Smile Sail takes majority stake in RegLab to drive European AML compliance expansion

The deal, backed by Smile Sail’s 275 million euros Evergreen Fund, marks the company’s second investment in high-growth software and AI ventures. On February 10, Smile Sail announced their first investment in Rsult Group, an award-winning Oracle NetSuite partner.

RegLab, already the market leader in the Netherlands, is rapidly expanding into France, Belgium, and Spain, serving over 300 clients across 25 countries.

The partnership will accelerate RegLab’s European growth, with a focus on product innovation and AI-driven compliance solutions.

Founders Joost Tulkens and Pieter Hallebeek will continue to lead the company, leveraging Smile Sail’s expertise to scale operations and enhance its platform. RegLab’s software streamlines client onboarding, risk assessment, and ongoing monitoring, helping firms meet increasingly complex regulatory demands efficiently.

Smile Sail’s investment underscores the growing importance of automated compliance tools as regulatory scrutiny intensifies. Joost Schardijn, Partner at Smile Sail, noted that RegLab is well-positioned to dominate the European market, given its strong foothold in the Netherlands and expanding presence in key jurisdictions. The deal also highlights the role of private equity in driving innovation within niche sectors like RegTech.

RegLab’s expansion aligns with broader trends in digital transformation and regulatory technology, as firms seek scalable solutions to manage compliance burdens. With Smile Sail’s support, RegLab aims to further develop its AI capabilities, offering law firms and investment funds a more robust, automated approach to AML compliance. The collaboration is expected to set new standards for efficiency and reliability in the sector.

Smile Sail is part of the Smile group of funds with assets under management (AUM) approaching 1 billion euros and is exclusively backed by influential families, entrepreneurs and captains of industry