Howart Compliance

What Howart Compliance does

Howart Compliance is a private, Copenhagen-headquartered Governance, Risk Management, and Compliance (GRC) advisory firm founded in 2016, operating across Denmark, Norway, and Sweden with regional offices in Oslo and Stockholm. The firm serves financial institutions — including banks, payment institutions, investment firms, financing companies, fintechs, and asset managers — with three core consulting offerings: governance and compliance advisory (hourly or pre-paid punchcard engagements), fixed-price FSA license application support across Nordic regulators (the firm cites involvement in 35-40 such processes), and interim/outsourced compliance officer services. The business is partner-led by three named founders: Nikolaj Klein (ex-Saxo Bank Legal & Compliance), Joar Langeland (ex-SEB, DNB, 30+ years across Nordic and international banking), and Stein Aage Bless (12 years at DNB plus 11+ years in compliance consulting).

Howart has productized two software assets alongside its consulting work. EuroWhistle is an encrypted whistleblower platform with anonymous two-way communication, metadata removal, Tor browser access, and Denmark-based hosting, distributed both directly and via white-label at €100-€500 per month tiered by company size. Howart University is a multi-language e-learning platform delivering AML, GDPR, and Market Abuse Regulation training with parallel learning tracks (animation, manuals, Q&A) and a back office that surfaces knowledge gaps. Both products target the same Nordic financial-services buyer as the consulting practice and represent an attempt to convert advisory expertise into recurring subscription revenue. Distribution is augmented by a franchise model that lets self-employed consultants operate under the Howart brand in Denmark, Norway, and Sweden for monthly fees.

The firm is bootstrapped (no funding rounds disclosed), maintains a headcount of 1-10, and relies on content marketing (blog, LinkedIn), industry events (BankShift seminars, Stockholm Fintech Week), and direct partner-led enterprise sales. It is a member of the UN Global Compact Network Denmark and Norway and an active participant in the Nordic RegTech Association, where it maintains AML technology partnerships. No revenue, customer counts beyond a single reference (Zen Finans), or institutional backing is publicly disclosed.

Name

Howart Compliance

Legal name

Howart Compliance

Website

https://howart.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2016

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Howart Compliance is a Nordic GRC advisory firm providing compliance consulting, FSA license application support, interim compliance staffing, and two proprietary regtech products (EuroWhistle whistleblower platform and Howart University e-learning) to financial institutions across Denmark, Norway, and Sweden.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Financial Compliance Consulting

NAICS

Management, Scientific, and Technical Consulting Services (5416)

SIC

Services-Engineering, Accounting, Research, Management (8700), Services-Management Services (8741)

akta.pro primary industry

Regulatory Compliance Advisory (BPAHAFAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Compliance Technology, GRC Platforms & Controls Automation Advisory (BPAHAFAO), Financial Crime Compliance (AML/KYC/Sanctions) (BPAEAPAK), Compliance, GRC Workflow & Audit Automation Platforms (HDAEAHAL)

Keywords

• Compliance consulting services
• Regulatory advisory
• Financial services compliance
• FSA license application
• AML compliance training

Headquarters

HQ city

Copenhagen

HQ country

Denmark

HQ region

Europe

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Compliance & Governance Advisory Services: Consulting services provided to financial institutions for governance, risk management, and compliance tasks. Services range from hourly invoicing to pre-paid punchcard arrangements to complete outsourcing of control functions.
2. FSA License Application Services: Assistance with license applications for financing companies, payment institutions, and investment firms. The company offers fixed-price engagements for FSA applications with no surprises in billing.
3. Whistleblower Solution Subscription: Monthly subscription-based pricing for the EuroWhistle platform, tiered by company size (employees). Includes €100 for <50 employees, €250 for <500 employees, €500 for <5000 employees.
4. E-Learning Platform Access: Corporate training platform offering courses on AML, GDPR, and Market Abuse regulations with customizable options across languages and topics.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Howart Compliance is a Nordic GRC (Governance, Risk Management, and Compliance) advisory firm that delivers operational compliance consulting to financial institutions, banks, payment institutions, investment firms, and fintech companies. Its core service lines include governance and compliance advisory, FSA license application support, interim and managed compliance outsourcing, risk and capital management, AML/CTF, regulatory support, sustainability, and data protection (GDPR) advisory. Alongside consulting, Howart distributes two proprietary software products: EuroWhistle (a whistleblower platform meeting EU, Danish, Norwegian and Swedish requirements) and Howart University (an e-learning platform for AML, GDPR, and Market Abuse training).

Product overview

Howart Compliance is a GRC (Governance, Risk Management, and Compliance) consulting firm operating across the Nordics. The company offers a portfolio of services that includes consulting engagements as well as two named software/product offerings: Howart University (an e-learning platform for compliance training) and the Whistleblower Solution (a reporting platform with tiered pricing). These products operate alongside the company's core consulting services in areas such as FSA license applications, AML/CTF, regulatory support, and risk management.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Howart University: An advanced online training platform for corporate training and compliance with various complex regulations, offering courses in multiple languages for AML, GDPR, and MAR training.
• EuroWhistle.com

Products and services

• Compliance and Governance Advisory Operational advisory consulting services for financial institutions covering governance, risk management, and compliance tasks. Engagement models range from hourly invoicing to pre-paid punchcard arrangements to complete outsourcing of internal control functions. Designed for financial organizations seeking independent compliance expertise and best-practice advisory.
• FSA License Application Service End-to-end support for Financial Supervisory Authority (FSA) license applications for financing companies, payment institutions, investment firms, currency exchange, and AIFMD managers. Offered on a fixed-price basis with predictable billing, leveraging Howart's experience with 35-40 license application processes.
• Interim and Managed Services Interim staffing and outsourcing solutions that maintain clients' internal control and support functions within compliance, risk, and capital management. Partners can assume operational roles as interim project manager, COO, or Risk & Compliance Officer for client organizations.
• EuroWhistle Whistleblower Platform A whistleblower platform enabling anonymous reporting and secure encrypted communication with whistleblowers. Meets European and national requirements in Denmark, Sweden, and Norway. Features include metadata removal from attachments, Tor browser access, and hosting on secure servers in Denmark. Offered on monthly subscription tiers (€100/month for <50 employees, €250/month for <500 employees, €500/month for <5,000 employees) or as a white-label solution.
• Howart University E-Learning Platform An advanced online training platform for corporate compliance training offering courses on AML, GDPR, and Market Abuse Regulation (MAR). Provides multiple language support, parallel learning tracks (animation, training manuals, Q&As), and comprehensive back-end management tools with statistics and intelligent feedback to identify knowledge gaps.

Quantifiable outcome

• Successfully assisted Zen Finans in obtaining loan brokering concession from Finanstilsynet

Named customers1 record

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• UN Global Compact Network DenmarkminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 30 March 2022Howart Compliance was admitted as a member of UN Global Compact Network Denmark, joining the Norwegian branch which was already a member. This network is Denmark and Norway's largest network for accountability in the business community, focused on responsible business operations and the Ten Principles.
• UN Global Compact Network NorwayminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 30 March 2022Howart Compliance's Norwegian branch was already a member of UN Global Compact Network Norway before the company joined the Danish network. The networks focus on ethics and compliance in business management.
• Nordic RegTech AssociationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHowart Compliance is actively involved in the Nordic RegTech Association, influencing and contributing to the Nordic regtech scene. The company believes regtech will have a huge impact on the financial sector of the future.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• BearingPoint: European management and technology consultancy with a strong Nordic presence and a dedicated Financial Services & Compliance practice. Most directly comparable mid-sized competitor to Howart on regulatory, risk, and compliance transformation engagements in the Nordics.
• NAVEX Global (WhistleB): Global leader in ethics and compliance software, including whistleblower/hotline solutions that directly compete with Howart's EuroWhistle platform. Comparable product offering with multinational scale and enterprise features.
• Capgemini Invent: Global consulting firm with a Financial Services risk & regulatory practice serving Nordic banks. Closely comparable to Howart in offering regulatory and compliance advisory, but with deeper technology and transformation capabilities.
• VinciWorks: Compliance e-learning and training specialist serving financial institutions globally. Direct competitor to Howart University on AML, GDPR, and market abuse training courses, with a more extensive content library and broader market reach.

Broad incumbents

• KPMG Denmark: Global Big 4 firm with a substantial Risk & Compliance practice serving Nordic banks and fintechs. Overlaps with Howart on governance, risk, AML, and regulatory advisory, but offers a vastly broader portfolio including audit, tax, and consulting.
• EY Denmark: Big 4 firm with a Financial Services Risk practice in the Nordics. Competes with Howart on regulatory compliance, AML, and risk management advisory, but as part of a global, full-service platform targeting larger enterprise clients.
• PwC Denmark: Big 4 firm providing risk and regulatory consulting to Nordic financial institutions. Overlaps directly with Howart's governance, compliance, and FSA advisory offerings while operating at significantly larger scale across audit, tax, and consulting.
• Deloitte Denmark: Big 4 firm with a strong Nordic Financial Services Risk & Regulatory practice. Competes on GRC advisory and AML/CTF consulting, but serves a broader client mix across audit, consulting, and tax services.

Emerging players

• Riskline: Nordic-based provider of risk and compliance intelligence, including regulatory tracking for financial services. Adjacent to Howart's regulatory support and AML advisory services, with comparable Nordic customer base.
• Lucinity: Icelandic/Nordic AML RegTech startup providing transaction monitoring and KYC software to financial institutions. Comparable to Howart's AML/CTF advisory and tech direction, but as a pure-play software company.

Market position

Strengths1 record

Weaknesses1 record

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/howart-compliance
• Xx.com/how_compliance

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Howart Compliance