Inside Papercast: Behind the Screens – David Barker, CEO

Meet David Barker, CEO

David Barker became CEO of Papercast at the beginning of 2026, taking the reins as the business enters its next phase of growth. Having built and scaled his own technology business over more than two decades, he brings a combination of technical, operational and commercial experience to the role.

We sat down with David to discuss what’s changing across the passenger information market, the challenges transport authorities are trying to solve and where he sees the biggest opportunities for Papercast.

Everyone seems to be talking about e-paper at the moment. Has the industry reached a tipping point?

I think it has. A few things have come together.

The industry has moved beyond that early adopter / pilot stage. Deployments have now been operating successfully for several years, giving transport authorities confidence that the technology works in real-world conditions.

Many agencies are also reaching natural refresh and procurement cycles, giving them the opportunity to rethink how they deliver passenger information.

At the same time, there’s a growing focus on energy efficiency, sustainability and reducing operational costs. Being able to power displays using solar panels and batteries can remove the need for significant civil works while reducing ongoing maintenance requirements. Instead of regularly replacing paper timetables, agencies can update information remotely and provide passengers with real-time arrival information wherever it’s needed.

When you first looked at Papercast, what convinced you there was a real opportunity?

Papercast is at a really exciting stage. Nearly ten years down the line and it’s now entering that scale-up phase, with a proven product and a growing global market.

What stood out to me was how unique the technology is. Being able to provide real-time passenger information where there’s no mains power or fixed network connectivity opens up opportunities that simply weren’t practical before. It allows agencies to extend real-time information beyond city centres into suburban and rural locations without major infrastructure projects.

The market itself is growing quickly. E-paper is becoming much more widely accepted as a display technology, particularly across Europe, the UK and increasingly North AmericaThat combination of a proven product and a market that is now scaling was a big part of the opportunity for me.

Transport authorities are under pressure from every direction. Which challenges do you think matter most?

It varies by region, but one of the biggest challenges is modernising existing infrastructure without replacing everything at once.

Many agencies are managing a mixture of LED, LCD and newer display technologies. Our platform is designed to sit within those mixed estates, integrating with other systems and, where appropriate, allowing different display technologies and data sources to be brought together through a common management environment.

The other major challenge is expanding passenger information without the cost and disruption of installing power and communications infrastructure.

Because our displays operate independently using solar power, batteries and cellular connectivity, they can often be installed in under an hour rather than requiring extensive engineering work. In many cases, the display can then operate for years with very little maintenance.

If you had to explain what makes Papercast different in one conversation, where would you start?

I think it starts with the team and the experience we’ve built over many years working exclusively in passenger information.

Everyone here understands the challenges transport authorities face because we’ve spent years helping agencies work with different data feeds, different display technologies and existing infrastructure. That experience means we’re not just supplying products; we’re able to help customers modernise the way they deliver passenger information and find the right path forward based on what they already have in place.

From there, the technology speaks for itself. We’ve developed a platform that allows agencies to integrate data feeds, manage layouts and control content efficiently, while remaining flexible enough to integrate with third-party CMS platforms where required.

And, of course, we’re proud of the displays themselves. They’re designed to perform exceptionally well outdoors, look great in the street environment and deliver the reliability agencies need for long-term deployments.

As Papercast continues to grow, where are you focusing the business?

From a product perspective, we’re continuing to improve power efficiency so displays can operate with even smaller solar panels and battery systems. That reduces the amount of infrastructure on the pole, simplifies installation and lowers maintenance requirements.

We’re also continuing to develop products that perform reliably in very different operating environments.

In North America, that means ensuring displays operate through extremely cold winters. In places like the Middle East and Africa, the challenge is designing products that continue to perform reliably in temperatures above 40°C.

Whatever the environment, reliability remains absolutely critical. Many installations are in locations where maintenance visits are difficult or expensive, so our focus is always on creating products that agencies can install with confidence and leave operating for years.

At the same time, the way agencies manage real-time passenger information continues to evolve. As new technologies emerge, including AI-driven scheduling, we’re continually adapting to make sure our platform integrates with the systems our customers need.

Looking ahead, where do you see the biggest opportunities?

The biggest opportunity is simply expanding access to real-time passenger information.

Today it’s still concentrated in larger urban areas, but I think we’ll increasingly see it become available almost everywhere. Passengers expect access to live information wherever they travel, whether that’s arrival times, service updates or disruption information.

Buses remain our core market, but the same technology has applications across rail, airports and many other public environments. If you can install a display without worrying about power or fixed connectivity, it opens up possibilities in all kinds of locations.

That’s what excites me most. Seeing Papercast technology deployed in more countries, more environments and helping more passengers access the information they need.

Before we finish, tell us a little about yourself. You built and ran a technology business for more than two decades before joining Papercast. What has that experience taught you?

I think what’s helped me most is being able to keep sight of the bigger picture while understanding the practical steps needed to get there.

I’ve been fortunate to build experience across technical, operational and commercial areas of the business. You don’t need to be the deepest specialist in every discipline, but having enough understanding across each area helps you connect the dots, make informed decisions and keep everyone moving in the same direction.

You seem to enjoy taking on challenges. Does that extend beyond work?

I think so. I’m a keen snowboarder and have been lucky enough to snowboard in destinations all over the world. Japan is still my favourite. I also enjoy wakeboarding, mountain biking and I’m a big Formula One fan. In another life, I’d probably have tried to become a racing driver.

I’ve always enjoyed taking on challenges, whether that’s building businesses or learning something new.

Finally, when you do get a bit of downtime, how do you like to spend it?

There’s not a huge amount of downtime at the moment, if I’m honest.

When I do get the chance, I enjoy reading, going to the gym, cooking and the occasional computer game. Although most evenings still seem to involve thinking about Papercast in one way or another.

View all video clips from the discussion here.