Call for Technology by

A sandbox for Future Retail

About Disrupt Retail

At Sonae MC we breathe innovation and aim to build the future of retail.

We’ve been cooperating with different partners (Companies, Startups, Research and Development Centers…) to improve the shopping experience wherever our customers are and to push forward the way how we operate across the value chain. Acknowledging that our network is limited and innovation can come from anywhere, we built the Disrupt Retail program.

Do you have a technology-based solution that can make a dent in the retail industry?

Is your product disrupting a different industry and you believe it would do the same in Retail?

Yes!?
Then, we are waiting for you. Check below the details and apply!

Domains

Discover our main areas of interest.

Next level Marketing

Communication is key to keeping a good and healthy relationship with our customers. Can you help us create memorable experiences with great impact?

Future-proof Supply Chains

We want to rely on a resilient and smart supply chain to deliver our Customers’ most needed and appreciated products. Always on time and where they need it.

A Sustainable Future

Optimize operations and foster circular economy models across the supply chain with social and environmental positive impacts.

The store of the future

How will physical stores evolve? New technologies are changing customers’ experience, daily operations, checkout, planogram planning… What do you have to add?

ECOMMERCE

Buying online is part of our routines and it requires transactions of money, data, and goods. Help us improve our internal processes and the overall experience for our online customers.

New ways of working

The way we work is being reshaped and with it comes a lot of challenges. Technology is crucial for communication, collaboration, automation, and a thousand more things…

It’s all about the Customer

Millions of people rely on us daily to feed their families, decorate their houses, or even take care of their pets. We want to empower them and bring the best possible experiences across all the places we meet, be it off or online. How can we enable digital solutions for all eating and consumption moments, that make it cheaper, more convenient, or more engaging?

HEALTH & WELLNESS

Where do health & wellness, retail, and technology meet? Retail is reshaping health and wellness services and providing accessible care. We are certain that technology and data can accelerate this trend.

Can you give us a hand?

New online frontiers

Every day the digital world increases its relevance in our lives. We can socialize, work, play, and shop in a digital manner or even in virtual or augmented reality.

What might we be missing in this new digital universe? Or should we say metaverse?

Wild Card – Surprise us

You have the perfect retail solution, but it doesn’t fit in the previous domains? No problem, we also saved some space for you.

What's in it for you?

Mentorship

Access to Retail and Technology experts.

Product validation

Receive pragmatic insights from Sonae stakeholders and customers.

In-store testing

Live ecosystem with 3M+ customers and 1000+ stores.

Pilot

Leave the lab and try-out your solution in the real world.

Network of Partners

Access to a network of companies in retail, financial services, technology, shopping centres and telecommunications.

Timeline

CURRENT STATUS:

Applications are now closed. Ongoing evaluation...

1. APPLICATIONS

Open until March 6th
(23:59 GMT)

2. SELECTION

by April 12th

3. PILOT EXECUTION

As soon as possible after selection.

Any doubts? Please reach out to disruptretail@sonaemc.com

Apply

Applications closed. Evaluation ongoing...

Applications are handled by our IT Labs team in collaboration with the advisory board according to the timeline set.

You can still submit your application, unfortunately, all applications arriving after the deadline (March 6th), won’t be following the program timeline, and will be processed by the IT Labs team outside the scope of Disrupt Retail.

SUBMIT APPLICATION

If there’s something you would like to clear before applying, feel free to get in touch to disruptretail@sonaemc.com.

Selected startups

In the past years, we’ve developed Proofs-of-concept with several startups through this program. Discover some of them:

Case Studies

Crowdsourced in-store data collection

Developed together with Brands & Ninjas.

Download

Hyper-Personalization keeping user's privacy

Developed together with Anagog.

Disrupt Retail - Case Study 2 - Anagog thumbnail

Download

Environmentally responsible purchasing behavior

Developed together with goodbag.

Download

Advisory Board

Ana Cristina Fonseca
Head of HR & Shared Services

Bruno Mourão
Head of IT Transformation and IT Strategy & Experimentation

Frederico Santos
Head of Digital and Innovation

Gabriela Castro
Head of Strategic Business Development

Margarida Oliveira
Head of Business Development Health & Wellness

Mário Estima
Head of Business Development for Non-Food

Miguel Ramos
Head of Operations Development

Paula Jordão
Head of Commercial Department

Pedro Lago
Head of Sustainability and Circular Economy

Pedro Santos
Head of Ecommerce

Rui Braz
Head of Logistics Development

Tiago Simões
Head of Brand Marketing

Tomás Ribeiro
Head of Cartão Continente

About Sonae MC

Sonae MC is a company of the Sonae group and is a leader in the food retail sector in Portugal

With a history of more than 30 years of continuous growth, Sonae MC has a distinctive position in several business areas, providing a broad range of high quality products and services at competitive prices.

+ 4M

of client families

+ 1,300

stores in Portugal and Spain

+ 34,000

employees

Through a portfolio of a multi-format business, we offer our customers a wide range of high quality products and services at competitive prices.

Food retail business

We are leaders in the food retail sector in Portugal, through Continente (urban hypermarkets), Continente Modelo (large supermarkets), Continente Bom Dia (proximity supermarkets), Continente Online (e-commerce platform) and Meu Super (proximity stores franchise).

New growth businesses

We are present in the various spheres of our clients lives through complementary growing businesses such as Well’s and Arenal (parapharmacies, opticians and perfumeries), Dr. Well’s (dental and aesthetic clinics), Go Natural (organic supermarkets and restaurants), Bagga (coffee shops), Note! (stationary, books and gifts), ZU (pet care and veterinary services), Maxmat (DIY retail), Washy (self-service laundries) and Home Story (home furnishing and accessories).

KNOW MORE

About BIT

BIT is the Information Systems area of Sonae MC. A group of people who live for the business and technology breakthroughs, creating fast, cohesive management and decision tools.

Technology is a source of competitive advantage and in retail the impact is particularly significant with business models and hierarchies being disrupted. At Sonae we are aware of the power of technology and drive hundreds of IT enabled initiatives that empower our customers and recurrently position us in several business and innovation benchmarks.

We believe that simplifying structures, processes and the way we work (with each other, with our business colleagues and with our partners) not only can free us all precious time and energy but also enhance our focus, purpose, agility and effectiveness towards our businesses.