Optical artificial intelligence company Alitheon has raised $8 million in a funding round led by Emerald Technology Ventures and eBay Ventures, according to a report from Retail Technology Innovation Hub.
Alitheon’s technology uses optical AI to authenticate physical products by analyzing their unique surface features, such as microscopic imperfections or patterns. This method, known as FeaturePrint, creates a digital fingerprint that can be verified with a smartphone camera, making it applicable to luxury goods, pharmaceuticals, and spare parts to combat counterfeiting.
The investment comes as retailers and brands seek more robust anti-counterfeiting solutions. With eBay Ventures backing, the technology could integrate into e-commerce platforms to verify product authenticity at scale, reducing fraud and building consumer trust in online marketplaces.