EU AI Act · next obligations Aug 2026

The regulatory partner
for AI companies
entering Europe.

The right EU jurisdiction, EU AI Act, GDPR, MiCA, entity and banking — fixed price, no hourly billing.

$400M+
Raised & structured
Pre-Seed → Series C
$129M+
Saved in taxes
 
Lower average
tax rate
 
Map of Europe with client locations
By the numbers
Non-compliance risk

The cost of getting Europe wrong.

High-risk rules slip to December 2027 — but transparency and GPAI duties are live now, with enforcement coming.

Maximum fine by violation
Prohibited AI practices
€0M
GDPR breach
€0M
High-risk & GPAI breach
€0M
Incorrect info to regulators
€0.0M
Or a % of global annual turnover — whichever is higher.
EU AI Act enforcement timeline
Feb 2025
Prohibited AI practices bannedIn force
Aug 2025
General-purpose AI (GPAI) rulesIn force
Aug 2026
Transparency duties (Art. 50) applyApplies now
Dec 2027
High-risk (Annex III) — deferred from Aug 2026New deadline
0M
or 7% of global turnover
0
AI Act risk tiers to classify against
0 mo
high-risk deadline deferred to Dec 2027
0
national regulators can act
Who we serve

Two ways in. One partner.

Already operating in Europe

You have EU customers but your compliance is patchy. GDPR, AI Act, payments — let's audit what's missing.

Expanding into Europe

You're planning your first European deal. Get the entity, banking and compliance stack right from day one.

Our solutions

Fixed scope. Fixed price.

Two engagements, scoped and priced before we start. Pick the one that fits.

Europe Market Entry Plan
For teams entering Europe

Everything you need to land your first European deal — structure, compliance posture and the practical setup.

Europe Risk Scan
For teams already live in Europe

A full read on the compliance risk you already carry in Europe, ranked by exposure with a path to close it.

Book a call
How it works

From first call to clear plan.

4 steps · from first call to ongoing counsel

01
Intro call (30 min)

We map where you are and what the EU requires.

02
Assessment

Fixed-price Market Entry Plan or Risk Scan. Fee credited to the next stage.

03
Implementation

Entity, licenses, banking, compliance and contracts.

04
Ongoing compliance infrastructure

Your EU compliance desk on subscription as you grow.

Our team

The people behind Montaire & Co.

Ivan Zakharko
Partner · Fintech & Regulatory Strategy
Ivan Zakharko

Fintech, AI, and regulated business strategy. Navigating complex regulatory environments. Governance, licensing, risk frameworks, and regulatory engagement. 15+ years of experience.

FintechLicensingAML / KYC

I advise fintech, AI, and regulated technology businesses on how to operate and scale in complex regulatory environments. Working with founders and leadership teams, I focus on regulatory strategy, licensing, and building compliant, scalable structures that can withstand scrutiny across jurisdictions.

With 15+ years of experience, my work centers on financial services regulation, governance, and risk frameworks across payments, fintech, and emerging technology models. This includes structuring licensing approaches, defining regulatory positioning, and engaging with regulators in key markets.

I am typically involved at critical points — market entry, new product launches, or periods of regulatory pressure — where legal and regulatory decisions directly shape the trajectory of the business. My approach is pragmatic and business-oriented.

I turn regulatory complexity into strategic choices and enable companies to move forward with confidence.

Education
  • Chicago-Kent College of Law, Illinois Institute of Technology
Connect on LinkedIn
Mykola Vdovychenko
Partner · Corporate & Privacy Advisory
Mykola Vdovychenko

Investments, tax and structuring. GDPR and certified Data Protection Officer. Cap-table structuring, fundraising terms, work permits and cross-border employment. 15+ years of experience.

StructuringTaxGDPR / DPO

I help founders and international companies structure, protect, and scale their business across multiple jurisdictions - reducing risk and enabling faster growth. My practice is focused on helping technology-driven businesses operate safely and efficiently, with particular experience in the EU and a strong focus on internationally active companies in the US, Singapore, Dubai, and other major business hubs.

With 15+ years of experience, I have supported clients with contract drafting and negotiation, corporate governance, commercial agreements, Terms & Conditions, Privacy Policies, NDAs, service agreements, independent contractor agreements, and other business-critical documents. I also advise on data protection, GDPR, regulatory compliance, and legal issues connected to digital platforms, websites, SaaS products, mobile apps, and online business models.

My experience includes work with software, SaaS, fintech, crypto, gaming, and other digital businesses, as well as cross-border legal structuring, IP-related matters, domain name disputes, DMCA takedowns, AML/KYC/CFT compliance, and regulatory issues affecting online and international operations. I work in a practical, business-minded way and aim to provide clear legal solutions that help clients move forward with confidence.

I combine experience as external counsel, in-house legal advisor, and a certified Data Protection Officer to deliver practical, business-focused legal solutions. Clients usually come to me when they need legal support that is commercially sensible, technically sound, and tailored to fast-moving international businesses.

Education
  • University of London — LLB, English Law
  • University of London — BSc Computer Science (AI & Machine Learning)
  • Quantic School of Business and Technology — MBA
Connect on LinkedIn
Speaking & community

On stage, worldwide.

Active on stage and in the room across the global AI, crypto and finance-regulation community.

Speaker
WAIB Summit (Web3 & AI)
Monaco · June 2025Presentation + panel · crypto regulation (Mykola & Ivan)
Speaker
Intax Connect Conference
Cyprus · June 2025Speech + presentation (Mykola), panel (Ivan) · business & investment structuring
Speaker
Bosco Conference
Kazakhstan · May 2025Speech + presentation (Ivan), panel (Mykola)
Attendee
Global Family Office Investment Summit (GFOIS)
Miami, USA · November 2025Family office & investment summit — blockchain, fintech & private equity
Exhibitor
Bosco Conference
Dubai · February 2025Exhibitors (booth)
Attendee
Luxembourg Blockchain Week
Luxembourg · December 2024
Attendee
Tbilisi Silk Road Forum
Tbilisi, Georgia · October 2025
Attendee
Private Investment Event
Hong Kong · March 2024
Attendee
Nexus Luxembourg
Luxembourg · June 2026Europe's largest AI & tech summit
Speaker
Legal Nodes Conference
OnlineCompliance & finance for EU market entry
We build trust from day zero — and we treat regulation as leverage, not burden. In Europe, the companies that master the rules first are the ones that win the market.
Ivan ZakharkoPartner · Montaire & Co.
Recognition

Memberships & credentials.

AmCham Luxembourg
AmCham LuxembourgAmerican Chamber of Commerce
AIJA
AIJAInternational Association of Young Lawyers
LPEA
LPEALuxembourg Private Equity Assoc.
LHoFT
LHoFTLuxembourg House of Financial Technology
Education
Quantic
QuanticSchool of Business & Technology · MBA
Chicago-Kent College of Law
Chicago-Kent College of LawIllinois Institute of Technology
University of London
University of LondonLLB Law · BSc Computer Science
Reviews

Trusted by founders entering Europe.

Mykola has a brilliant mind. The best professionals are those that present you with not only the answer to the question you ask, but the answer that the question you should have asked.
AI Crypto company, Cyprus
Amazing experience! Mykola is very professional, always ready to help and a master of his field. He demystified GDPR for us and helped us in getting compliant. Highly recommended!
SaaS startup, San Francisco, US
The best you can find. Simply as that.
GDPR implementation, Singapore
Mykola is a highly skilled lawyer who can solve very complex legal matters. Working with Mykola is a great pleasure either on a retainer or hourly basis.
General Counsel engagement, London, UK
I highly recommend working with Mykola on any GDPR IT Law Project — he is reliable, concise, honest and the best consultant to work with here as his experience goes far.
Data protection project, New York, US
Great quality of work, very good communication and professionalism. I felt that I was in good hands and safe. Mykola is very knowledgeable, recommended!
SaaS platform, London, UK
Absolutely excellent! Have already referred him to others and will use him again on another contract.
Data-driven company, New York, US
Quality work with excellent communication.
Fintech startup, Singapore
FAQ

Questions, answered.

We’re a US-based AI startup. Do we actually need an EU entity to sell into Europe?

You can sell from the US — and for smaller deals, a lot of early-stage teams do. But over the past decade Europe has built what’s now called digital sovereignty: governments and buyers increasingly require European corporate substance from technology suppliers, driven by compliance and sustainability reporting. While you’re testing the market with small deals, a US entity is probably fine. Once you go after bigger contracts, a local EU entity puts you in front of a substantially larger portion of the addressable market. We help you pick the right jurisdiction and set it up in weeks, not months.

How does the EU AI Act affect us? We’re a small team.

It affects you more than it affects Google — large platforms have compliance teams, you don’t. The EU AI Act applies to any AI system deployed in the EU, regardless of where your company is incorporated. If your product touches hiring, credit, healthcare or critical infrastructure, you may be in a high-risk category with mandatory documentation, conformity assessments and human-oversight obligations. We map your product to the right risk tier before regulators do it for you.

We just closed our Series A. Is it too early to think about EU structure?

Series A is the right time. Post-Series A is when enterprise sales start, when investors ask about international expansion, and when GDPR data-processing agreements become routine asks from prospects. Setting up the structure now costs a fraction of what it costs to retrofit at Series B, when your product is already live in 10 countries.

What makes you different from a big law firm?

Big firms bill by the hour and don’t understand your product — and the person who wins your business isn’t the person who does your work. You meet a senior partner at the pitch, then wait months while associates confirm every move with their seniors. With us, every time you call or write you reach a senior person with the authority to answer on the spot; most complex questions get resolved in the same conversation. We work on fixed fees, so you always know what you’re paying for.

Which EU jurisdictions do you work with?

Montaire works across the entire EU. We keep a network of qualified local lawyers throughout the member states, and we match each company to the jurisdiction that actually fits its case. Ireland, Luxembourg, the Netherlands and Estonia are our most common — but if the right answer is elsewhere in the EU, that’s where we set you up. Our focus is deliberately narrow: AI and technology companies only. That focus is exactly why we can move fast and choose the right structure for you, instead of defaulting everyone to the same place.

Ready to enter Europe the right way?

Book a 30-minute call — fixed scope, fixed price, and a clear plan to ship.

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