Relik, a UAE-based platform using AI and advanced security technologies to authenticate high-value items, has successfully closed its seed funding round. The investment round saw participation from prominent regional investors including KBW Ventures, Naatt Holding, Fort Holding, and Ayman Sejiny.
Tackling The $467 Billion Counterfeit Market
In an era where the global counterfeit market exceeds an estimated $467 billion and generative AI blurs the lines between real and artificial, Relik aims to restore trust and safeguard authenticity. The company, founded in 2023 by Walid Tarabih, is deploying its technology to protect collectibles, art, and cultural treasures from forgeries, thereby preserving human legacy.
“We are ensuring authenticity in a fakeable world,” said Walid Tarabih, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Relik.
“Counterfeits don’t just impact economies; they erase identity, creativity and truth. Along with our investors, we’re building a movement to make the world’s stories verifiable again.”
A New Standard For Authentication Without Hardware
Relik’s technology provides physical assets with a unique “digital DNA,” creating a tamper-proof link between an item and its verified history. A key differentiator is its ability to eliminate the need for external hardware such as NFC chips, RFID tags, or QR codes. The platform allows anyone to verify an item’s authenticity within seconds using only the object itself and a standard smart device.
This investment will accelerate the rollout of the Relik Vault, an AI-powered, tamper-proof authentication platform designed for brands, artists, and institutions to protect their assets and build consumer trust through verifiable provenance.
Strategic Backing From Regional Powerhouses
The backing from KBW Ventures, led by HRH Prince Khaled bin Alwaleed bin Talal Al Saud, underscores the significant market potential and cultural importance of Relik’s mission.
“Relik is creating a new global standard for truth and trust,” commented Prince Khaled, Founder and CEO of KBW Ventures. “At a time when counterfeiting and AI-generated content are rising, Relik’s mission to protect authenticity carries both cultural and commercial value.”
InstaShop Founder Joins To Drive Scaling
The company’s strategic foundation is significantly strengthened by the addition of John Tsioris, the founder of InstaShop, as a pre-seed investor and co-founder. Tsioris, who led one of the MENA region’s most successful tech exits, brings invaluable expertise in scaling digital ventures, positioning Relik for rapid growth and market penetration.
About Relik
UAE-based Relik is a platform that blends AI and advanced security technologies, verifying, protecting, and preserving the authenticity of collectibles, art, and cultural treasures. Built for a world where anything can be faked, Relik provides immutable, verifiable trust forever.
Source: Wamda
