Ghent-based Ravical, which helps expert firms embrace the AI-first future, has raised €7.3M in pre-seed funding. European VC firm Lakestar led the funding round.
Enrico Mellis, Partner at Lakestar, says, “Agentic AI is moving from buzzword to board-level priority. Ravical’s team has already proven they can automate professional workflows at scale; we’re excited to support them as they bring that playbook to a much broader services market.”
Helping firms embrace the AI-first future
Professional services firms are struggling to hire and keep skilled workers, leading to staff shortages, weaker client relationships, and loss of knowledge as AI systems continue to advance.
Ravical supports these firms by helping them convert repeatable work into scalable, packaged services. The software company develops AI agents designed for firms in sectors such as accounting, tax, insurance, HR, and legal services.
These AI agents process client communication to generate insights, identify potential services, and support revenue generation. By handling a large portion of routine tasks—up to 80 per cent—the AI tools enable professionals to focus on work that requires more direct decision-making and client interaction.
Joris Van Der Gucht, CEO & co-founder of Ravical, says, “We don’t believe AI will replace expert firms – but we do think that 80 per cent of the work in these firms lends itself to AI automation. We offer these firms agents which deliver high-quality digital services which respect their unique knowledge and culture.”
He adds, “Productisation has proven a hard nut to crack for many professional services firms. Our solution can deliver this almost overnight through the automation of expert professional services. It unlocks the ability to focus the firm’s employees on higher value and strategic support, while offering new possibilities to grow revenue.”
Ravical’s founding team combines experience in professional service automation and AI. Co-founder and CEO Joris Van Der Gucht previously co-founded Silverfin, which was sold in 2023 for €320M. He is joined by co-founders Ken Bastiaensen, an AI builder and founder, and Benjamin Vandermarliere, an AI product specialist with a PhD in physics and AI research.
Capital utilisation
Ravical has completed 10 pilot projects with professional services firms across various sizes and sectors. With the recent funding, the Belgian company plans to further develop its domain-trained AI agents tailored for tax, legal, accounting, and insurance services.
The investment will also support the company’s growth of its team and expansion into international markets.
Brief about Lakestar
Lakestar is a pan-European venture capital firm focused on supporting technology-driven businesses. Founded by Klaus Hommels in 2012, Lakestar manages over €2B across multiple early-stage and growth funds.
The firm works closely with its portfolio companies on areas including marketing, hiring, technology, and regulation, supporting them from the seed stage through to exit.
Lakestar has invested in companies such as Aleph Alpha, Revolut, GetYourGuide, and Neko Health. The firm operates from offices in London, Berlin, and Zurich.
01
These are the top UK-based PR agencies for startups and scale-ups in 2025