Counterfeiting of luxury goods remains a significant challenge for fashion houses. As counterfeiters improve their replication of brand marks and market sophisticated replicas known as superfakes, Veritas seeks to counter this with a dedicated chip for product authentication.

Veritas was established by Luci Holland, previously a technical product manager at Tesla with experience in design and art. The chip is designed for seamless integration into items without causing damage. Brands can authenticate products as genuine, while customers access ownership certificates via the company app.

Holland noted that alternative methods prove vulnerable since digital records can be duplicated using copied QR codes or fixed NFC connections.

Our method merges secure authenticated chip responses with direct product integration. The chip produces a secure reply upon each scan and features a tamper-detection wire. This links the physical item to its digital identity as core verification, Holland said.

The Veritas founder shared with TechCrunch via email that the firm has launched the second iteration of its chip, compatible with metal surfaces and readable through glass.

The updated chip supports manufacturing and enables wider uses such as jewelry, trophies, hard-surface goods, and glass items like fragrance bottles, Holland said. Combined with garment integrations, this allows brands additional options for embedding authentication in products.

This week the startup revealed a collaboration with ATHLOS, a women's track-and-field event founded by Reddit co-founder Alexis Ohanian, who also invests in Veritas. All 18 championship crowns will incorporate Veritas chips for verification under the agreement.

The company also placed a chip in a pair of LeBron James' original Nike shoes, redesigned by artist Adam Port. Scanning a phone on the shoe displays its background and narrative.

Veritas has secured 1.75 million dollars in pre-seed funding led by Ohanian's venture firm Seven Seven Six, including contributions from DoorDash co-founder Stanley Tang, Gloria Zhu co-founder of skincare brand Reys, and former TechCrunch editor Josh Constine.

Following its February funding round, the company released an iOS app for users and a brand portal enabling firms to oversee product records and create owner experiences. Brands can provide features like clubs, event check-ins, and targeted early access to releases through the app and portal.

Veritas participated in this year's TechCrunch Disrupt Startup Battlefield, held Tuesday through Thursday, with the winner announced Thursday afternoon.