Sensei

What Sensei does

Sensei is a Portuguese autonomous retail technology company founded in 2017 in Castelo Branco by Vasco Portugal (CEO), Nuno Moutinho (CTO), Joana Rafael (COO) and Paulo Carreira. The company builds checkout-free store infrastructure that combines monofocal ceiling cameras, proprietary in-shelf weight sensors, and on-premises computational servers running computer vision and AI algorithms to detect product selections in real time, generate virtual baskets visible to shoppers before exit, and process transactions without scanning or queues. The platform is offered in four hardware-software formats — Store (full-size supermarkets, demonstrated at 1,200 sqm), Pod (24/7 microstores), Cabinet (plug-and-play autonomous cabinets) and Lane (AI-powered checkout lanes for buffets, bars and cafeterias) — and is GDPR-compliant by design, collecting no biometric or facial-recognition data.

Sensei operates a direct enterprise field-sales motion targeting large retail chains, fuel retailers, mobility hubs, workplaces, healthcare providers, hospitality venues and entertainment operators. Commercial deployments include Sonae MC/Continente (Europe's first and largest autonomous stores, including the 1,200 sqm Continente Bom Dia), Muffato Group (Latin America's first autonomous supermarket in Brazil), Conad DAO (Italy's first autonomous stores in Verona and Trento), Galp (corporate workplace store), Glintt Life's Pharma&GO (Europe's first autonomous healthcare store), Brisa motorway service stations and NOS Cinemas. Revenue is generated through licensing of the autonomous-store technology stack, sale of hardware (cameras, weight sensors, computational servers) and multi-year implementation contracts, with pricing negotiated per deployment rather than publicly disclosed.

Sensei has raised approximately $25 million in cumulative funding across equity rounds (notably a $15.99M Series A in October 2024 led by BlueCrow Capital and a $6.53M seed in 2021 co-led by Iberis Capital and Seaya) plus roughly EUR 8.3 million in EU co-financing grants via the PT Smart Retail Agenda and FEDER programmes. The company operates from offices in Castelo Branco (HQ), Lisbon (R&D and prototyping), São Paulo (Latin America regional HQ) and Milan (Italy), employs more than 70 staff including CVML engineers, hardware engineers and deployment technicians, and runs 100+ active points of sale across Portugal, Italy and Brazil.

Name

Sensei

Legal name

SENSEIDATA, S.A.

Website

https://sensei.tech

Company type

Private

Founded year

2017

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Sensei is a Portuguese autonomous-retail technology company that builds checkout-free store systems using proprietary computer vision, in-shelf weight sensors and on-premises AI for enterprise retailers across supermarkets, mobility, healthcare, workplace and entertainment verticals in Europe and Latin America.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Autonomous Retail Technology

NAICS

Supermarkets and Other Grocery Retailers (except Convenience Retailers) (44511)

SIC

Retail-Convenience Stores (5412)

akta.pro primary industry

Automated/Unattended Convenience Stores (Smart/Checkout-Free) (CRAHABAK)

akta.pro secondary industries

Object Detection & Tracking (HDAAAEAB), Retail Execution Technology & Services (SFA, Planogram, Image Recognition) (MPAAAJAM)

Keywords

• Autonomous retail technology
• Checkout-free shopping
• Computer vision retail
• Smart store solutions
• Frictionless retail experiences

Headquarters

HQ city

Castelo Branco

HQ country

Portugal

HQ region

Europe

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Software

Cost components

Technology or R&D, Personnel, Supply Chain, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Operations

Revenue model

1. Autonomous Store Technology Licensing: Sensei provides AI-powered autonomous retail technology to retailers, enabling checkout-free shopping experiences. The technology includes computer vision, sensors, and software platform that retailers deploy in their stores.
2. Hardware and Infrastructure: Sale and deployment of hardware components including monofocal cameras, weight sensors, and computational servers required for autonomous store operations.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Sensei builds and deploys autonomous retail technology that enables checkout-free, frictionless shopping experiences for retailers. Its platform combines ceiling-mounted computer vision cameras, proprietary in-shelf weight sensors, and on-premises computational servers running AI algorithms to track product selections in real time, generate virtual baskets, automate inventory and replenishment, and deliver behavioral analytics for retail operators.

Product overview

Sensei offers an integrated autonomous retail platform with four distinct solution formats: Store (full-size autonomous supermarkets), Pod (24/7 microstores), Cabinet (plug-and-play autonomous cabinets), and Lane (AI-powered checkout lanes). The platform combines computer vision cameras, proprietary weight sensors, and on-premise computational servers with AI software to enable frictionless checkout-free shopping. The system provides real-time basket tracking, inventory management, and customer behavior analytics. All solutions share core technology components including monofocal cameras, shelf sensors, and proprietary AI algorithms, allowing retailers to choose the format best suited to their space and operational needs while maintaining a unified technology infrastructure.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Store Flagship autonomous store solution for full-size supermarkets and large retail spaces, integrating computer vision, weight sensors, and AI to deliver checkout-free shopping, real-time basket tracking, and inventory management for grocery and large-format retailers.
• Pod 100% autonomous, 24/7 microstore module deployable indoors or outdoors for workplaces, mobility hubs, and remote locations, enabling retailers to open new unmanned retail touchpoints with low upfront investment.
• Cabinet Self-contained, plug-and-play autonomous cabinet for grab-and-go retail in compact spaces such as airports, cinemas, hotel lobbies, and service stations, with modular and scalable configurations.
• Lane AI-powered checkout lane for human-assisted formats such as buffets, bars, cafeterias, and hospitals, increasing throughput by up to 80% and converting to fully autonomous operation during off-peak hours.

Quantifiable outcome

• 22.7 minute reduction in average shopping time per customer
• +8 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments7 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability7 records

Feature8 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• MastercardcoreTechnology or IntegrationTechnical partner enabling contactless payment integration for autonomous checkout. Shoppers tap card or phone to enter stores and are automatically charged upon exit.
• Hewlett Packard (HPE)coreTechnology or IntegrationTechnical partner providing computational infrastructure and servers for on-premises data processing in autonomous stores.
• MetrominorStrategic or Co-development PartnerStrategic partnership supporting Sensei's autonomous retail technology deployment and market expansion.

Scale indicators17 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Trigo: Israel-based computer vision company building checkout-free technology for grocery retailers (Tesco, REWE, Auchan). Directly competes with Sensei in the autonomous-supermarket category using similar ceiling-camera and AI basket-tracking architecture.
• AiFi: US-based autonomous retail platform providing camera-only checkout-free stores for convenience and grocery retailers. Directly comparable to Sensei in deploying camera-only or hybrid sensor systems to enterprise retailers worldwide.
• Standard Cognition: US-based autonomous checkout provider using ceiling-mounted computer vision for frictionless retail. Direct competitor to Sensei targeting similar enterprise retailers with a comparable AI-first store-format offering.
• Grabango: US-based checkout-free technology provider serving large grocers and convenience retailers with computer-vision-based basket tracking. Comparable to Sensei's hybrid CV + sensor approach for enterprise-scale autonomous stores.
• Zippin: US-based provider of AI-powered checkout-free stores combining computer vision and sensor fusion for retail and sports venues. Directly comparable to Sensei's multi-sensor autonomous-store stack and similar enterprise customer profile.

Broad incumbents

• Amazon (Just Walk Out): Amazon's Just Walk Out technology pioneered checkout-free retail and is licensed to third-party retailers (e.g., at airports, stadiums, convenience). A broad incumbent with vastly larger R&D resources whose technology overlaps with Sensei's core offering.
• VusionGroup: European retail-tech incumbent (formerly SES-imagotag) providing IoT, digital shelf labels and store digitization to large grocers. Broad incumbent with overlapping retail customer base where Sensei could be a complement or competitor for shelf-level intelligence.
• NCR Voyix: Large US-based POS and retail technology provider serving global grocers and convenience retailers. A broad incumbent whose installed POS base represents both a competitive threat and a distribution channel for Sensei-like autonomous capabilities.
• Diebold Nixdorf: Global provider of retail and banking self-checkout, POS and store automation hardware for enterprise retailers. Broad incumbent in store-level checkout technology where Sensei competes for modernization budgets alongside traditional self-checkout rollouts.

Emerging players

• Shopic: Israel-based company providing AI-powered smart-cart and checkout-free solutions for grocery chains. An emerging player with partial overlap to Sensei's autonomous store vision, focused on retrofit solutions rather than full store rebuilds.

Market position

Strengths1 record

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/sensei_tech
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@sensei3768
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/sensei-tech
• Facebookfacebook.com/senseiretail

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds5 records

Investors16 records

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments1 record

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Sensei