Podqi
Setting the Scene
Infringement on intellectual property costs brands and entertainment companies millions in lost revenue each year.
Here’s why:
Outdated Detection: Brands rely on word-of-mouth or customer complaints to find counterfeit goods.
Costly and Manual Enforcement: Tracking and taking down infringers requires expensive legal teams.
Lack of Scale: Thousands of marketplaces and social platforms make manual enforcement impossible.
This week’s company uses AI to detect and takedown infringers, helping brands reclaim lost revenue.
In a Sentence
Podqi is is an AI-powered platform that automates the detection, takedown, and retroactive compensation for infringing on brands' and entertainment companies' IP.
Detection: Uses AI to continuously scan marketplaces, social media, and websites for counterfeit goods, unlicensed artwork, and trademark violations.
Takedown: Automates the process of filing infringement claims and requesting removal across major platforms, saving brands time and legal costs.
Retroactive Compensation: Helps brands monetize past infringements by negotiating retroactive licensing deals or settlements with repeat offenders.
Bulleted Version:
- Podqi is like Turnitin for IP — but instead of scanning essays for plagiarism, it scans the internet for unauthorized use of brands' assets.
The Basics
- Headquarters: San Francisco, CA
- Employee Count: 4
- Investors:
- Business model: B2B SaaS & Fee associated with takedowns
- Early traction: Notable Customers such as Hellstar, CMG Worldwide, and Mainfactor.
Due Diligence
WHAT WE LIKE
Massive Market Opportunity: With the annual cost of IP loss between $225 billion and $600 billion, brands and entertainment companies are desperate for scalable IP enforcement solutions that go beyond traditional, manual legal approaches..
AI as an Accelerator: While AI powers Podqi’s ability to detect and track infringement at scale, its true value comes from seamlessly integrating automation with legal workflows, enforcement mechanisms, and monetization strategies that make IP protection more effective and profitable.
Multiple Income Streams: Podqi uses a multi-stream model of SaaS subscriptions, enforcement fees, and revenue sharing to make brand protection a profit driver.
POTENTIAL RISKS
Detection Accuracy: AI detection could misidentify legitimate sellers or fan art as infringements, leading to takedown requests on non-infringing content.
Legal Complexity & Global Enforcement: IP laws vary widely across regions, making enforcement inconsistent and requiring legal expertise to navigate international disputes effectively.
Customer Adoption & Education: Some brands may not fully understand the financial impact of IP infringement or the value of monetizing retroactive licensing, slowing adoption.
Founder Profile
Trevor West, CEO: Previously worked in U.S federal AI software sales.
Jesse Xu, CTO: Previously built Gen AI for Google Docs.
Ivan Esmeral, CPO: Built large scale data pipelines at Microsoft.
Comps
Corsearch: Backed by Yukon Partners.
Red Points: Backed by IRIS, European Investment Bank, Summit Partners, and others.
Counterfind: Backed by Green Park & Golf Ventures, Capital Factory, Deep Space Ventures
Why Podqi
By turning IP enforcement into a revenue opportunity, Podqi offers a compelling solution for brands losing millions to unauthorized use of their assets, with the potential to become tech royalty.
