Popular European Jurisdictions for your Startup

Europe remains one of the top business destinations in the world and many European cities have an attractive startup environment, encouraging innovation and entrepreneurship. What are some popular European jurisdictions for a startup? We look at company incorporation in Germany and other EU and non-EU countries to answer this question.

Top EU locations for a startup

Although Asia and other locations are popular for basing a startup, namely because of the low tax regime for investors who start a company in Singapore or Hong Kong, Europe also presents a number of undeniable advantages, starting with the unified EU market.

Some of the top countries in Europe to start a business are the following:

• The United Kingdom: despite the turmoil caused by the Brexit, London remains a city that offers important opportunities for businesses.
• Germany: Berlin and other cities are important destinations for investors who find that the German startup scene is a dynamic one.
• The Netherlands: with a welcoming business climate and interesting opportunities in terms of accelerators and incubators.
• Romania: the process of company formation in Romania is advantageous, namely because of the low company costs and the low tax regime for selected business types.
• Ireland: one of the top EU locations for startups because of the tax advantages and the general welcoming and business-friendly regime.

Although it is not part of the EU or the EEA, Switzerland is also a popular destination for basing a business because of its reputation as a financial center and the corporate and personal taxation regimes. Investors who open a Swiss branch will be able to manage their European operations from a top location and will have important tax advantages.

How to choose the jurisdiction of the startup

What are some of the issues to keep in mind when choosing the location of the business?

The taxation regime is important for many entrepreneurs and, naturally, as this is an important concern for them, they may wish to choose from the countries with the lowest corporate income tax rates in Europe, such as Romania, Hungary or Cyprus.

When the business opportunities are important with financing options such as accelerators or incubators, investors may wish to choose between countries that offer great connectivity in Europe, perhaps the Netherlands.

Europe offers many diverse opportunities for entrepreneurs and choosing a suitable business location has to do both with the immediate benefits for the business and the long-term goals of the company.