Cracking down on counterfeits, Duke Banerjee of OneARVO Ventures reveals how non‑clonable physical pattern technology enables real‑time authentication and traceability to EFY’s Nitisha Dubey.
Q. What is OneARVO Ventures, and what problem does the company solve?
A. We address a critical market gap. There is no reliable, easy-to-use mechanism for end users or stakeholders to verify whether a product is genuine or counterfeit. Using advanced machine learning, computer vision, and data science, we enable real-time product authentication and traceability across the entire supply chain.
Q. How does your technology differ from traditional solutions like QR codes, barcodes, or holograms?
A. Traditional methods like QR codes, barcodes, and holograms are easily replicable and not foolproof. Our solution uses proprietary, non-clonable physical patterns printed directly on products or packaging. These patterns contain complex visual characteristics that cannot be accurately duplicated. Any replication causes information loss, which is invisible to the human eye but detectable through smartphone cameras and our machine-learning algorithms.
Q. Can you explain your core technology in simple terms?
A. Each product is assigned a unique physical pattern that acts like a non-cloneable digital footprint. When scanned using a smartphone, our computer vision models analyse the pattern to verify authenticity. This pattern becomes a ‘digital product passport’ (DPP) that carries essential product data, such as origin, movement, and compliance information throughout its lifecycle.
Q. Where can these patterns be applied?
A. The patterns can be printed on labels, cartons, stickers, packaging, or directly on products. Metallic products can be laser-marked on various alloys. In addition to non-cloneable patterns, we are supporting tamper-evident, damage-tolerant labels for reliable authentication that remain readable even when 70 to 80% of the label is damaged.
Q. Can you tell us about your lab infrastructure?
A. Our Noida lab simulates real manufacturing environments. We work with various printers, like thermal inkjet, continuous inkjet, laser, handheld printers, and different materials such as paper, vinyl, cardboard, and metal alloys like copper and bronze. This allows us to train our models across multiple real-world conditions.
Q. How large is your team, and do you work in-house or outsource?
A. We have a team of about 14 to 15 permanent employees, including data scientists, engineers, and sales professionals. Given the deep tech and physical nature of our product, most work is done in-house. We maintain a fully equipped lab for testing and development.
Q. Do you rely on external vendors or partners?
A. While software development is entirely in-house, we collaborate with printer manufacturers and material vendors to test new technologies. This hybrid approach ensures our solution remains hardware-agnostic and compatible with existing manufacturing setups.
Q. Is your product already in the market?
A. Yes. Approximately 300,000 to 400,000 codes have already been deployed in the market. We started generating revenue this financial year and have onboarded two commercial clients, as well as several ongoing proof-of-concept (PoC) engagements with Tier-1 brands.
Q. What is your revenue model?
A. Our model is subscription-based and volume-driven. Clients pay an annual platform fee plus a variable cost based on the number of codes generated. The unit cost is extremely low, comparable to QR codes, making adoption easy without increasing operational expenses.
Q. Do you hold any patents?
A. Yes, we currently hold one patent, and additional patents are in the filing pipeline. These cover different pattern technologies designed for varied use cases, including metallic products, tamper evidence, and damaged-label verification.
Q. How do you differentiate yourself from competitors?
A. Our biggest differentiator is that we are completely hardware-agnostic and plug-and-play. Brands do not need to change their existing infrastructure or buy proprietary scanners. Our solution integrates seamlessly with existing printers, processes, and even mobile applications via white-label APIs.
Q. How scalable is your solution?
A. Our microservices architecture allows us to scale effortlessly. We can generate patterns at speeds comparable to QR codes, supporting up to 60,000-100,000 codes per day per client, with higher volumes available upon request.
Q. Are you open to partnerships and vendors?
A. Absolutely. We actively seek partnerships with printer manufacturers, packaging companies, and supply chain vendors that can bundle our anti-counterfeit solution with their offerings.
Q. Can your solution be applied to the electronics or semiconductor industry?
A. Yes, our product is sector-agnostic and well-suited for electronics, electronics manufacturing services (EMS), and semiconductor supply chains. We are currently exploring this space and participating in industry events to better understand specific needs for different sectors.
Q. What is your typical payment cycle?
A. We usually operate on long-term contracts ranging from three to five years. As an MSME, our payment cycle typically ranges between 45 and 60 days.
Q. How quickly can you deploy your solution for a new client?
A. We can deploy the first batch within 60 days. This includes planning, system integration, product data mapping, and application integration.
Q. Do you provide training and support?
A. Yes. We provide training on printing processes, label application (if required), and mobile application usage. Ongoing technical support is also included.
Q. How do you ensure data security and privacy?
A. Client data is fully isolated and containerised. We follow cloud security best practices, conduct regular third-party security audits, and share compliance reports with clients annually.
Q. What are your future growth plans?
A. In the near term, we are expanding into pharmaceuticals, chemicals, and fertilisers, while preparing for regulatory compliance. We are also exploring international markets, particularly the European Union (EU) and the United States (US). Following our recent pre-seed funding round, we are strengthening our tech team and expanding our sales and marketing efforts.
