Startups from small countries are expanding worldwide

Even though you might be used to seeing major international companies coming from large countries such as the United States, the UK, Germany, or any other well-known player on the global market, startups from small countries have seen a lot of success in recent years – and with more to come.

There are both advantages and disadvantages when it comes to creating a startup in a small country with a local language, but nobody can deny the international success some of these companies have seen. Countries like Poland, Czech Republic, and Slovakia hold large numbers of ambitious entrepreneurs just looking for the opportunity to make it big.

So what is it like creating a startup in a small country?

The benefits of founding a startup in a smaller country

Small countries often present a lot of opportunities for creating a business, giving entrepreneurs access to various subsidies and tax allowances, making it easier to start and grow a startup from zero. Countries like Poland and Czech Republic encourage foreign investments by introducing preferential tax and tariff policies and tons of incentives that benefit foreign investors. This is especially important if you’re choosing a country that’s located within the EU, giving you easy access to a large market of countries with free trade agreements.

Just because of their geographic position, these countries might also offer additional growth opportunities. Let’s say you’re operating a startup in Slovakia – you’re just as close to the western EU countries as you are to the eastern market, giving you ample opportunities to expand your startup in a couple of directions at the same time.

There is a variety of promising startups from small European countries – like 11how.com, a Czech startup providing a variety of useful advice from technology hacks to healthy lifestyle, or coinario.com – the biggest converter of cryptocurrencies and fiat money in the world, dedicated to showcasing detailed cryptocurrency reviews and educational materials.

What to worry about when creating a startup in a small country?

The main concern when founding a business in a small country is the limited local market – which in itself isn’t a big problem when operating in the EU, as you have access to preferential trade treaties with some of the strongest economies in the world.

Small countries often mean reduced operating costs, but also smaller revenue from the local sales. If you’re intent on creating a local company that only operates within a small country this can create balancing issues – but if you’re trying to reach an international market, expanding your startup might actually be easier because of the lower costs and plenty of opportunities available for budding entrepreneurs.