Computing

Veritas Expands Anti-Counterfeit Chip to Luxury Goods

Startup Veritas is rolling out the second iteration of its anti-counterfeit hardware designed to combat high-end product fraud across a wider variety of luxury items.

Radwan AbdulhadiEditor and technology writer

Published: October 17, 2026 · Updated: October 17, 2026 · 3 min read

Veritas Expands Anti-Counterfeit Chip to Luxury Goods — Image: TechCrunch

Tackling Luxury Counterfeits with Hardware

Fashion houses and high-end brands continue to face major hurdles with counterfeits, particularly as illicit producers successfully replicate brand marks to pass off duplicates known as superfakes as genuine merchandise. To address this issue, startup Veritas has developed a specialized verification chip built to be seamlessly integrated into luxury items without causing damage.

Founded by Luci Holland, a former Tesla technical product manager with a background in art and design, the company aims to offer a more secure alternative to traditional static NFC links or copied QR codes, which can be easily reproduced. According to Holland, the firm's architecture makes the physical connection between the object and its digital identity an integral part of the proof.

Second-Generation Chip Capabilities

The startup announced that it has introduced the second version of its hardware, which is ready for production and designed to function on metal surfaces as well as through glass. This expanded capability allows brands to incorporate authentication directly into a diverse range of physical goods.

Founder Luci Holland explained that the next-generation components support a broader set of applications, including jewelry, hard-surface items, awards, and glass containers like fragrance bottles. Each tap generates a secure response supported by a built-in tamper-detection wire.

High-Profile Partnerships and Deployments

Veritas has also secured notable real-world deployments for its technology. The startup announced a partnership with ATHLOS, a women’s track-and-field competition founded by Reddit co-founder Alexis Ohanian, who also participates as an investor in the firm. Under this partnership, all 18 championship crowns will feature embedded Veritas chips for verification.

In addition to athletic crowns, the company embedded its technology into a pair of LeBron James’ initial Nike shoes reimagined by artist Adam Port, allowing users to tap a phone to the footwear to review its history and background story.

Funding and Ecosystem Growth

The company has previously raised $1.75 million in pre-seed funding led by Seven Seven Six, Ohanian’s venture firm, alongside contributions from DoorDash co-founder Stanley Tang, Reys co-founder Gloria Zhu, and former TechCrunch editor Josh Constine.

Following its February funding round, Veritas has launched an iOS application for consumers alongside a brand portal that allows companies to manage item records, check-ins, exclusive clubs, and targeted early access to product releases.

Industry Showcase at TechCrunch Disrupt

As part of its ongoing industry engagement, Veritas participated in this year’s TechCrunch Disrupt Startup Battlefield event. The event ran from Tuesday through Thursday, with winners announced on Thursday afternoon.