AI-powered brand protection firm MarqVision raises $48m

US startup MarqVision has completed a $48m second-round financing that will be used to roll out its AI-based engine for detecting and removing instances of counterfeit, piracy, and impersonation across online platforms.

The Los Angeles-based company – first set up in 2020 to apply computer vision technology to fight trademark infringements – has now raised $90m from investors hoping to back the next big player in the brand protection category.

MarqVision competes against the likes of Red Points, BrandShield, BrandMonitor, SnapDragon and Incopro, amongst others, but claims its brand protection platform goes a step further to become 'brand control' – which it defines as "owning every digital and physical touchpoint where a brand lives."

Rather than simply reacting to the presence of a counterfeit in the market, for example, it gives companies "not just the ability to defend their assets, but the power to actively shape how their brand is experienced."

MarqVision says that combining AI agents with IP legal expertise translates to more effective enforcement operations, which it calculates results in 5 to 10 per cent increases in topline growth that justifies spending 0.5 to 1 per cent of online revenue on digital risk protection.

"We've reached a moment where AI-powered brand control is no longer optional; it's the foundation for sustainable growth," said Mark Lee, founder and chief executive of MarqVision (pictured above).

"The most valuable companies in the world will be the ones that can own and control their IP and brand perception at every touchpoint," he added. "MarqVision is making that possible by uniting AI innovation with unmatched legal expertise to give brands complete control over their presence, their reputation, and their revenue streams."

The Series B cash injection will go towards refining the platform and scaling MarqVision's business in the US and Asia from its current level of around 350 brand partners.

The Series B was led by Peak XV Partners, formerly known as Sequoia Capital India & SEA, with participation from Salesforce Ventures, HSG, Coral Capital, Michael Seibel, and returning investors Y Combinator, Altos Ventures, and Atinum Investment.