Which European countries do you consider pro-startup?
In my opinion, the startup scene is not evenly supported, and some countries are not so passionate about business. I'm from Central Europe, and I don't feel any extra entrepreneurial spirit here.
From my observations, countries like France, and Germany (maybe Poland) have always been mainly startup-oriented.
In terms of more favourable taxes for entrepreneurs, Cyprus and Estonia came to mind.
But maybe I'm wrong and I'm overlooking local communities.
Could you tell me which country you're from and whether you have a startup-oriented environment? (If you can also name communities, associations, or organizations/hubs for startups, I'd be grateful for broadening my horizons.)
I wanted to show a few organizations from my country (Slovakia) but when looking up for them I found out many of them stopped their activities. š„²
These few are still active and are probably civic organisations (communities):
dasato. sk
growni. sk
leaf. sk
nexteria. sk
Replies
Questflow
Great topic, Nika.
Honestly, this is something Iāve been following for many years. Of course, the best places for startups are those with the most capital. In Europe, there are a few key hubsāLondon, Barcelona, and Paris. These are the three cities where the startup ecosystem is on another level.
Then we have local and regional hubs like Lisbon, Warsaw, and Sofia. However, these cities are definitely lagging behind when it comes to startup ecosystems. That being said, the tax system plays a significant role.
Take Cyprus and Estonia, for exampleāthese are considered smaller startup destinations. Cyprus, in particular, has almost no startup scene, but thanks to its tax system, many companies choose to register there.
Overall, though, there are cool startups everywhere, and a lot of people are working to grow their local ecosystems. But in the end, the places with the most capital attract the largest and most successful startups in Europe.
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@byalexai That's interesting. I have never perceived UK as the place for startups. Rather like the place for already established corporates. I think that my country and maybe those around me missed these top startup spots. š¤¦āāļøšš
Questflow
@busmark_w_nika Crazy, but true
https://www.statista.com/statistics/763281/leading-start-up-cities-in-europe-by-value-of-investments/#:~:text=London%2C%20Berlin%20and%20Paris%20remained,%2Dup%20a%20start%2Dup.
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@byalexai BTW, are they still considered to be as EU? After the brexit?
Iāve heard that Estonia and Cyprus are well-known for their tax benefits, but personally, Iād also consider the Netherlands and Cyprus.
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Is the Netherlands so good for taxes? :D I have heard that taxes there are way too much.
@busmark_w_nika I know that many of my former coworkers have moved there :) and Iāve heard that you can apply for the 30% ruling, which helps reduce the effective tax burden for up to five years
Orango AI
Switzerland for sure! šØš
Amazing pool of talents.
Lean bureaucracy.
Low taxes.
Safe and friendly place.
In fact we are based here!
(and just launched https://www.producthunt.com/posts/orango-ai)
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https://www.producthunt.com/posts/orango-ai @pederzh What are Swiss taxes? :D Because I heard that life standards in the country are pretty costly.
@pederzh what's the cost of living tho?
Job Description Generator
Hey @busmark_w_nika I'm from Portugal and the biggest organisation we have here for startups is 351 Portuguese Startup Association - https://351startups.com/
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@elisa_tarzia Thank you for sharing! I will observe it. In Portugal is WebSummit held every year so this is another great thing that contributes to ecosystem. :)
Supposedly, Estonia's e-Residency program has been pretty great for startups. From my network, I've heard countries the Netherlands, Portugal and Ireland have been leading though. I'm from South Africa, and while specifically Cape Town has an incredible start-up environment, it's supported primarily through private initiatives (government tries, but just isn't really set up to make a large enough impact). But in terms of the number and quality of start-ups, Cape Town is pushing hard.
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@bradharrs What are taxes in Cape Town? :D
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Do you have a company in Lithuania? :)
I had it a long time ago, but it was nothing like it is now, compared to the possibilities we have today. Now, there are various funding programs for new startups, with tax reliefs and other benefits :)
I can't speak for other countries, but I have experience with company formation in Germany. To set up something like an LLC with a single founder, you need to pay around ā¬1,000 to a notary just to certify the articles of incorporationāeven if you're the only founder. Then, you have to wait several weeks to open a business bank account.
If you want to establish a proper GmbH, youāre required to deposit ā¬25,000 as initial capital. But where is a startup founder supposed to get that money if the business hasnāt even started generating revenue yet?
After going through this process, I ended up registering my company in Delaware instead.
And thatās not even mentioning the taxes, which are higher in Germany compared to Delaware.
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@elenat This is true; that's why the guy I collaborate with preferred to establish it in Estonia. In Germany, it is too much bureaucracy and too many payments before you even start earning money.
When it comes to Slovakia, here is it about ā¬5,000 for something similar to LLC.
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"but nothing here is in favour for startups" ā what are the main obstacles? :)
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@andreas15 I think we face the same obstacles. š
i reckon it's easier to say which are NOT pro startup rather than which ones are.
it also depends on the stage you're at and how you're doing it - self-funded vs. external funding, when you get external funding etc.
Ukraine, The Netherlands, Poland
I used to think Romania wasnāt very startup-friendly due to all the paperwork, but after learning about other countries, Iāve realized that things here are actually quite simple and affordable! š