The Portuguese startup Sensei, which has technology that allows stores to be transformed into autonomous spaces, eliminating cashiers in supermarkets, closed a Series A investment round of 15 million euros. The company reveals, although without being able to provide further details, such as the location, that the financing will allow “the implementation of strategic initiatives, in particular the opening of the largest autonomous store in the world, planned for the next half year.”
In a statement released this Wednesday, Sensei stated that it intends to consolidate its presence in Portugal, Spain, Italy and Brazil and “accelerate European expansion”, foreseeing the “creation of 1,000 new autonomous points of sale and the entry into new geographies in the center”. and northern Europe by 2026.” In response to Observador, Vasco Portugal, CEO and co-founder, states that the company wants to “grow in new European geographies,” specifically in Belgium, the Netherlands, Luxembourg, Germany, Austria, Switzerland and the United Kingdom.
Sensei enters Italy to eliminate supermarket cashiers in a “neighborhood store” in the center of Verona
With the investment, the company also wants strengthen the teamcurrently made up of more than 70 workers, by around 30% during the next semester to “guarantee stable growth and ensure operational monitoring of clients.” Vasco Portugal states that in the coming months “about 25 vacancies will open, mainly in the areas of engineering and growth“. Recently, the management team was reinforced with “the hiring of the German Laurents Fricke, new CFO [diretor financeiro]a clear commitment to the Central European market; and Nicola Louise, country manager for Italy, as a growth strategy for the Italian market.”
We are obsessed with creating the best store experience for every retailer we work with. We developed an almost invisible technology that we integrated into the store, but with an enormous impact on the time and experience of each customer and on the efficiency of the store and the business,” highlights the CEO.
The round was led by BlueCrow Capital and included the participation of Lince Capital, Explorer Investments and the Latin American investment fund Kamay Ventures, which belongs to the Coca-Cola Company and the Arcor group. The American fund Techstar Ventures and the German multinational Metro AG reinforced the investment they have made since 2017. Diogo Mónica, president of the unicorn Anchorage Digital, and João Graça, founder and technology director of Unbabel, united as business angels.
Founded in 2017 by Vasco Portugal, Joana Rafael, Nuno Moutinho and Paulo Carreira, Sensei has already raised a total of 21 million euros. Before the round announced this Wednesday, the Portuguese startup had closed another, in April 2021, worth 5.4 million euros.
Portuguese sensei receives an investment of 5.4 million euros
Source: Observadora
