Authentic.network
Authentic.network GmbH provides blockchain-secured encrypted QR codes, anti-counterfeiting authentication, and EU Digital Product Passport services to enterprise manufacturers across pharmaceuticals, industrial tools, solar, luxury, and government sectors in Europe, Africa, and Southeast Asia.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2016
- HeadquartersChemnitz, Germany
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingSoftware
What Authentic.network does
Authentic.network GmbH is a Chemnitz, Germany-based technology company founded in 2016 that provides blockchain-secured product authentication and EU Digital Product Passport solutions to enterprise manufacturers. The company built what it describes as the world's first encrypted QR Code, a crypto-optical label whose microscopic material-based patterns are physically unique and reported to be mathematically uncopyable, paired with a blockchain-backed digital identity that supports offline smartphone verification.
The platform is exposed via a REST API and a suite of SDKs covering Android, iOS, Flutter, OnPremise, and Cloud deployments, so manufacturers can integrate authentication directly into production lines as stickers, direct prints, security seals, or closures. Core offerings include the authentic.code encrypted QR code, an EU Digital Product Passport service aligned with upcoming 2026 mandatory EU regulation, real-time scan analytics dashboards with geolocation and counterfeit-activity detection, and tamper-evident self-destructing labels. Compliance posture includes ISO 27001 certification, GDPR-aligned data processing, and a German-based infrastructure stack hosted on AWS, with content delivered through Cloudflare and Webflow.
Commercially, Authentic.network runs an API-first go-to-market combined with direct enterprise field sales targeting pharma, industrial tools, solar, and luxury verticals. Revenue is generated from the sale of authentication codes and labels, recurring API and platform subscriptions, Digital Product Passport compliance services, and per-scan usage pricing under multi-year quote-based contracts with volume discounts. The 1-10 employee firm is led by Managing Director and founder Frank Theeg alongside founders Torsten Stein (CTO) and Christoph Jentzsch, with approximately $4.3M disclosed across a 2018 seed and 2021 round (investors including Jentzsch Investment, Peppermint Holding, Amentory Ventures, and WEGVISOR) plus European Regional Development Fund support. Named deployments include Meyer Burger (Swiss solar), Chillington Tool, Bosch, STIHL, Liqui-moly, Drocolor, BMZ, CIPharm, and Ralph Martindale, alongside government programs with the West African health authority, Côte d'Ivoire, and German KfW protecting around 30 million medication units.
Authentic.network firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Authentic.network
- Legal name
- authentic.network GmbH
- Website
- https://authentic.network
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2016
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Authentic.network GmbH provides blockchain-secured encrypted QR codes, anti-counterfeiting authentication, and EU Digital Product Passport services to enterprise manufacturers across pharmaceuticals, industrial tools, solar, luxury, and government sectors in Europe, Africa, and Southeast Asia.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Authentic.network industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Anti-Counterfeiting & Product Authentication Software
- akta.pro primary industry
- Device Identity & Certificate-Based Authentication (PKI) (BPAMAEAL)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Regulatory Reporting, Tax & Audit Trails (reconciliation, provenance) (FSAPAJAI), Verification & Risk Signals (Device Fingerprinting, Behavioral Biometrics) (HDADALAJ)
Keywords
Where Authentic.network is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Chemnitz
- HQ country
- Germany
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
Authentic.network business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Software
- Cost components
- Technology or R&D, Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Supply Chain
Revenue model
- Authentication Codes and Labels: Sale of crypto-optical authentication labels/codes applied to products. Pricing based on volume and application type (stickers, direct print, seals).
- API and Platform Access: Subscription or usage-based access to authentication API, dashboard, and scan analytics platform.
- Digital Product Passport Services: Compliance services for EU Digital Product Passport requirements including data management and traceability.
- Scan Verification: Per-scan verification services tracking authentication events and providing real-time data insights.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Multi-year contract | Custom enterprise pricing based on volume and integration requirements |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels5 records
Authentic.network product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Authentic.network sells the authentic.code — a physically unique, mathematically uncopyable encrypted QR code that pairs crypto-optical security with blockchain verification to enable instant product authentication via any smartphone, even offline. Around this core code, the company delivers an EU Digital Product Passport platform, tamper-evident physical labels (stickers, direct print, seals, closures, security bands), a REST API and SDKs (Android, iOS, Flutter, OnPremise, Clowd), and a real-time scan analytics dashboard for supply-chain traceability and brand protection.
Product overview
Authentic.network offers a crypto-optical product authentication and digital product passport platform. The core offering is the encrypted QR Code (authentic.code) - a physically unique, mathematically infalsifiable code combining crypto-optical security with blockchain verification. The platform includes EU Digital Product Passport capabilities for supply chain traceability and product lifecycle management. Integration is provided through mobile SDKs (Android, iOS, Flutter) and OnPremise/Clowd deployment options. The technology enables instant product authentication via smartphone scanning, even offline, with real-time monitoring dashboards.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Encrypted QR Code (authentic.code)
Quantifiable outcome
- 30 million medications protected across West Africa
- +7 more outcomes
Companies that use Authentic.network
Customer profileNamed customers12 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Authentic.network technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- Yes
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
AI capability4 records
Feature8 records
Authentic.network partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Five partnerships are on record, tiered infrastructure, analytics and marketing.
- Amazon Web Services (AWS)infrastructureCloud infrastructure provider for website hosting. Website hosted on Amazon servers with server location in Ireland per privacy policy.
- WebflowinfrastructureWebsite hosting platform used for authentic.network website. Provider: Webflow, Inc., San Francisco, CA, USA.
- CloudflareinfrastructureContent Delivery Network (CDN) and security service provider. Used for website performance optimization and security.
- Google AnalyticsanalyticsWeb analytics platform used for website visitor analysis and user behavior tracking.
- SalesViewermarketingMarketing analytics technology used to collect company-related data and website usage information for marketing optimization.
Scale indicators11 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Authentic.network competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- SICPA: Swiss provider of security inks and integrated authentication solutions for governments, currencies, and brands. Comparable because it serves anti-counterfeiting and product authentication at scale with proprietary security technology, though it specializes in inks rather than encrypted QR/blockchain.
- Avery Dennison: Global leader in label and packaging materials, including RFID and authentication labels. Comparable because it serves the same product authentication and brand protection market with established enterprise relationships and global manufacturing footprint, though as a broad materials supplier rather than a software-first authentication platform.
- OPTEL Group: Canadian traceability and authentication provider for pharma, agri-food, and consumer goods. Directly comparable on serialization, anti-counterfeiting, and DPP use cases, with particular strength in pharma supply chain serialization.
- Zebra Technologies: Enterprise RFID, barcode, and asset intelligence provider with broad enterprise deployments across manufacturing, retail, and logistics. Comparable on product identification and supply chain visibility, though it competes via RFID/barcode hardware rather than encrypted QR.
- VeChain: Public blockchain platform purpose-built for supply chain and product authentication use cases. Comparable because it serves the same product traceability and anti-counterfeiting market via blockchain infrastructure, though as a public chain with broader scope than a focused authentication platform.
Direct peers
- Kezzler: Norwegian serialization and brand authentication platform serving consumer goods and pharma with unique product identities. Directly comparable on product authentication, brand protection, and serialization use cases for enterprise manufacturers.
- Scantrust: Swiss-China anti-counterfeiting platform combining secure QR codes with supply chain traceability. Most directly comparable to Authentic.network: similar technology approach (secure QR + traceability), same anti-counterfeiting positioning, and overlap on EU Digital Product Passport and pharma/industrial verticals.
- Circulor: UK-based blockchain traceability provider for supply chains including batteries, automotive, and industrial materials. Directly comparable on blockchain-secured supply chain traceability and DPP-adjacent use cases, with overlap on EV battery and industrial customers.
Emerging players
- OriginTrail: Decentralized knowledge graph for supply chain interoperability, with a focus on DPP and traceability use cases. Comparable as a blockchain-based traceability peer, though its technology approach emphasizes data interoperability rather than physical authentication labels.
- Blockchain Lock (Block Lock): Emerging player combining blockchain verification with physical product authentication seals (similar self-destructing label concept). Comparable as a smaller, more focused blockchain-authentication competitor serving similar brand protection and anti-counterfeiting use cases.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Authentic.network social profiles
Digital presenceAuthentic.network compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance3 records
Authentic.network financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Authentic.network leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles3 records
Authentic.network funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds2 records
Investors4 records
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Authentic.network M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Authentic.network
What does Authentic.network do?
Authentic.network sells the authentic.code — a physically unique, mathematically uncopyable encrypted QR code that pairs crypto-optical security with blockchain verification to enable instant product authentication via any smartphone, even offline. Around this core code, the company delivers an EU Digital Product Passport platform, tamper-evident physical labels (stickers, direct print, seals, closures, security bands), a REST API and SDKs (Android, iOS, Flutter, OnPremise, Clowd), and a real-time scan analytics dashboard for supply-chain traceability and brand protection.
Is Authentic.network a public or private company?
Authentic.network is a private company. It is classified as venture growth investor backed and is currently operating.
When was Authentic.network founded?
Authentic.network was founded in 2016. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Authentic.network based?
Authentic.network is headquartered in Chemnitz, Germany, in the Europe region.
How does Authentic.network make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Authentication Codes and Labels are the primary driver. The others are API and Platform Access, digital Product Passport Services and scan Verification.
Who are Authentic.network's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are SICPA, Avery Dennison, OPTEL Group, Zebra Technologies and VeChain. Direct peers are Kezzler, Scantrust and Circulor. Emerging players are OriginTrail and Blockchain Lock (Block Lock).
Does Authentic.network have an API?
Yes. REST API providing endpoints for managing content, items, item groups, producers, scans, and webhooks. The API is used by manufacturers and item owners to maintain item contents and receive scan event notifications. Webhook support enables real-time event notifications for content creation/deletion, group operations, item creation/modification/deletion/invalidation, and item scans. API documentation available at https://api.authentic.network/documentation/. Developer documentation is at devportal.authentic.network.
What industry is Authentic.network in?
Authentic.network's product category is Anti-Counterfeiting & Product Authentication Software. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAMAEAL, Device Identity & Certificate-Based Authentication (PKI), with a secondary code of FSAPAJAI, Regulatory Reporting, Tax & Audit Trails (reconciliation, provenance).