Sensei secures €15M to expand autonomous retail vision

Portuguese autonomous retail scaleup Sensei has secured €15 million in a Series A funding round to dramatically scale its vision: 1,000 fully autonomous points of sale by 2026. 

Sensei’s technology promises to eliminate checkout lines, streamline operations and address retailer key pain points such as reducing checkout costs, preventing stock-outs, and offering retailers real-time visibility into store operations.

Using advanced computer vision, AI-powered sensors, and real-time algorithms, Sensei creates an environment where customers can shop seamlessly — without waiting in queues or manually scanning items. 

As they shop, their cart is automatically updated. At checkout, the system displays a ready-to-pay list of items –- allowing customers to pay however they prefer while their identity and privacy are fully protected. 

According to Vasco Portugal, CEO and co-founder of Sensei:

“We are driven by a relentless obsession to deliver the ultimate store experience. Our technology operates invisibly within the store environment, yet it has a massive impact – enhancing the shopping journey for consumers and driving operational efficiency for retailers."

BlueCrow Capital led the funding round, which included existing investors like Metro AG and Techstars Ventures, as well as Lince Capital, Explorer Investments, and Kamay Ventures (the investment arm of Coca-Cola and Arcor Group). 

According to António de Mello Campello, Partner at BlueCrow Capital:

"Artificial intelligence, as we have seen in recent months with the success of ChatGPT, in general terms, and in the various sectors, is transforming several industries, and at BlueCrow we believe that retail is one of the biggest opportunities and is about to be disrupted. 

Sensei has proven to be one of the best in the sector, has had a long history and great development in the various sectors associated with this transformation, with real potential to lead autonomous retail around the world."

Gabriela Ruggeri, Managing Partner at Kamay Ventures, shared: 

“We believe in the team led by Vasco Portugal to consolidate Sensei's growth and presence in the autonomous retail sector, as well as to expand the technological solution developed by the company in Latin America, strengthening its influence in the sector."

This funding will enable the company to expand across Europe, particularly in central and northern regions, while also opening Europe’s largest autonomous store next year.

This funding will also support a 30 per cent  increase in Sensei's workforce over the next six months.