SENTINEL: past, present and a clear ambition for the future

In an industrial environment evolving at an unprecedented pace, one thing remains constant, the need to see better in order to decide better. Sentinel was born with that conviction and today, five years later, we continue to build on it with more ambition than ever.

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This article is not just a retrospective of our history. It is also an honest look at what we have learned, what we are building and the direction we want to move toward in the coming years.

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Our origin, experience, technology and long-term vision

SENTINEL was founded in 2021 in Guimarães, driven by the more than decade-long experience of its founders, Joel Alves and Álvaro Oliveira, in the field of industrial machine vision. We did not start from zero. We started from a deep understanding of real factory needs, hands-on production floor experience, a clear view of the limitations of traditional systems and, above all, the ability to identify where improvement opportunities existed.

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From day one, we knew we did not want to be merely third-party technology integrators. We wanted to build our own technology foundation that would allow us to:

• • Adapt quickly to each customer.
  • Master multiple machine vision technologies.
  • Integrate artificial intelligence when it delivers real value.
  • Scale solutions without external limitations.

This is how our proprietary software, Vision Core, was born, the technological heart on which we develop both special projects and vertical solutions.

From Portugal to Spain, a new stage with Mondragon

In early 2025, Sentinel was acquired by Mondragon Corporation, one of Spain’s largest industrial corporations and an international benchmark with more than 240 implementations worldwide.

This integration represented a strategic turning point. On one hand, it strengthened our solidity and growth capacity. On the other, it allowed us to join a top-tier industrial and technological ecosystem, with access to knowledge, experience and complementary capabilities that expand our reach.

Since then, we have been working intensively on building Sentinel Spain, headquartered in Rubí, developing the local market and forming a team capable of providing a direct and close response to the needs of Spanish industry.

And we are not stopping there. During 2026 we plan to expand into the Basque Country, opening a new office that will allow us to be even closer to our customers in one of the country’s strongest industrial regions.

Market differences, Portugal vs Spain

Portugal is where Sentinel was born and where we consolidated our first industrial relationships, developed our solutions and built a solid technological and operational base. It is a more compact market, with a highly specialized industry and a growing adoption of advanced automation technologies.

Spain, on the other hand, is a larger and more competitive market. Here we find:

• • Greater industrial volume
  • Greater sector diversity
  • A broader competitor ecosystem

It is precisely in this environment that Sentinel can make the difference. While many players in the sector work with closed third-party hardware and software, our ability to develop on our own platform allows us to:

1. 1. Adapt the solution to the process, not the other way around.
   2. Integrate multiple technologies under a single architecture.
   3. Develop specific algorithms, including AI, when the process requires it.
   4. Scale complex systems without losing traceability or robustness.

The experience accumulated in Portugal allows us to approach the Spanish market with a mature technical base, defined processes and a clear vision of how to generate value consistently and sustainably.

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R&D as a growth engine

One thing is clear to us, Sentinel’s future depends on continuous innovation. Being part of a group like Mondragon allows us to collaborate with a network of leading technology centers, reinforcing our commitment to R&D as a strategic pillar. Our objective is clear:

• • Naturally and efficiently incorporate artificial intelligence into industrial processes.
  • Anticipate market needs.
  • Build scalable products that drive our growth

Machine vision is no longer a complement. It is a structural element of Industry 4.0. In the coming years we will see massive adoption of AI, collaborative robotics and advanced automation that will radically transform production processes. We want to be at the forefront of this change.

Consolidating our position in the Iberian Peninsula

• • Proprietary and scalable technology
  • Full mastery of multiple vision technologies
  • Proven experience in high-complexity projects
  • Industrial backing and long-term vision
  • A continuously growing technical team

As we consolidate our position in the Iberian market, the natural next step will be to expand our reach beyond our borders. The international presence of the group we belong to provides the ideal framework to approach this stage with ambition and strategic coherence.

Our goal is not simply to be present. It is to be recognized for technical capability, reliability and proximity in every project we deliver.

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Personal reflection, leading Sentinel today

As CEO of Sentinel, leading this project within a top-tier industrial corporation is an exciting challenge. We have the agility of a young technology company and the backing of a large industrial organization. This combination is especially powerful. It allows us to grow with ambition and structure, innovate with freedom and support, and take on complex technological challenges with the confidence of having a solid environment behind us.

We are building more than a machine vision company. We are consolidating an organization prepared to lead in a demanding, competitive and constantly evolving sector. It is precisely this combination, talent, proprietary technology, industrial backing and a market driven by artificial intelligence, robotics and advanced automation, that allows us to look to the future with confidence and enthusiasm.