Need

YPF S.A., the Seeker for this Innocentive Challenge, is seeking innovative, mature, and industrial-grade solutions to automate the logistics of laboratory sample transport within a refinery.

A successful solution will be autonomous, robust, and proven (Technology Readiness Level 7–9), ready for validation through a pilot within the refinery. The winning Solver will be required to carry out the full implementation of the solution, not just the pilot.

Solutions must be implementation-ready, prioritizing scalability, operational robustness (zero failure in transport and handling), safety, and integration with existing tracking and laboratory management systems. All vehicles must comply with YPF internal circulation and speed regulations.

Collaboration Opportunity

This is a Scouting Challenge seeking a partner or supplier to provide systems and expertise to solve YPF’s business challenge; the Solver is invited to submit a written proposal to be evaluated by YPF with the goal of establishing a collaborative partnership, including running a pilot followed by full implementation.

Once the Challenge winner is selected, a $20,000 USD pilot in Buenos Aires will be requested, aligned with YPF’s technical guidelines. This pilot will enable the formalization of an agreement with the winning Solver and support progress toward full-scale implementation across up to three refineries in Argentina.

Submissions to this Challenge must be received by 11:59 PM (US Eastern Time) on July 15, 2026.

Please review the later Participation Guidance section before submitting a proposal.

Log in or register your interest to start collaborating and scouting!

Seeker/Eligibility

YPF S.A. is an Argentine energy company dedicated to the exploration, production, refining, distribution, and commercialization of gas, oil, and hydrocarbon derivatives. It is one of the largest companies in Argentina and operates three refineries (La Plata, Luján de Cuyo, Plaza Huincul) and over 1,600 service stations across the country. Employees of YPF are ineligible to receive an award for this Challenge.

Employees of YPF are ineligible to be awarded this Challenge.

Challenge

Background

Within the La Plata Refinery, laboratory samples—such as glass bottles and metal cans containing solid or liquid hydrocarbons, or water with hydrocarbons—are collected at various process points and must be transported to the laboratory for analysis. Empty containers must also be returned from the laboratory to the plants for new sampling.

Currently, this process is manual, relying on personnel and vehicles, which leads to inefficiencies, higher costs, and increased operational risks. The refinery environment is demanding, with simultaneous movement of personnel and vehicles, variable terrain and weather, and strict HSE (Health, Safety, and Environment) requirements for circulation within the refinery.

The Challenge

YPF seeks to implement an autonomous sample transport system capable of operating safely and efficiently under real refinery conditions.

The solution must:

• Operate autonomously and safely in complex industrial environments (including moving personnel, vehicles, irregular surfaces, and unexpected obstacles).
• Manage scheduled and urgent (unscheduled) sample collections and deliveries.
• Monitor its own energy status and return to charging stations as needed.
• Optimize logistics routing and energy efficiency for continuous operation.
• Transport various container types, including: (See Attachment N°1 for details on sample types and dimensions)
  • Glass bottles (1 L and 500 ml)
  • Metal cans (1 kg)
  • Gas cylinders and sampling bombs for gaseous samples
• Be validated through a pilot at the Refining and Steam Industrial Asset and the refinery laboratory (see Attachment N°2 for pilot sample numbers, routes, and weekly schedule).
• Sampling locations and frequencies are fixed and cannot be changed as part of the proposed solution.

Solution Requirements

• Must-haves:
  • Safe and reliable transport of refinery process samples, ensuring sample integrity, containment, and traceability, with no leaks, cross-contamination, or losses.
  • Quantifiable reduction in sample delivery times compared to the current manual process, enabling faster analysis and more timely operational decisions.
  • Integration with refinery sample management systems, including automatic registration, real-time tracking, timestamps, and delivery confirmation.
  • Autonomous operation in complex industrial environments, with intelligent navigation, obstacle avoidance, and continuous operation, fully compliant with refinery HSE requirements.
  • Non-intrusive implementation with minimal impact on existing infrastructure, layouts, and routines—functioning as a logistics optimization layer, not a disruptive process change.
  • All vehicles must comply with YPF internal circulation and speed regulations (see Attachment N°3 for more details).
  • The winning Solver must carry out the complete implementation of the solution in the refinery, not just the pilot.
• Nice-to-haves:
  • 24/7 operation with high system availability, supporting off-hours deliveries, peak demand, and critical operational events with consistent performance.
  • Automated data generation for process optimization, including continuous capture of delivery times, frequency, and bottlenecks.
  • Enhanced safety, ergonomics, and internal customer experience, reducing manual transport in industrial areas and personnel exposure.
• Additional Criteria:
  • Proposals must demonstrate the Solver’s capacity to implement the proposed design, supported by evidence of successful past implementations of similar technology.
  • Solutions from other industries are welcome if suitable for this application.
  • Success will be evaluated based on solution quality and detail, technical feasibility in real industrial conditions, reduction in personnel exposure to operational risks, realistic cost and timeline estimates, and the ability to implement the pilot within 30 days of selection.

Solutions with Technology Readiness Levels (TRLs) 7-9 are invited.

This Scouting Challenge has the following features:

1. YPF will evaluate your submission to determine their interest for further business and collaboration discussions, including launching a $20,000 USD pilot, followed by full implementation.
2. The terms of the contract (including scope of work, tasks and duration) for any winner will be determined directly with YPF. The monetary value of any additional contract will vary depending on the amount of work to be delivered and the agreed upon time frame.
3. YPF may subsequently directly request that certain IP arrangements are agreed should a partnership be pursued.

Your Submission

Please log in and register your interest to complete the submission form.

The submitted proposals must be written in English or Spanish and can include:

1. Participation type – you will first be asked to inform us how you are participating in this challenge, as a Solver (Individual) or Solver (Organization).

2. Solution Level - the Technology Readiness Level (TRL) of your proposal.

3. Problem & Opportunity - highlight the innovation in your approach to the Problem, its point of difference, and the specific advantages/benefits this brings (up to 500 words).

4. Solution Overview - detail the features of your proposal and how they address the SOLUTION REQUIREMENTS (500 words, there is space later to add more in the summary field, and attach supporting data, diagrams, etc).

5. Experience - Your proof of successful implementation of this type of technology in the past. Any further expertise, use cases and skills you or your organization have in relation to your proposal (up to 500 words).

6. Solution Risks - any risks you see with your solution and how you would plan for this.

7. Schedule & Cost. A high-level Gantt schedule implementation chart is required, including:

• Project phases and estimated duration
• Cost per phase and total project cost
• Integrated view of timeline and costs

8. Online References - provide links to any publications, articles or press releases of relevance (up to 500 words).

Participation Guidance

1. Submission Close Date: Submissions to this Challenge must be received by 11:59 PM (US Eastern Time) on July 15, 2026.

2. Late submissions: Late submissions will not be considered.

3. Multiple submissions, One Maximum: In case of multiple submissions by the same Solver, only one submission – the final one submitted – will be considered. Any other submissions will be deleted prior to evaluation.

4. Submission form and attachments: Your submission will be evaluated by the evaluation team first reviewing the information and content you have submitted at the submission form, with attachments used as additional context to your form submission. Submissions relying solely on attachments will receive less attention from the evaluation team.

5. Evaluation notification steps: After the Challenge submission close date, YPF will review and select the winning solutions according to the timeline in the Challenge header. Everyone who submits a proposal will be notified about the status of their submissions.

6. Use of AI: Please note that any submissions produced solely with generative AI are not of interest.

7. Learn more: Find out more about participation in Innocentive Challenges.