Counterfeit luxury goods are a big problem for fashion brands. Counterfeiters have become adept at replicating brand marks and passing off counterfeit products, known as “superfake”, as the real thing. A startup called Veritas wants to tackle this problem with its own chip that verifies products.
Veritas was founded by Luci Holland, a former Tesla technical product manager who also has a background in design and art. Its tip is made to be easily inserted without damaging the product. Brands can use this to verify the authenticity of products, and customers can provide proof of ownership through the company’s app.
Holland said other approaches are easier to break because digital records can be duplicated through copied QR codes or static NFC links.
“Our approach combines a secure, authenticated chip response with integration into the product itself. Our chip generates a secure response with every tap and includes a tamper-detection wire. We’re making the connection between an object and its digital identity part of the attestation,” Holland said.
The Veritas founder told TechCrunch in an email that the company just introduced a second version of its chip that works on metal surfaces and can scan through glass.
“The next-generation chip is production-ready and supports a wider range of applications, including jewelry, trophies, hard surface products, and glass products such as fragrance bottles,” Holland said. “In addition to integration with clothing, this gives brands more ways to incorporate certification directly into their products.”
This week, the company announced a partnership with ATHLOS, the women’s track and field competition founded by Reddit co-founder and Veritas investor Alexis Ohanian. As part of the partnership, all 18 championship crowns will be equipped with Veritas chips and will be verifiable.
The company also embedded a chip in LeBron James’ first Nike shoe, which was reimagined by artist Adam Port. When you touch a shoe with your mobile phone, its history and story emerge.
The company has previously raised $1.75 million in pre-seed funding led by Ohanian’s venture firm Seven Seven Six, with participation from DoorDash co-founder Stanley Tan. Gloria Zhu, co-founder of skin care brand Reys. and former TechCrunch editor Josh Constine.
Since raising funding in February, the company has shipped a consumer-facing iOS app and a brand portal that allows businesses to manage product records and build owner experiences. Through apps and portals, brands can offer experiences like segmented early access to clubs, event check-ins, and product drops.
Veritas participated in this year’s TechCrunch Disrupt Startup Battlefield, which ran from Tuesday to Thursday. The winners were announced Thursday afternoon.
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