BMW i Ventures is to invest in optical AI software creator Alitheon, which is developing generative engineering software aimed at automating the product development process.
Alitheon will use the new funding to expand its FeaturePrint technology across the defense, aerospace, aviation services, automotive, semiconductor, luxury goods, additive manufacturing, pharmaceutical and government sectors.
FeaturePrint transforms how objects, components and finished products are authenticated, tracked and traced across supply chains and distribution systems throughout the world. Once registered by Alitheon’s optical artificial intelligence system, any individual item can be subsequently identified wherever it exists to verify authenticity, determine place and time of origin, detect signs of tampering, measure wear and identify grey market and counterfeit products including unauthorized ‘over runs’ and previously rejected products.
“Alitheon’s ability to identify an item using only the object itself – independent of markings, tags or other modifications – is groundbreaking. FeaturePrint technology has the potential to bring a new level of trust to supply chains that does not currently exist,” said Marcus Behrendt, partner of BMW i Ventures.
Alitheon’s CEO and co-founder, Scot E Land, commented, “A FeaturePrint registration or authentication can be performed in milliseconds at industrial production speeds without human involvement using off-the-shelf hardware integrated at any step throughout manufacturing and distribution. Our mission is straightforward: to create enduring trust among manufacturers, suppliers, distributors and customers.”
