Veritas Anti-Counterfeit Chip Adapts to Jewelry, Glassware, and Sports Trophies

Counterfeiting luxury goods presents a significant challenge for fashion houses, as counterfeiters become increasingly adept at replicating brand marks and passing off "superfakes" as genuine items. Veritas, a startup, aims to address this issue by utilizing a proprietary chip designed for product verification.

Founded by Luci Holland, a former technical product manager at Tesla with a background in design and art, Veritas developed a chip that can be seamlessly integrated into products without causing damage. Brands utilize this technology to confirm product authenticity, allowing customers to verify ownership through the company’s dedicated application.

Holland noted that traditional methods, such as copied QR codes or static NFC links, are easier to defeat. "Our approach combines secure, authenticated chip responses with integration into the product itself. Our chip generates a secure response with each tap and includes a tamper-detection wire. We make the connection between the object and its digital identity part of the proof," Holland explained.

In an email to TechCrunch, Holland announced the launch of the chip's second version, which is compatible with metal surfaces and can be scanned through glass. "The next-generation chip is ready for production and supports a broader range of applications, including jewelry, trophies, hard-surface products, and glass objects such as fragrance bottles," Holland stated. "Alongside our garment integrations, this gives brands more ways to incorporate authentication directly into their products."

This week, the startup announced a partnership with ATHLOS, a women’s track-and-field competition founded by Reddit co-founder Alexis Ohanian, who is also an investor in Veritas. As part of this collaboration, all 18 championship crowns will feature Veritas’ chips to ensure verification.

Additionally, the company embedded a chip into a pair of LeBron James’ first Nike shoes, reimagined by artist Adam Port. Tapping a phone to the shoe reveals its history and backstory.

To date, the company has secured $1.75 million in pre-seed funding led by Ohanian’s venture firm Seven Seven Six, with contributions from DoorDash co-founder Stanley Tang, Gloria Zhu (co-founder of the skincare brand Reys), and former TechCrunch editor Josh Constine.

Since securing its February funding, the company has released an iOS app for consumers and a brand portal for managing product records and enhancing owner experiences. Through these platforms, brands can offer exclusive membership clubs, event check-ins, and early access to new product drops.