When it comes to public transport, there’s a clear access divide between urban and peri-urban and rural areas. Due to the unattractive public transport offering (infrequent departures, long journey times and limited territorial coverage), people living in rural areas traditionally rely on private vehicles to get them where they need to go. 

But for the young, elderly and those with disabilities, a lack of public transport goes beyond the ability to access education, employment, and health and government services. It also limits access to social activities and community, both of which are critical for maintaining connections with family and friends and the benefits of mental wellness that comes with it.   

As most rural areas have sparse and dispersed populations, public transport networks come with unreliable and infrequent timetables, a lack of connecting options and longer travel distances to access facilities and essential services. 

Nemi, a Barcelona-based startup, develops software that enhances public transport services by digitising and optimising fixed bus lines. The startup aims to make the digitisation of public transport accessible to all bus operators, irrespective of their size or volume of passengers. 

According to Lisa Grace, Chief Marketing Officer at Nemi, its flagship product DIGITAL BUS, enables bus operators to offer both fixed and flexible bus routes that make transport more efficient and reliable. They bring user-friendly services to rural areas where bus stops often lack even basic information, Grace explains, “we provide bus operators with a simple yet effective digital platform, enabling real-time tracking via driver and passenger apps.” 

Track your bus journey in real-time 

In urban areas, public transport is relatively well-serviced, but rural regions face significant challenges. ”Imagine waiting at a bus stop with no shelter, no seating, and no idea if the bus is on time or even running that day,” illustrated Grace. 

DIGITAL BUS allows passengers to track buses in real-time through their mobile phones, removing the need for costly physical infrastructure (such as digital screens) at bus stops. ”This is crucial for vulnerable users, such as night bus passengers, shift workers and older adults who rely on public transport for independence.” 

According to Grace, reliable transport isn’t just about getting from A to B – it is about independence. Many elderly people stop driving due to age-related restrictions and young people are increasingly choosing not to get driver’s licenses. “In Spain, license ownership has dropped from 80% among baby boomers to around 58% today. 

We have also seen public transport gaps create employment barriers. In rural areas, small businesses struggle to hire staff because there’s no way to get to work without a car. Some employers resort to picking up staff themselves, which isn’t sustainable. Similarly, access to further education can be limited if public transport routes don’t align with class schedules. Grace explains, “Our goal is to bridge these gaps.” 

From hesitation to adoption 

Part of the success of DIGITAL BUS has been its ability to respond to specific local needs, such as digitising the booking of pickup and drop off at “on-demand” bus stops.  

As one of the awardees of EIT Urban Mobility’s Main Innovation Open Call, the startup was able to pilot their solution in Vilafranca del Penedès, a small town of around 40,000 inhabitants 40 kilometres from Barcelona, with an interesting challenge – 80% of public transport users are over the age of 65.  

Before the pilot, Vilafranca’s transport system consisted of just two bus routes, one running clockwise and the other counterclockwise, covering essential services such as the hospital and local sports centre. “We wanted to modernise the service, improve efficiency, and make it more accessible for elderly users. We discovered drivers were manually handling reservations via text messages – completely unsafe!  We had to work closely with operators to phase out outdated practices and integrate digital solutions properly,” said Grace. 

Nemi quickly realised that digitisation wasn’t just about designing a user-friendly app –the real challenge was getting people to download it in the first place. The team offered workshops with elderly residents where they learned that participants, especially older male users, were hesitant about using a transport app. 

“That’s when our Chief Technical Officer suggested a different approach: a WhatsApp bot.” WhatsApp is widely used in Spain, particularly among older generations who adopted it during the pandemic to stay in touch with family. Grace explained: “We leveraged this familiarity to create a simple, intuitive chatbot that allows users to check bus schedules and track bus locations in real-time.” The pilot launched in September 2023, and due to its success, it has since become a full commercial service. 

“The flexibility and ease of use have made a significant impact, proving that even in communities with traditionally lower tech adoption, the right approach can drive meaningful change,” said Grace. 

Nemi’s DIGITAL BUS success has extended to other initiatives, including a night bus pilot in Vitoria-Gasteiz, Spain launched in 2023 and converted into a commercial service in November 2024. DIGITAL BUS’s third pilot in Loulé, Portugal, is still in progress and the team is working towards commercial adoption. 

Critical to the DIGITAL BUS project’s success has been local bus operators’ willingness to engage with technology. Training and commitment is crucial, according to Grace. “In Vitoria-Gasteiz, the night bus drivers rotate shifts, meaning some only drive those routes once or twice a year. Traditional in-person training wasn’t feasible, so we developed instructional videos. In other cases, we worked on reducing the number of devices drivers had to use. For instance, rather than adding another tablet to their dashboard clutter, we optimised our system for mobile phones. The key takeaway is that technology alone isn’t enough, human adoption is just as important.” 

The key to mobility startup success? 

Grace explained that startups entering the mobility sector should be prepared for uncertainty. Public sector projects are slow-moving and pilot cities may drop out unexpectedly. 

“Always have backup options – our original proposal included five pilot cities, but only one of them made it to launch. Build relationships with multiple stakeholders, stay flexible and don’t underestimate the importance of human factors alongside technology. Above all, persistence is key. The mobility sector is challenging, but when solutions genuinely improve lives, it is worth the effort.” 

She also asserts that working with EIT Urban Mobility has been an invaluable connection.  “The level of support, from proposal preparation to project execution, is exceptional. We had one-to-one sessions during the application phase and continued bi-monthly check-ins throughout the year…Funding and development resources are critical for early-stage startups, and EIT Urban Mobility provided both. Thanks to this support, we’ve scaled from pilots to new commercial services, securing additional contracts. For example, our successful Vitoria pilot led to two new night bus projects – one on the Costa Brava and another in Valladolid.”