Veritas launches second-gen chip to verify luxury goods

Luxury brands face an increasingly difficult challenge from counterfeiters whose “superfakes” have become difficult to distinguish from genuine products. Veritas, founded by Luci Holland, a former technical product manager at Tesla with backgrounds in design and art, tackles this problem by embedding physical authentication chips directly into products. The chips generate unique, authenticated responses that cannot be replicated through copied digital records, and they include tamper-detection wiring to alert owners if someone has attempted to manipulate the device.

The Counterfeiting Crisis

Luxury counterfeiters have become increasingly sophisticated, producing high-quality reproductions that closely mimic genuine goods. These “superfakes” pass initial inspection and fool both consumers and retailers, undermining brand trust and damaging manufacturers’ market positions. Unlike crude knockoffs with obvious flaws, modern counterfeits are designed to withstand scrutiny, making them a critical problem for brands built on exclusivity and authenticity.

How Veritas Approaches Authentication

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The Technical Advantage

Veritas’s core innovation is a chip that generates a unique, authenticated response each time it is scanned. This differs fundamentally from simpler approaches like QR codes or NFC tags, which store static information that counterfeiters can easily copy and duplicate. The chip includes tamper-detection wiring, so any attempt to manipulate the device triggers a visible warning. Customers verify authenticity through Veritas’s mobile app and receive a certificate of ownership, creating a connection between the physical object and its digital record that cannot be replicated.

Holland explained the distinction: “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,” she told TechCrunch.

Why Existing Solutions Fall Short

Holland noted that static digital records are vulnerable because they can be reproduced through copied QR codes or NFC links. Veritas’s approach solves this by making the physical chip’s unique response part of the proof, not just a pointer to digital data. The tamper-detection wire adds another layer, alerting owners if someone has tried to interfere with the authentication mechanism.

The Next-Generation Chip and Its Applications

Technical Capabilities Expand

Veritas recently unveiled its second-generation chip, which addresses limitations of the original design. The new version functions on metal surfaces and can be scanned through glass, opening possibilities that were not viable before. These technical improvements enable authentication across a far broader range of product types and materials.

Product Categories Now Supported

With the next-generation chip ready for production, Veritas can now serve jewelry, trophies, hard-surface products, and glass objects such as fragrance bottles, alongside its original garment authentication focus. Brands can now select multiple product types to incorporate authentication across their entire catalog, creating a comprehensive anti-counterfeiting system rather than limiting protection to a single category.

Real-World Partnerships Demonstrate Value

This week, Veritas 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. All 18 championship crowns will include Veritas chips, allowing recipients and future collectors to verify authenticity.

The company also embedded a chip into a pair of LeBron James’ first Nike shoes, reimagined by artist Adam Port. Tapping a phone to the shoe brings up its history and story, demonstrating how physical authentication can transform an object into a documented artifact with verifiable provenance. This application suggests possibilities for collectibles and high-value goods beyond traditional product categories.

Building the Ecosystem Around Authentication

Beyond hardware, Veritas has built software tools to support brands and consumers. Since its February fundraise, the company shipped an iOS app for consumers and a brand portal that allows companies to manage product records and create customer experiences.

The brand portal enables companies to build owner communities around authenticated products through features including digital clubs, event check-ins, and segmented early access to product drops. These capabilities transform authentication from a security checkpoint into a point of customer engagement, allowing brands to build loyalty programs and customer relationships based on verified ownership.

Funding and Strategic Backing

Veritas raised $1.75 million in pre-seed funding, with Seven Seven Six, Alexis Ohanian’s venture capital firm, leading the round. Other investors include Stanley Tang, co-founder of DoorDash, and Gloria Zhu, co-founder of skincare brand Reys. Josh Constine, a former TechCrunch editor, also participated in the funding round, bringing media and technology industry expertise to the investor group.

The startup competed in TechCrunch Disrupt’s Startup Battlefield this week, showcasing its technology to investors and industry figures during the annual conference.

Source: TechCrunch