Can AI make bureaucracy work? German startup Rulemapping Group raises €12M to fix broken systems

Inefficiencies in bureaucracy cost Germany alone €146 billion in lost productivity annually. Meanwhile, companies grapple with increasingly dynamic regulations, and public authorities are overstretched. By 2030, 230,000 public sector employees in Germany are expected to retire, further straining capacity.

Digital solutions have so far struggled, primarily because legal and administrative texts remain locked in natural language formats that computers cannot read or process.This is where Rulemapping Group comes in. It transforms regulatory texts, previously written in natural language, into machine-readable rules, enabling direct implementation into digitally executable processes.



AI-powered automation to rewire bureaucracy Berlin-based Rulemapping Group has closed a €12 million funding round to revolutionise how societies deal with bureaucracy. The round includes backing from the Federal Agency for Disruptive Innovation (SPRIND), Hidden Peak Capital, and seasoned business angels. The funding signals strong confidence as the investors bet on the company’s potential to radically simplify administrative processes in a legally robust and transparent manner.

This capital injection will support the development of the company’s AI-powered decision automation tools aimed at streamlining regulatory complexity across both public and private sectors.The brains behind the breakthroughRulemapping Group was co-founded by Professor Dr. Stephan Breidenbach, a legal expert who has spent years developing and applying the “Rulemapping” method to legal frameworks.

Alongside him are Dr. Tilo Wend and Dr. Dirk Woywod, who contribute deep expertise in AI and digital systems.

The founding team also includes the entrepreneurial force behind nebenan.de — Ina Remmers, Till Behnke, and Matthes Scheinhardt. They bring strong experience in building scalable, user-centric digital platforms.

The idea for Rulemapping originated from Breidenbach’s frustrations with the limits of traditional legal drafting in the age of digital transformation. Legal texts were simply not compatible with the logic-driven systems powering automation. To bridge this gap, he developed a method to translate laws into code, laying the groundwork for Rulemapping’s core technology.

AI meets bureaucracy: A paradigm shiftAt the heart of Rulemapping Group’s mission is a radical reimagining of bureaucracy through AI. Instead of layering software onto outdated workflows, the company tackles the root problem with analog legal texts that are unreadable by machines. By converting regulations into machine-readable code, Rulemapping enables AI to automate complex administrative processes with legal accuracy and full traceability.

This breakthrough turns static rulebooks into dynamic, executable logic, unlocking true digital transformation for governments and businesses alike.Its technology enables governments and enterprises to model entire administrative processes as structured, machine-readable rules. This makes complex procedures, like benefit applications, licensing or compliance workflows, faster, clearer, and drastically more efficient.

The company’s tools are also built for full legal traceability, meaning decisions can be explained and justified, a critical feature in highly regulated environments.Looking ahead With its new funding, Rulemapping aims to scale its impact across Europe and beyond. As the EU continues to debate how to reduce bureaucratic burden, Rulemapping offers more than just efficiency.

It offers a blueprint for regulatory transformation. By turning legislation into logic, the company is poised to become a foundational technology partner for future-proof governance and business systems.“Bureaucracy is the backbone of our democracy – but so far, Germany has failed to adapt its complex administrative processes to the digital age.

The Rulemapping method and the resulting technology now make this possible,” said Till Behnke, CEO of Rulemapping Group. Behnke previously co-founded betterplace.org and nebenan.

de, two successful platforms that foster social cohesion.“Rule Based AI can drastically accelerate bureaucracy,” added Behnke “Our solution combines AI with rule-based processes to deliver legally sound decision support – without hallucinations.” With the new capital, Rulemapping plans to expand its AI capabilities and grow the team in business development, AI engineering, and legal engineering.

SPRIND has been supporting Rulemapping for the past two years. Rafael Laguna de la Vera, Director of SPRIND, emphasised: “We are convinced that Rulemapping will revolutionise public administration. The technology has the potential to significantly speed up both the legislative process and the application of laws.

Our goal is to publish a Rulemapping standard under an open-source license to enable widespread adoption.”Demand for legally sound AI applications is growing. Dr.

Peter Mrosik, entrepreneur and investor at Hidden Peak Capital, added: “Rulemapping fundamentally changes how organisations manage complex regulations. The combination of AI and rule infrastructure opens up entirely new opportunities for significantly more efficient processes. We are excited to support the Rulemapping Group on this journey.

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