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Get to know the 2024 DataTribe Challenge Finalists: Q&A with ForceField

About ForceField

A Techstars and MIT-backed startup is set out to combat the scourge of deepfakes and spoofed evidence in the age of AI, and just took the Startup Battlefield stage at TechCrunch Disrupt 2024 this week. ForceField is building a set of patent-pending APIs dubbed MARQ, the first of which is designed to authenticate content.

Q: Tell us about your background.

MC Spano is a former Wall Street Analyst who left finance after 9/11 to build companies that matter. After two exits, MC has been working on cyber safety at ForceField. She is originally from New York and currently lives on the beach in NJ with her daughter. She has received numerous awards from City & State NY, The Ad Club, Asbury Park Press, and BevNet through her work with startups.

Q: Tell us about your business/idea.

ForceField’s MARQ technology protects company, community & country data with tamper-proof badges. Their patent-pending APIs defend against deepfake scams, fraud & breaches by preventing spoofing.


Q: What was the original inspiration for your company/product?

After a personal safety incident, MC had to prove she was assaulted for the police to investigate. Once she brought a video-of-a-video to the detective, she was told by NYPD that the video wasn’t “provable” and it had a broken chain of custody. Six years later, the case is still unsolved.

Q: What’s your vision for the future … “What will the market you are pursuing look like in 5-10 years?”

We believe that content will have to be authenticated before sharing/posting. Currently, companies are focused on labeling what’s AI-Generated, but the future of verification will require labeling. We anticipate with the increase in IoT devices, regulation and laws, that data security and privacy will demand APIs for easy integration and protection of IoT like Autonomous Vehicles, Robots, Drones, and more.


Q: How does your business address pressing cyber and data challenges for the commercial sector?

To protect against data breaches, ProofMarq is a product that integrates as an API-as-a-Service and seals streaming data as it’s being collected to prevent data loss. To reduce fraud, InsurMarq enables insurance companies to leverage an API in their mobile app to prevent spoofed or deep faked evidence in auto, personal and commercial P&C. To eliminate reputational harm, deep fake scams and financial loss, ForceField’s HashMarq is an app for mobile and the web that produces a digital certificate of authenticity for content.

Q: What attracted you to the DataTribe Foundry? Why did you choose to participate in the DataTribe Challenge?

I’ve known some founders who competed and had a great experience. After attending Techstars DC and many events in the area, I had gotten to know Maurice Boissiere and learn more about the support you offer startups in the cyber space.

Q: What’s your long-term vision for your business?

Authenticated multimedia files will automatically be created on mobile devices, wearables and other IoT. Once authentication of video, photos and audio is required, we expect an Apple, Google or Microsoft to acquire our technology for mass deployment.