Finalists will work to optimize transit schedules, communications, inspections, and maintenance

Today, the Transit Tech Lab—a public-private initiative created by the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) and the Partnership Fund for New York City to accelerate innovation in public transportation—announced that 12 companies have been selected to collaborate with the MTA, Port Authority of New York and New Jersey (PANYNJ), and NYC Department of Transportation (NYC DOT) as part of the program’s seventh annual challenge cycle. This year’s two challenges, “Ridership Improvement” and “Inspection & Maintenance,” are focusing on technologies designed to optimize transit schedules, communications, inspections and maintenance.  

This year’s challenge finalists were selected out of 112 applications from across the world in collaboration with over 200 public sector evaluators. Applicants were asked to propose tech-driven approaches to support the agencies’ objectives in analyzing ridership and travel demand data in order to improve ridership experience, as well as optimizing inspections and maintenance. Companies with promising solutions and demonstrated product-market fit attended in-person pitch and expo-style demo days with senior staff from participating agencies, providing the agencies with valuable exposure to new tech and ultimately resulting in this year’s cohort selection. 

The twelve finalists will conduct a minimum viable test of their technology over an eight-week “proof of concept” period in collaboration with one or more of the participating agencies, including the MTA, the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, and the NYC Department of Transportation.

Ridership Improvement Challenge

How can we accurately measure, capture, and improve paid ridership and travel demand data to optimize transit schedules and communicate effectively? 

• Jawnt (Philadelphia, PA) – Simplifies transit pass enrollment for organizations to help more people access and use public transportation.

  Partner Agency: Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA)

  
  

• Libelium Comunicaciones (Zaragoza, Spain) – Predicts, detects and provides real-time alerts on overcrowding events in transit facilities, and collects passenger movement data that can inform system improvements. 

  Partner Agency: Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA)

  
  

• Matawan (Mâcon, France) – Through its WanData solution, leverages data analytics and AI to optimize transit operations by aggregating siloed data sources into one integrated, user-friendly platform, providing real time ridership data and predictive analytics to enhance service quality management.

  Partner Agency: Port Authority of New York and New Jersey (PANYNJ) 

Inspection & Maintenance Challenge

How can we digitize manual inspections and optimize maintenance processes?

• Censys Technologies (Daytona Beach, FL) – Provides Al/ML sensor-independent suite of software tools that improve asset intelligence, assessment and predictive maintenance, as well as right-of-way inspection and vegetation intrusion detection by leveraging a wide range of sensor data and automating evaluation processes.

  Partner Agency: Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA)

  
  

• Flip AI (Kansas & New York) – Builds AI powered platforms that transform fragmented and messy maintenance and logistics data into real-time decisions from across commercial and public enterprises.

  Partner Agency: Port Authority of New York and New Jersey (PANYNJ)

  
  

• Kinexio (New York, NY) – Provides an enhanced product set for property management, which utilizes Near Field Communication (NFC) tags to provide scheduled maintenance inspection verification, establish reliable proof of presence, adhere to regulations, and enhance security protocols.

  Partner Agency: Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA), Port Authority of New York and New Jersey (PANYNJ)

  
  

• Previsico (Loughborough, England) – Provides real-time flood forecasting solutions designed to support organizations’ emergency preparedness and risk mitigation.

  Partner Agency: Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA), Port Authority of New York and New Jersey (PANYNJ)

  
  

• Routora (Dallas, TX) – Routora is an inspection routing workflow tool enabling agency supervisors to schedule, optimize, and oversee parameter-based, efficient multi-site routes for their inspectors.

  Partner Agency: New York City Department of Transportation (NYC DOT)

  
  

• SafetyCulture (Sydney, Australia) – Digitizes inspections, streamlines maintenance workflows, and drives continuous operational improvement through a mobile-first platform that empowers frontline teams to identify issues, ensure compliance, and prevent incidents.

  Partner Agency: Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA)

  
  

• Sahay AI (Philadelphia, PA) – Delivers faster and safer infrastructure inspections using LARR-E, an AI-powered robotic system mounted on revenue trains that detects faults, logs assets, cuts costs, and minimizes operational downtime.

  Partner Agency: Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA)

  
  

• Tomorrow.io (formerly ClimaCell; Boston, MA) – Delivers AI-powered weather intelligence by combining proprietary satellite data, advanced modeling, and a SaaS platform to drive real-time operational decisions, turning weather from an operational hazard into a competitive advantage for businesses and governments worldwide.

  Partner Agency: Port Authority of New York and New Jersey (PANYNJ)

  
  

• TwinKnowledge (New York, NY) –Provides AI-powered agents to help streamline construction document analysis and expedite capital asset projects.

  Partner Agency: Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA), Port Authority of New York and New Jersey (PANYNJ)

The Transit Tech Lab has yielded substantial success applying new technology to help government agencies deliver more effective services. Since the program’s inception in 2018, over 1,000 companies have applied to participate in the program, 81 companies have tested their technologies, and 30 solutions have commercially scaled or informed commercial procurements. 

The Transit Tech Lab (TTL) is part of the Partnership Fund for New York City’s “Technology in the Public Interest” strategy, which aims to invest in companies and programs that advance the application of new technologies to address urban challenges, including helping government agencies deliver services more effectively. In addition to the TTL, the Partnership Fund operates the Environmental Tech Lab (ETL), established in 2023 in partnership with New York City’s Department of Environmental Protection (DEP), and the Buildings Tech Lab (BTL), launched in 2024 in collaboration with the New York City Department of Buildings (DOB).

We would like to thank our partners at the MTA, Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, and NYC Department of Transportation and all their participating staff for the time they spent evaluating and selecting these challenge finalists. We look forward to seeing what these companies accomplish during their proof-of-concept. Stay tuned for the results!