>my impression is that Europe has a number of very well developed systems to protect the social elite from becoming social not-elites To add onto your complexi

>my impression is that Europe has a number of very well developed systems to protect the social elite from becoming social not-elites To add onto your complexity: socioeconomic movement in Europe is higher. Anecdotally, tax breaks are high for individuals who've 'made it'. Kids, housing etc. Social dynamics (strong coupling age and assumed experience) adds to this, too. >Even with the social safety nets to protect against failure. These social safety nets also require payment. Look at what individuals are paid for, multiply by 1.5x for each employee you think you'll need for your still growing startup. You're not getting paid 100k a year early, saving isn't easy, good luck paying a full FTE for someone else without any instances around to give you VC money. The safety nets also breed a risk-averse mentality.