The latest edition of i.Talks Técnico – Galp brought together professors, researchers, and doctoral students from Instituto Superior Técnico, Universidade de Lisboa, and representatives from Galp, namely from the innovation team and the Retail Lab, to discuss innovation and the future of the sector within the context of the laboratory. The meeting took place on January 22, at Técnico – Oeiras Campus, and aimed to promote dialogue between academia and industry, strengthening collaboration in identifying real challenges and jointly developing technological solutions.

At the opening session, Joana Mendonça, Vice President of Técnico for Oeiras Campus, highlighted the strategic importance of the close relationship between Técnico and the business community. She emphasised that Oeiras Campus was specifically designed to encourage collaboration, highlighting that face-to-face contact and experience-sharing are fundamental for building trust and strengthening lasting partnerships, such as the one established with Galp.

Nuno Pedras, Head of Digital Operations at Galp, introduced the company and its activities. The Galp Retail Lab was inaugurated last year at Oeiras Campus, to replicate the real conditions of a petrol station, allowing solutions to be tested in controlled and highly realistic environments.

The session was moderated by Sandra Gama, a professor at the Department of Computer Science and Engineering, who thanked Galp and Técnico for the opportunity to promote a space for knowledge sharing and interaction between the academic community and the business sector.

One of the highlights of the meeting was the presentation by Rui Miguel, Head of Release & Quality Assurance at Galp, who outlined the strategic role of the Retail Lab in the company’s innovation ecosystem. He explained that the laboratory’s mission is to certify and validate software and hardware solutions for petrol stations, ensuring high standards of quality, robustness, and reliability. Over the past year, this work has identified and corrected more than 7,000 errors, contributing to the continuous improvement of the systems implemented. In this way, it allowed for the testing of new solutions in scenarios that closely mirror operational realities, supporting the digital transformation of petrol stations and enhancing the experiences of both customers and employees.

The session culminated with a visit to the Retail Lab.