Duely secures €1.1M to reinvent M&A legal services with AI

Overview

Belgian startup Duely raised €1.1 million in seed funding to expand AI-native legal services for mergers and acquisitions. Scalefund and Golden Egg Check led the round, with ML6 and a group of angel investors from the Belgian and UK technology, finance, and M&A sectors taking part. Instead of selling software to law firms, Duely applies its own AI directly to deal work such as data room preparation, due diligence, and document review.

Key Takeaways

Duely raised €1.1 million in seed funding to grow AI-native legal services for mergers and acquisitions.
Scalefund and Golden Egg Check led the round, with ML6 and angel investors from the Belgian and UK technology, finance, and M&A sectors also taking part.
Duely delivers legal services itself rather than licensing software to law firms, a model it calls AI-native professional services.
The company automates document-heavy deal tasks including virtual data room setup, legal due diligence, and contract review.
Four named clients already use Duely: Corporatewise, FincoEnergies, team.blue, and Sofindev.
The funding will support expansion across Europe and further build-out of the AI platform.

Stats & Key Facts

#€1.1 million raised in seed funding.
#2 lead investors: Scalefund and Golden Egg Check.
#4 named clients using the service: Corporatewise, FincoEnergies, team.blue, and Sofindev.
#Expansion targeted across the European M&A market.
#Company shifted to direct legal service delivery in early 2026.

€1.1 Million Seed Round Led by Scalefund and Golden Egg Check

The funding gives Duely capital to scale its model beyond its home market.

›Total raised: €1.1 million in seed funding.
›Lead investors: Scalefund and Golden Egg Check.
›Additional backers: ML6 and a group of angel investors.
›The angels come from the Belgian and UK technology, finance, and M&A sectors.

Why Duely Sells Legal Services Instead of Software

The startup's business model is the core of its pitch to investors.

Most legal technology companies build tools and license them to law firms, which then do the legal work. Duely takes a different route. It applies its own AI directly to the legal work and delivers the finished service to clients itself.

The company describes this as AI-native professional services. The aim is to fold automation into the work from the start rather than bolt software onto a traditional firm. For clients, the promise is faster turnaround and lower cost on document-heavy deal tasks.

From API-First Tech Company to Direct Legal Provider

Duely's current shape grew out of an earlier technology product.

Duely started as an API-first technology company that built AI tools for virtual data rooms, the secure platforms used to store and manage documents during a deal. That early product served other businesses through software integrations.

In early 2026 the company expanded into delivering legal services directly rather than only supplying its technology to others. The seed round backs that shift and the plan to keep developing the underlying AI platform.

The M&A Deal Tasks Duely Automates

Mergers and acquisitions involve heavy, repetitive document work that the company targets.

›Data room preparation: organizing the documents buyers and sellers review during a deal.
›Legal due diligence: checking contracts, obligations, and risks before a transaction closes.
›Transaction document review: reading and analyzing the paperwork tied to a deal.
›The goal is to make each step quicker and less costly than manual work.

Four Named Clients Already on Board

Duely points to a starting roster of customers using the service.

›Corporatewise
›FincoEnergies
›team.blue
›Sofindev

These four named clients use Duely's services. The company plans to widen its reach across the European M&A market with the new funding in place.

What This Signals for AI in Professional Services

Duely fits a wider pattern of AI moving into legal and deal work.

The round reflects growing investor interest in firms that do the work with AI rather than only sell tools. By owning the service, Duely captures the value of the automation directly instead of passing it to a law firm.

For business readers, the practical question is whether AI-delivered legal work holds up on quality and trust during high-stakes deals. Duely's bet is that automating the routine document load frees human experts to focus on judgment, while clients pay less and wait less.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much did Duely raise and who led the round?

Duely raised €1.1 million in seed funding. Scalefund and Golden Egg Check led the round, with ML6 and a group of angel investors also taking part.

What does Duely actually do?

Duely provides AI-native legal services for mergers and acquisitions. It applies its own AI to tasks like data room preparation, legal due diligence, and document review, and delivers the legal service itself rather than selling software to law firms.

How is Duely different from other legal technology companies?

Most legal tech firms license software to law firms that then do the work. Duely instead uses its AI directly and provides the finished legal service to clients, a model it calls AI-native professional services.

Which companies already use Duely?

Four named clients use the service: Corporatewise, FincoEnergies, team.blue, and Sofindev.

What will Duely do with the funding?

The company plans to expand across Europe, further build out its AI platform, and strengthen its position in the market for AI-native professional services.

Duely's €1.1 million seed round backs a clear bet: deliver M&A legal work with AI in-house rather than sell tools to law firms. With four clients already signed and European expansion ahead, the round tests whether AI-native professional services hold up on high-stakes deals.