European fintech start-up raises another $30m

Dutch-German Fintech Duna Raises $30M Series A to Revolutionize Global Business Identity and Compliance

In a major move that signals growing investor confidence in AI-driven compliance solutions, Dutch-German fintech startup Duna has secured $30 million in a Series A funding round led by CapitalG, the growth-stage investment arm of Google parent company Alphabet. The round also saw participation from existing backers Index Ventures and Puzzle Ventures, bringing Duna’s total funding to over $40 million since its inception in 2023.

Duna was co-founded by Duco van Lanschot and David Schreiber, both of whom held senior positions at Stripe, the global payments giant. Their combined experience in scaling financial infrastructure has now been channeled into building what they describe as “global trust infrastructure” for businesses worldwide.

Tackling Identity and Compliance at Scale

Duna’s mission is ambitious: to simplify and standardize the user and business experience around identity and compliance. The company is building what it calls a “digital passport for every business,” aiming to create a network for shareable identity and one-click onboarding through its AI-native platform.

The startup’s target market is the highly regulated world of financial services, including large banks, fintech firms, and other institutions grappling with increasingly complex compliance requirements. According to van Lanschot, compliance and identity management now account for up to 10-20% of a bank’s total costs—a staggering figure that underscores the urgency of the problem Duna is addressing.

“The expensive and manual legacy systems lead to billions lost in fraud, friction, and fines, as well as lost income from refusals of legitimate customers,” van Lanschot explained. “We’re turning a decades-old compliance cost center into a core revenue driver.”

AI-Powered Fraud Prevention in the Age of Deepfakes

Schreiber emphasized the critical role Duna’s platform will play in combating the rising tide of sophisticated fraud, particularly in an era where AI tools are being used to create convincing deepfakes and synthetic identities. “The need for a secure business identity has never been more urgent,” he said. “AI has many benefits, but it also enables an acceleration in the velocity and sophistication of fraud.”

By increasing organizations’ awareness of their customers’ identities and activities, Duna aims to help tackle issues such as money laundering and other financial crimes. The platform’s AI-native approach promises to reduce friction in onboarding while simultaneously enhancing security—a rare combination in the compliance space.

A Growing List of High-Profile Customers

Duna’s early traction is impressive, with customers including well-known names like Plaid, Adyen, and Bol. These partnerships suggest that the fintech’s solution is already resonating with some of the most innovative players in the financial technology ecosystem.

The company’s investor roster is equally noteworthy, featuring not only venture capital firms but also individuals with deep experience at industry leaders such as Goldman Sachs, Anthropic, Stripe, and Snowflake. This blend of financial and technical expertise positions Duna well to execute on its ambitious vision.

The Future of Business Identity

As businesses increasingly operate across borders and digital channels, the need for a trusted, portable identity system has never been greater. Duna’s approach—combining AI, compliance expertise, and a focus on user experience—could be the key to unlocking a new era of secure, frictionless digital commerce.

With this fresh injection of capital, Duna is poised to accelerate its growth and expand its platform’s capabilities. If successful, the company could fundamentally reshape how businesses prove their identity and comply with regulations, turning a costly burden into a strategic advantage.

Tags: fintech, compliance, identity, AI, fraud prevention, Series A, CapitalG, Alphabet, Stripe, banking, digital passport, onboarding, deepfakes, money laundering, venture capital, Dutch startup, German startup, financial technology, trust infrastructure, global business

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