ideal for this, as it not only brings people to their destination, but also brings them closer together. In order for more people to opt for public transport, Christian Schaalo believes that better communication is needed to emphasise the advantages and freedoms of this form of mobility. Ulla Rasmussen (Managing Director of VCÖ) added that public spaces must also be designed in such a way that they facilitate encounters and that children can also be mobile independently.

After the panel discussion, all those present at the Open Innovation Factory at Praterstern in Vienna had the opportunity to exchange ideas, network and think together about a desirable future for mobility. 

Curious about the next “Community creates Mobility” events? Then check out our next activities!

Further links:

Linkedin Zukunft Nahverkehr

Website VCÖ – Mobilität mit Zukunft

Website ÖBB Open Innovation

Website Ali Mahlodji

🔗 Link to the project.

Project highlights:

🌱 Sustainable Mobility: bridging the gap between education and real-world solutions, our project emphasizes the vital role of sustainable mobility in today’s dynamic landscape.

🎓 Collaborative learning: students and scholars engage in constructive learning experiences, applying the innovative “JustHood” methodology to address systemic societal challenges with a spatial equity context.

🎨 Innovation on the move: witness students shaping the mobile future of heustadel through creativity and innovation, fostering a new generation of thinkers and doers.

Course overview:

📚 Educational goals: the project aligns with the UNESCO declaration, promoting cultural diversity, environmental justice, and participatory futuring in the context of mobility.

🤝 Collaborative partnerships: the collaboration between the University of Vienna, AHS Heustadelgasse, and URBANITARIUM brings together diverse perspectives to address mobility challenges.

🌐 International impact: the project, introduced by URBANITARIUM – future living as a service in Austria, draws on experiences from urban co-design initiatives in Poland and Spain.

How you can get involved:

📆 Save the date: Join us for the grand finale on February 2nd, 14:00 – 15:30, at the ÖBB Open Innovation Factory, where students will showcase their project results.

🤝 Collaborate with us: we invite you to explore the project’s vision, connect with our partners, and contribute to the discourse on sustainable mobility.

Acknowledgments:

🙏 We appreciate the support and critical feedback received during the project’s development. Special thanks to our partners: University of Vienna, AHS heustadelgasse, ÖBB, Community Creates Mobility members and URBANITARIUM – future living as a service.

Stay connected:

🌐 Project website https://www.heustadelgasse.at/

🔗 Justhood https://www.justhood.net/

🔗 Presentation on URBANITARIUM https://zenodo.org/records/10520428

Let’s together shape the future of mobility, one collaborative project at a time! 🚀