Four years ago we set up the Innovation Factory together with NMBS-SNCB. Since then it has grown into a recurring programme that keeps generating new concepts and ideas. We still play an active role, coaching participants and supporting the execution of every new edition. Over time, we’ve guided more than twenty initiatives, helping each team turn ideas into tangible impact.

This 10-week accelerator programme uses the Design Thinking methodology to help employees turn promising ideas into real-world solutions. Each wave brings together a fresh team. They start with a real-world problem and end with a working concept, tested with users and pitched to decision-makers. We support every step: guiding research, facilitating design sprints, and designing prototypes to test what works.

The Innovation Factory helped NMBS-SNCB teams tackle some of the biggest questions facing rail travel. We worked with the team to explore what the ‘station of the future’ should feel like, or how to make ticketing smarter, faster, and more human. Then, we used these insights to generate potential real-world concepts. 

These include secure bike locks at stations, family-friendly travel zones, and eco-awareness campaigns that enhance the traveller experience without overwhelming them. Our goal was to show how bold thinking can translate into better experiences for travellers.

Traditional career pages were not working for NMBS-SNCB. They needed something different, especially to reach young engineers, technical profiles, and creatives. So, we created a jobsite that did not feel like one.

The platform fully immerses you in the world of NMBS-SNCB. You can move through their environment, step into the train, and get a feel for the organisation as if you were already part of it. This experience makes the brand tangible and personal, while still helping candidates search for roles in a way that feels natural. The concept proved that even a jobsite can be a signal of change. It is a fresh take on recruitment that shows today’s talent what tomorrow’s NMBS-SNCB stands for.

There’s no shortage of “innovation frameworks.” However, most live in drawers. We wanted to create one that NMBS-SNCB used daily.

This hands-on guide is filled with real methods, templates, and examples, built from what’s worked inside the organisation. It gives their team methodologies they can use to drive creative problem-solving and prototype new ideas effectively.
Whether someone’s running a sprint or shaping a pitch, they’ve now got a playbook to help make it happen.

This isn’t a one-off project, it’s a partnership that has been evolving over time. Innovation doesn’t happen all at once, and NMBS-SNCB knows that. It needs consistent momentum, quick feedback loops, and the right support at the right time. 

That’s what we bring. As NMBS-SNCB continues to reimagine rail travel, we’ll be there to support them every step of the way.