Autonomous Systems for Customer Experience, Safety, and Operations at YPF Full-Black store

Overview

YPF, a leading energy company in Argentina, is launching a Scouting Challenge to find mature, pilot-ready autonomous or intelligent systems. The goal is to enhance customer experience, operational efficiency, and safety at its premium Full-Black convenience store in Nordelta, Argentina. The challenge seeks solutions that can reduce the effort for routine operational activities, allowing store teams to focus more on customer engagement, while maintaining a premium customer experience. Participants are invited to propose systems that address one of three tracks: Smart Store Operations Assistant, Autonomous Security Monitoring and Patrol System, or Intelligent Service Quality Monitoring System. Solutions should demonstrate their ability to improve operational efficiency, optimize resource utilization, and enhance customer experience through intelligent automation and data-driven decision-making. This is a collaboration opportunity where YPF aims to establish partnerships, including running pilot projects followed by scaling opportunities. More than one solution may be selected for pilot implementation. Selected Solvers will receive a monetary award to be used for pilot execution and may explore future commercial agreements.

What to build

Participants must propose a mature, pilot-ready autonomous or intelligent system that can enhance customer experience, operational efficiency, and safety at YPF's Full-Black convenience store. Each proposed solution must address one of the following tracks: Track 1: Smart Store Operations Assistant (e.g., table and dining area support, store order and cleanliness assistance, backroom/storage support). Track 2: Autonomous Security Monitoring and Patrol System (e.g., scheduled/on-demand patrol, risk/anomaly detection, integration with existing systems). Track 3: Intelligent Service Quality Monitoring System (e.g., cleanliness/facility monitoring, operational excellence insights, customer service quality monitoring).

Prizes

Key dates

• Submission DeadlineAugust 14, 2026

Eligibility

The challenge is open internationally to technology companies, startups, robotics developers, AI solution providers, integrators, universities, and research centers. Participants must have proven capabilities in autonomous systems, robotics, computer vision, artificial intelligence, smart monitoring, human-machine interaction, or service automation. Solvers must be able to support pilot deployment in Argentina.

How to enter

1. Register for a Solver account on the Innocentive Challenge Center registration page.
2. Enter an email address, name, display name, location, and create a password.
3. Activate your account by clicking the link in the confirmation email.
4. Accept the Innocentive Terms of Use to complete account activation.
5. Review and accept the Challenge Agreement for the specific challenge.
6. Submit your proposal through the submission form by 11:59 PM (US Eastern Time) on August 14, 2026.

Submission requirements

• Proposals must be submitted in English.
• Selection of Participation Type (Solver - Individual or Solver - Organization).
• Selection of the Track your solution is applying to.
• Specification of the Solution Level (Technology Readiness Level TRL 6-9 or not applicable).
• Solution Overview (up to 500 words): Describe hardware/software, autonomy, capabilities, system constraints, energy needs, connectivity needs, and safety/privacy/data governance.
• Pilot Plan (up to 500 words): Describe the scope, activities, timeline, resources, YPF support required, and delivery lead time.
• Commercial Model and Costs (up to 500 words): Specify pilot cost, recurring cost, scaling cost, pricing model, and implementation assumptions.
• Expected Impact (up to 500 words): Describe KPIs, measurable outcomes, and operational/business value.
• Experience (up to 500 words): Describe expertise, use cases, references, deployments, and skills.
• Scalability: Describe how the solution could be scaled within YPF.
• Executive Summary (up to 500 words).
• Visual/technical materials: Attach renders, schematics with dimensions, supporting diagrams, photos, videos, dashboards, and technical brochures in the attachment section.
• Solutions must be mature, safe, and suitable for pilot deployment in a real, customer-facing environment.
• Proposals must demonstrate technical feasibility, operational reliability, and compliance with safety, privacy, and data protection standards.
• Solutions must be practical for integration with existing store operations and infrastructure, with minimal disruption.
• Proposals should include a clear pilot plan, measurable KPIs, and address the feasibility of scaling within YPF and the possibility of commercial agreements after a successful pilot.
• Submissions produced solely with generative AI are not of interest.

Judging criteria

• Strategic fit
• Technical feasibility
• Safety
• Business impact
• Scalability
• User experience
• Innovation

Sponsors & partners

Resources

• Opportunity Details (Challenge Center)
• YPF Full-Black store video
• Technology Readiness Levels (TRLs)
• Participating in Innocentive Challenges
• Innocentive Challenge Center Registration
• Innocentive Terms of Use