Luxury product authentication startup Veritas has introduced a second-generation security chip designed to verify the authenticity of jewelry, trophies, clothing, and fragrance bottles. The chip works on metal surfaces and can be scanned through glass, allowing brands to embed authentication technology directly into products without damaging their appearance.
Founded by former Tesla technical product manager Luci Holland, Veritas aims to address increasingly sophisticated counterfeit luxury goods, including replicas that closely resemble genuine products. Its technology connects physical items to verified digital records, allowing brands to confirm authenticity and customers to access ownership certificates through a mobile application.
How Veritas Uses Embedded Chips to Verify Products
Unlike conventional authentication methods that rely on QR codes or static near-field communication (NFC) links, Veritas uses chips that generate a secure response each time they are scanned. The system also incorporates a tamper-detection wire intended to identify attempts to interfere with or remove the chip.
Holland explained that copied QR codes or NFC links can reproduce digital product records without proving that an item is genuine. Veritas instead links the chip’s authenticated response to its physical integration within the product, making that connection part of the verification process.
The company’s latest chip expands support beyond garments to metal objects, hard surfaces, and glass containers. According to Holland, the second-generation hardware is ready for production and can be incorporated into products such as fine jewelry, collectible trophies, and perfume bottles.
Veritas Partners With ATHLOS to Authenticate Championship Crowns
Veritas has announced a partnership with ATHLOS, the women’s track-and-field competition founded by Reddit co-founder Alexis Ohanian. All 18 championship crowns will contain embedded Veritas chips, allowing their authenticity and ownership history to be verified.
The collaboration also includes championship crowns produced by Tiffany & Co., with embedded digital records documenting the athletes and their victories. Owners can tap the crowns with their phones to access information associated with each award.
Veritas has also demonstrated the technology through a pair of LeBron James’ first Nike shoes, reinterpreted by artist Adam Port. Scanning the embedded chip provides information about the shoes’ background and the associated artwork.
Veritas Raises $1.75 Million and Expands Consumer Platform
The startup has raised $1.75 million in pre-seed funding led by Ohanian’s venture capital firm Seven Seven Six. Other investors include DoorDash co-founder Stanley Tang, Reys co-founder Gloria Zhu, and former TechCrunch editor Josh Constine.
Since securing the funding in February 2026, Veritas has introduced an iOS application and a management portal for brands. These tools allow companies to maintain product records, issue digital ownership certificates, and offer additional services to verified customers.
Brands can also use the platform to manage membership programs, event check-ins, and early access to product releases for selected customers. Veritas is expanding these capabilities alongside its next-generation authentication hardware to support additional luxury and collectible product categories.
Featured image credits: Wikimedia Commons
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