Yesterday at London Tech Week, instead of rushing to the big tech stands, I started out by visiting all the country pavilions to understand what each nation is offering startups looking to scale globally and make country incorporation choices as they navigate the startup maze. Here’s two things I learned about each one (thanks Christina Minshull for this topic):
🇶🇦 Qatar: Their sovereign wealth fund and the Qatar Development Bank’s startup financing programs are impressive. The standard corporation tax rate is 10% but various free zones and opportunities exist to get this down to 0%.
🇹🇳 Tunisia: What a hidden gem! Their “Startup Act” provides an 8-year tax exemption for qualifying startups, plus the tech talent pool is exceptional.
🇲🇹 Malta: Beyond their famous blockchain-friendly regulations, they’re offering the Malta Startup Visa – essentially fast-track EU residency for entrepreneurs. For non-EU founders, this could be game-changing access to the single market. Although their standard corporation tax rate is 35% there are legitimate ways to reduce this to 5% or even 0% with the right international structure.
🇹🇷 Turkey: Türkiye had the largest national pavilion at London Tech Week 2025 with 33 companies – and for good reason. Their R&D incentives are substantial, offering up to 300% tax deduction on R&D expenses. Plus, Istanbul’s strategic location bridges Europe and Asia perfectly.
🇨🇾 Cyprus: The Cyprus Startup Visa Programme enables skilled entrepreneurs from non-EU countries to reside in Cyprus and develop innovative startups with high growth potential. Combined with their 12.5% corporate tax rate, it’s an attractive EU entry point.
🇳🇱 Netherlands: Their startup visa program is one of Europe’s most founder-friendly, and the ecosystem around Amsterdam is thriving. But what really stands out is their commitment to circular economy startups – they’re backing the future of sustainable business.
🇩🇪 Germany: The powerhouse of European tech funding, with over €9 billion invested in startups last year. Their “EXIST” program provides exceptional support for university spin-offs and research-based startups.
🇪🇪 Estonia: The digital nomad visa pioneer! Their e-Residency program lets you start and run an EU company entirely online, plus their Startup Visa offers a pathway to permanent residency. Combined with their world-class digital infrastructure, it’s bureaucracy-free entrepreneurship at its finest.
The key takeaway? Every country is fighting hard for startup talent, and the incentives are getting more creative and generous. If you’re a founder thinking about where to scale next, it’s worth having conversations with these economic development teams.
What’s your experience been with international expansion? Which countries have surprised you with their startup support?
