Startup Veritas is widening its line of authentication chips. They used to go into garments; now they fit jewelry, trophies and glass perfume bottles. The motive is the rise of so-called superfakes, counterfeits that are almost impossible to tell from the original.
How it works
The chip is built into the item without damaging it. When a buyer taps a phone to it, the chip returns a secure, authenticated response, and an embedded wire flags tampering. Founder Luci Holland argues that QR codes and static NFC links are easier to beat because a copied record can be replayed. Owners can show a certificate through the Veritas app.
What the second generation adds
The new version works on metal and can be read through glass. Holland says it is ready for production. Customers include the ATHLOS track competition, where all 18 championship crowns will carry chips, and a reimagined version of LeBron James' first Nike shoes.
Funding and what is left out
The startup raised $1.75 million in pre-seed money, led by Alexis Ohanian's firm Seven Seven Six. The chip's size, its price and any independent testing of the security are not stated, so the reliability rests on the founder's word for now.