Veritas Unveils Hack-Proof Chip To Safeguard Luxury Brands And Second-Hand Markets

by THEFUTURE.TEAM

February 11, 2026

Overview Of A Multi-Billion Dollar Counterfeit Crisis

Luxury brands lose over $30 billion annually to counterfeit goods, while a $210 billion second-hand market struggles to ensure authenticity. Amid this pervasive challenge, Veritas introduces a pioneering solution that merges custom hardware with advanced software to decisively combat counterfeiting.

Innovative Fusion Of Hardware And Software

At the core of Veritas’ solution is what the startup calls a “hack-proof” chip. The microchip is designed to resist tampering, even when exposed to advanced tools such as Flipper Zero. Each chip contains digital certificates that verify a product’s authenticity. About the size of a small gemstone, it uses Near Field Communication (NFC), the same technology found in contactless payments. Buyers can simply tap their smartphones on a product to instantly confirm whether it is genuine.

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Designer Expertise And Tech-Driven Strategy

The company was founded by Luci Holland, whose background bridges art and technology, including experience at Tesla and several tech startups. Holland notes that traditional authentication methods in luxury fashion, which rely on logos or physical markings, are no longer sufficient. Counterfeit producers now create so-called “superfakes” that closely resemble original items. Some luxury houses have even paused in-store authentication services in certain regions due to the growing sophistication of replicas.

Robust Product Design For Uncompromised Security

Veritas worked with experienced designers to ensure the chip remains discreet and does not interfere with the aesthetics of luxury items. The chip’s internal coil and bridging structure strengthen its resistance to manipulation. If tampering is detected, the chip becomes inactive and hides product codes. On the software side, a secure backend system tracks scan activity and uses blockchain technology to create a digital twin for every item. This opens the door to future integrations such as digital ownership certificates or metaverse applications.

Business Impact And Market Adoption

While the startup has not yet revealed the brands it is partnering with, Veritas offers a full software suite that allows companies to monitor authentic products, engage customers through exclusive content, and build richer product narratives. As counterfeit markets expand, investors and tech leaders, including Alexis Ohanian of Seven Seven Six, highlight the growing need for scalable and reliable authentication tools.

Investment And Future Growth

Veritas recently secured $1.75 million in pre-seed funding from investors such as Seven Seven Six, DoorDash co-founder Stanley Tang, Reys co-founder Gloria Zhu, and former TechCrunch editor Josh Constine. The funding will support team expansion and further development of its authentication technology. As counterfeit techniques continue to evolve, demand for stronger verification systems is expected to grow, positioning Veritas as a promising player in the luxury protection space.

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Women Make Up A Majority Of The EU’s Science And Technology Workforce But The Real Gap Is Elsewhere

by News Editor

June 25, 2026

Women now make up the majority of the EU’s science and technology workforce. According to Eurostat, in 2025, more than 81.6 million people aged 15 to 74 were employed in science and technology occupations across the EU. Of those, 52.5% were women, equal to 42.8 million women. The number of women in these occupations rose by 27.9% compared with 2015, an increase of more than 9.3 million over a decade.

On the surface, the numbers resemble progress. However, Eurostat’s category requires context before that figure can be read accurately. The data refers to HRST, or Human Resources in Science and Technology, specifically people employed in science and technology occupations. These are roles where the main tasks require professional or technical knowledge in physical and life sciences, but also in social sciences and humanities. That definition is wider and broader than engineering, ICT, laboratory science, or high-tech research alone.

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Zooming In

The gender picture changes once the data moves from a wider definition of the workforce to the narrower scientist-and-engineer (research and manufacturing) subgroup.

Scientists and engineers represented almost a quarter of all people employed in science and technology in the EU in 2025. Eurostat describes scientists and engineers as often being the innovators at the centre of technology-led development, making them an important subgroup to focus on separately.

Women accounted for only 40.8% of scientists and engineers in 2025, despite making up more than half of the wider category. That share has increased by a mere 0.5 percentage points over the past decade. The absolute number of women working as scientists and engineers rose from 5.3 million in 2015 to 8.2 million in 2025, despite the push from national and international organisations to increase the number of women in the field. Europe has expanded the number of women in science and technology occupations over ten years. However, that expansion has not extended equally into the scientist-and-engineer subgroup, where much of Europe’s research and innovation work is conducted.

In 2025, of the 39.4 million women aged 25 to 64 working in science and technology occupations in the EU, 35.5 million worked in service activities. Only 2.7 million worked in manufacturing. Women accounted for 57.5% of science and technology employment in services, but only 31.3% in manufacturing.

In 2025, the highest shares of women employed in science and technology occupations were recorded in Latvia at 62.4%, followed by Hungary’s Great Plain and North region at 61.1%, Estonia at 60.5%, Poland’s Central macroregion at 60.4%, and Lithuania at 60.3%. No EU country recorded a majority of women among science and technology workers in manufacturing.

Break-down

Eurostat’s figures measure employment in broad science and technology occupations. They do not show job security, pay levels, management roles, promotion rates, research leadership, or whether women are concentrated in junior or senior workplace positions.

The classification of “senior” also requires additional explanation. Eurostat reports that 45.9% of science and technology workers aged 25 to 64 in the EU were classified as “senior” HRST in 2025. In this dataset, “senior” refers to workers aged 45 to 64. It does not mean senior manager, senior researcher, team lead, or decision-maker.

A high female share in the wider Human Resource Science and Technology (HRST) category does not parallel equal representation across scientists, engineers, manufacturing roles, senior posts, pay, research funding, or decision-making. These figures also reflect the occupational mix inside each country or region, not only structural progress across all areas of science and technology.

The Case Of Cyprus

Eurostat data places Cyprus’s overall science and technology employment at 37.2% of the labour force in 2025, slightly above the EU-27 figure of 36.9%, and above Greece at 26.8%, Malta at 33.9%, and Turkey at 18.2%. This figure covers the total share of the labour force employed in science and technology across all genders.

Progress Or Work-in-Progress?

52.5% in the broad category. 40.8% among scientists and engineers. 31.3% in manufacturing. Europe’s gender gap in science and technology hasn’t closed yet, and there is still work to be done to encourage and support more women to enter the field, especially in research and manufacturing.

Let’s not wait another decade for another couple of percentage points of hope.

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