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§ Private Profile · New York City, NY, USA
Online review authentication platform using AI to detect fake product reviews by analyzing user behavior for consumers and e-commerce.
Based in New York City, Fakespot was founded in 2015 by Saoud Khalifah to develop artificial intelligence technology that detects and authenticates online product reviews for consumers and enterprise clients. The company provides free consumer tools, including mobile applications and a browser extension, that analyze review language and user behavior to identify deceptive practices on major platforms like Amazon, Walmart, BestBuy, and Sephora. Operating on a freemium model, the organization generates revenue through paid B2B authentication solutions while expanding its consumer reach, achieving over 325,000 browser extension installations by mid-2020. Fakespot has raised $5.3 million in venture capital, comprising a $1.3 million seed round backed by Faith Capital in 2018 and a $4 million Series A financing in 2020. Alongside Chief Operating Officer Rob Gross, Khalifah protects shoppers from review farms across the e-commerce ecosystem.
Fakespot has raised $5.0M across 2 funding rounds.
Fakespot has raised $5.0M in total across 2 funding rounds.
Fakespot is a consumer-facing technology company that used AI to detect fake product reviews and seller fraud on major e‑commerce marketplaces, delivering browser extensions and mobile apps that graded review trustworthiness and flagged suspicious sellers for shoppers and sellers alike[1][5]. Fakespot was founded in 2016, raised under $9M in disclosed funding, was acquired by Mozilla in May 2023, and — according to several profiles — ceased operations in May 2025[1][5].
High‑Level Overview
Origin Story
Core Differentiators
Role in the Broader Tech Landscape
Quick Take & Future Outlook
Quick take: Fakespot demonstrated product‑market fit for consumer tools that surface review credibility and played a visible role in raising marketplace transparency expectations; its acquisition by Mozilla and reported 2025 shutdown suggest the technology and lessons will endure either integrated into larger platforms or replicated by successor tools rather than disappearing altogether[1][5].
Limitations / Sources: This profile summarizes public company profiles, press coverage and product descriptions; detailed founder biographies, internal metrics and post‑acquisition strategic plans were not available in the cited sources and so are not covered here[1][3][5].
Fakespot has raised $5.0M across 2 funding rounds. Most recently, it raised $4.0M Series A in October 2020.
| Date | Round | Lead Investors | Other Investors | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 1, 2020 | $4M Series A | Bullpen Capital | Andreessen Horowitz, Angel Investor, Archetype, Blisce, Bond, BOW Capital, Caffeinated Capital, Chapter ONE Ventures, Coatue, CoinFund, Compound, Craft Ventures, Datapower Ventures, Dispersion Capital, Dreamers VC, Electric Capital, Graph Ventures, Griffin Gaming Partners, Helium 3 Ventures, North Island Ventures, Paradigm, Pareto Holdings, Reform Ventures, Roosh Ventures, S3 Ventures, Sound Ventures, SRI Capital, The HIT Forge, Thirty Five Ventures, Union Square Ventures, World Fund, YES VC, Andre Iguodala, Balaji Srinivasan, Bill TAI, Jeff Morris, Mark Pincus, Matt Bellamy, Rashaun Williams, William Mougayar, QB1 Ventures, Rosecliff Ventures, TL Ventures, ROB Gross, Saoud Khalifah, TY Shay, 500 Startups, Faith Capital | Announced |
| Sep 1, 2018 | $1M Seed | — | QB1 Ventures, Rosecliff Ventures, SRI Capital, TL Ventures | Announced |
Fakespot has raised $5.0M in total across 2 funding rounds.
Fakespot's investors include Bullpen Capital, Andreessen Horowitz, Angel investor, Archetype, Blisce, Bond, Bow Capital, Caffeinated Capital, Chapter One Ventures, Coatue, CoinFund, Compound.