Are More Startups Relocating Abroad in 2024?

Contemplating moving a startup abroad may evoke images of working from a beach with your laptop, indulging in leisurely lunches in the sun, and meandering through new cities during your weekends. While the reality may not always align with these idyllic scenes, there are numerous compelling reasons to consider an international move for your business.

Particularly in the case of startups, the notion of venturing abroad holds a particular allure. After all, a burgeoning business needs space to play. And, enticed by the idea that moving abroad can offer the opportunity to explore new markets, access additional capital, and tap into diverse talent pools, it comes as no surprise that an increasing number of startups are expected to follow suit in 2024.

The Case for Startup Relocation

 
In the contemporary globalised business landscape, startups are no longer constrained by geographical boundaries. Instead, they may facilitate technology to conduct business worldwide with ease. But why stop here? For startups, taking a leap across borders has become a viable and potentially beneficial option.

As explored by TechRound, various compelling reasons drive startups to consider relocating abroad.

Perhaps one of the most tempting reasons for relocation is the opportunity to target and access new, potentially larger markets. This can unlock a broader customer base, enabling a startup to scale more rapidly. Such a move can also allow startups to tap into the global talent pool and attract international expertise.

Relocating can also provide startups with access to a diverse array of investors and funding sources. Some countries even offer regulatory advantages that fuel business growth, such as tax incentives, reduced bureaucratic barriers, and favourable legal frameworks, resulting in lower operating costs and increased flexibility.

Beyond financial benefits, relocating abroad can enhance a startup’s competitive edge by boosting brand visibility and recognition. Proximity to tech hubs or innovation centres in a new ecosystem may also facilitate fresh knowledge-sharing and collaboration.

Finally, moving abroad can help a startup diversify its risks and mitigate its reliance on a single market. This approach can foster a more stable business model and provide valuable insights into different cultures and customer behaviours. This can, in turn, prove valuable when it comes to customising products or services, marketing strategies, and customer support.

Tempting Startups Beyond Borders

 
The prospect of moving abroad may be a tempting one, but many countries are equally, if not more, eager to attract startups in return.

Across the globe, nations actively seek the fresh talent and innovative mindset that successful startups bring to the table, offering a range of incentives to entice them to their shores.

Several countries offer startup residence visas that aim to encourage entrepreneurs to cast their net further afield and explore the prospect of establishing themselves in a new environment. These visas can facilitate the process of setting up a business and embarking on a new professional journey overseas.

Beyond startup residence permits, there are other similar incentives.

Singapore, for instance, has launched a TechPass to invite tech entrepreneurs, leaders or technical experts globally to contribute to fresh innovations within its borders. The United States also actively aims to attract startups through its W-category visa, simplifying the path for those seeking to initiate businesses and pursue permanent residence.

This highlights the global awareness among major economies about the advantages of attracting entrepreneurial minds and startups to its shores, and how such initiatives can contribute to their long-term growth.

A Look at the Growing Trend of Startup Migration

 
Visas and other incentive programs are rapidly gaining popularity among entrepreneurs seeking to settle abroad and attract global talent. Over the past decade, there has been a noticeable trend of startups relocating both their funds and operations to different parts of the world.

For instance, Net News reports that, as of 2023, around a staggering 70% of Israeli startups have taken measures to relocate parts of their operations abroad, a figure based on a survey by the non-profit organisation Start-Up Nation Central. India, too, has witnessed a significant number of its entrepreneurs exploring opportunities beyond its borders.

A report by The Times has highlighted the top destinations for Indian entrepreneurs to relocate to, including the UK, Italy, Australia, Singapore and the UAE, according to The Economic Times, which underscores that incentivising visas and the prospect of thriving in environments with better development opportunities and infrastructure are key drivers for this shift.

Sifted has also covered Bulgarian and Romanian startups moving part of their operations overseas. In the case of Bulgarian fintech company Payhawk, the company was actually pushed to move by investors unwilling to support a company based in such a small and distant ecosystem, demonstrating a preference to favour Western ecosystems to unlock broader business possibilities, a wider client base and potential investors.

Of course, this is not to say that startups in some Eastern European and other smaller markets are always compelled to relocate. Some are burgeoning ecosystems that foster startup growth and, even in larger Western markets like the UK, startups are tempted by the prospect of relocation to foreign shores.

The Financial Times reports that leading UK startups have looked to expand overseas due to government cuts to research and development (R&D) tax credits. Founders of early-stage British tech companies cite these cuts, coupled with Brexit and a wider slowdown in venture capital funding, as reasons to seek international opportunities.

Forecasts for Startup Relocation in 2024

 
Indeed, with the rise of a globalised business landscape among the aforesaid benefits of relocation, all coupled with the increasing popularity of lifestyles such as the digital nomad phenomenon where, particularly in a post-pandemic world, more people are realising the possibilities of leveraging technology to work online abroad, there has been an increasing number of startups seeking opportunities and growth beyond their borders.

Given this trend in recent years for startups to upsticks and move their operations abroad, it seems likely this will continue to gain momentum in 2024.

To begin with, more and more countries are offering startup residence visas to entice entrepreneurs to their shores, with more set to launch such programmes in the coming year. Cyprus, for instance, is planning to launch a scheme in March 2024 to allow entrepreneurs to reside and work in Cyprus to establish a startup.

Such schemes will likely continue to be particularly tempting to founders from relatively small markets, where the appeal of broader international opportunities prompts a continued shift. For such founders, it may seem them staying put will hinder their visibility to international investors.

Though, of course, global markets fluctuate and such perceptions could evolve over time, founders will always be curious about establishing a presence elsewhere if they believe it will benefit them to do so.

Even founders originating from larger, more dominant markets will certainly continue to relocate, driven by the desire to be closer to areas with better investment prospects and a more extensive clientele, especially to cities that hold a reputation for being hubs of innovation and strategic importance.

Find out more about why startups are relocating abroad at TechRound.