In a significant move, Portuguese startup Sensei has secured a €15 million Series A funding round led by BlueCrow Capital, further solidifying its position in the contactless store market. This investment brings the total funding raised by Sensei to €21.4 million, following a €6.5 million Seed round in 2021.

Sensei's innovative platform leverages computer vision, AI-powered sensors, and real-time algorithms to create a seamless shopping experience, eliminating checkout lines and enhancing store operations. The startup aims to reach 1,000 fully autonomous points of sale by 2026, with plans to expand into central and northern Europe.

Sensei's CEO and co-founder, Vasco Portugal, emphasized the need for automation in the retail industry, citing poor customer experiences and inefficient sales processing as major pain points. The startup's solution addresses these issues, providing real-time visibility into store operations and reducing checkout costs.

The contactless store market is heating up, with Sensei competing against other prominent startups like Standard Cognition, Zippin, AiFi, Grabango, and Trigo. These companies have collectively raised hundreds of millions of dollars in funding, underscoring the vast potential of this emerging technology.