Munich Startup: What problem do you offer a solution for?
Maximilian Reinhard, co-founder: KYC (Editor's note: Know Your Customer is a legally required process for verifying the identity of new customers to prevent money laundering) For many obligated parties, this is already an inadequately resolved problem and an administrative nightmare. The status quo is characterized by extremely complex, manual processes and constant data inconsistencies. The new EU AML Regulation (AMLR) massively exacerbates this problem, as it operates in a significantly more data-driven manner and places far higher demands on the level of detail and timeliness of the information. This is precisely where we come in: Legalian transforms this growing data and process dilemma into an efficient, legally compliant solution through radical automation and the mapping of the entire workflow based on primary data.
Munich Startup: What can you do as of today?
Maximilian Reinhard: We are the first provider with a architectureOur platform is built on primary data, extracting information directly from primary sources such as the commercial register. While the market often relies on outdated data from intermediaries, we combine direct access and intelligent analysis in a single platform. This enables automated UBO extraction and the real-time visualization of complex structures as ready-made KYC checks – error-free and without manual data entry errors. Furthermore, we transform KYC from a one-off snapshot to perpetual monitoring. We offer the technological solution to continuously monitor portfolios for changes.
The founding idea arose from frustration in practice.
Munich Startup: What triggered the founding?
Maximilian Reinhard: The trigger was our personal experience and frustration from practical work. Our founding team comes from the fields of private equity, consulting, and fintech – so we experienced these problems firsthand in various professional roles. We were on both sides of the table: sometimes we had to conduct audits ourselves, and sometimes we were the ones being audited. Since we didn't see any technologically convincing software on the market that truly digitized this process in a meaningful way, we decided to fill this gap ourselves.
Munich Startup: Was there ever a moment when you thought about giving up?
Maximilian Reinhard: No. We have set ourselves the clear goal of solving the data and process problem for KYC checks across Europe. The fact that we are pursuing this project entirely bootstrapped gives us the necessary independence and agility. Seeing our ten-person team implement this vision day after day is the best confirmation we could wish for.
Reduce manual load and increase safety
Munich Startup: How would you know in a year that you're on the right track?
Maximilian Reinhard: For us, success means being established as a valued partner for KYC processes across Europe. Our most important KPI is customer satisfaction: if our platform enables customers to efficiently and comprehensively complete a high number of checks in the shortest possible time, we have achieved our goal. We measure our success by how much we reduce manual workload while simultaneously increasing security.
Munich Startup: Would you start a business in Munich again, and why?
Maximilian Reinhard: Yes, definitely. The ecosystem around TUM and the UnternehmerTUM offers incredibly good support. Munich is ideal, especially for Legal and Regtech, as we find both the necessary talent and demanding B2B clients here who are looking for precisely the technological excellence that Legalian offers.
Munich Startup: Perfection or speed?
Maximilian Reinhard: In compliance, there is no "either-or." Perfection is essential for legal certainty, while speed is crucial for managing today's data volumes. Only a balance between the two allows our clients to focus on assessing the truly important risks, rather than wasting valuable time on administrative tasks.
