As regulatory pressures grow across Europe, many companies find themselves bogged down by cumbersome, manual compliance processes that stifle innovation and increase operational costs. Munich-based startup Kertos aims to change this by offering a truly AI-native compliance platform that automates key tasks like asset discovery, risk evaluation, document drafting, and continuous monitoring. With it, companies can achieve audit readiness in days rather than months.
Today, the startup raised €14 million in a Series A funding round led by global fintech investor Portage, alongside existing supporters Pilabs, Redstone, 10x Founders, and seed + speed Ventures.
This latest capital influx puts Kertos’ total funding above €20 million, signalling strong confidence from investors as the platform gains traction with hundreds of customers, including notable names like Personio, Blacklane, NeoTaste, and Pliant.
A founder’s mission born of experience
Kertos was founded by CEO Dr. Kilian Schmidt, CTO Alexander Prams, and COO Johannes Hussak, a trio combining expertise in data privacy law, AI technologies, and operational scaling.
Schmidt, who previously served as legal counsel with a deep focus on GDPR, shares the founding story with TFN: “After years working firsthand with the manual grind of compliance, especially handling GDPR data subject requests and audits, it became clear that this was a major pain point for companies across Europe. If it was draining my motivation, it had to be a burden for thousands more.”
He adds, “We always put the pain of our customers and the fastest way to value first. Today, Kertos automates the entire compliance workload through AI agents and a powerful operating system. Compliance is no longer just a checkbox but a strategic asset. We deliver it at scale, cutting costs and eliminating busy work.”
CTO Alexander Prams highlights how the platform sets itself apart: “From GDPR and ISO standards to the AI Act, our technology establishes a new benchmark for trust, security, and compliance automation.”
Kertos’ leadership combines deep legal insight and technical prowess, supported by a diverse team representing more than a dozen nationalities and a commitment to inclusion, with women holding 42% of managerial and product roles.
What about Kertos’ technology?
Unlike many competitors, such as US-centric Vanta, Drata, and Dataguard, Kertos is purpose-built for European regulations and automatically updates as new frameworks emerge at both the EU and member-state levels.
Its AI agents streamline evidence collection, risk assessment, documentation drafting, and continuous monitoring, slashing time to audit-readiness from months to days. The platform integrates with over 100 critical business applications and supports simultaneous compliance with multiple frameworks, including GDPR, NIS2, DORA, SOC 2, and the new EU AI Act.
What’s next?
Looking ahead, Kertos plans to further automate compliance processes, expand its reach across Europe, and scale its Peer-to-Peer Compliance Network, allowing businesses to securely share verified controls and collaboratively transform compliance from a cost centre to a strategic enabler.
Dr. Schmidt sums up the company’s ambition: “Our mission is simple: make compliance an enabler, not an obstacle. With this funding, we’ll accelerate innovation and expansion, empowering European businesses to thrive confidently in an AI-driven economy.”
