Software for notaries

Start-up Notarity already active in over 100 countries

The founders: Alexander Gugler, Sebastian Wodniansky, Jakobus Schuster, Max Pointinger (from left)

(Bild: Alexander Schindler)

The Viennese start-up Notarity is making waves with its online notary platform. The demand for smart solutions in this area is high, but a dispute with the Chamber of Notaries is slowing down growth in Austria. The focus of expansion is therefore abroad. 

It often takes a lot of time and patience to complete a notarial deed. Jakobus Schuster from Vienna also discovered this while working as a lawyer in a German law firm. During the coronavirus pandemic, the focus shifted to online solutions, but he was not satisfied with them. So, without further ado, he and two developers designed their own software for notarial services.

At the beginning of 2022, Schuster and his partners received funding and a six-figure investment, for example from business angel Benjamin Ruschin. A year later, further investors such as advertising guru Mariusz Demner and Durchblicker founder Reinhold Baudisch joined them.

The Chamber of Notaries was less than pleased with the success of the online platform - and filed a lawsuit. However, the court largely ruled in favor of the start-up (not legally binding). "We wanted to involve the Chamber right from the start. But they refused to talk to us," says the founder.

We will exceed the million euro turnover mark for the first time this year

Co-GründerJakobus Schuster

Bild: Krone KREATIV/Notarity, Krone KREATIV

The legal dispute is slowing down the young company here in Germany, which is why the focus is increasingly abroad. "We currently have customers from over 100 countries," says Schuster. Every month, a good 4,000 online notarizations and notarial deeds (via video call and digital signature) connect notaries and clients via PC thanks to the Notarity software. The aim this year is to exceed the million euro turnover mark for the first time.

Schuster sees opportunities for growth in Spain, England, the Netherlands, the Middle East, the USA and Argentina. Germany is also interesting, but is currently not an issue there due to the statutory notary monopoly.

Time savings and cost transparency
The advantage of the software is that it saves time because many notary appointments can be completed online. It also increases transparency, as the price differences between notaries are large - one of the main reasons for the Chamber's displeasure, according to insiders. However, Schuster remains confident and hopes for talks. As far as the pending proceedings are concerned, the entrepreneur assumes that the chamber will exhaust all legal remedies - which could take up to two more years and will cost the young company a lot of money.