France bids to reverse tech brain drain
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Re: France bids to reverse tech brain drain
#2I don't have hard data, but only a feeling that it should be easier to bootstrap in France than in US. Assuming you have worked previously, you can get unemployment benefits, around 60% of your previous salary for a year, and are covered by universal healthcare. So even if you need to have open heart surgery, you won't bankrupt your family for the next 7 generations.
Actually someone (very brilliant) in my team is leaving next month to found a start up.
That being said, I also have the feeling that if you have some initial traction, it will be harder compared to US to get some early funding.
PS: I know that trying to compare to SV is a pretty futile exercise, since globally this is a big outlier.
Re: France bids to reverse tech brain drain
#3[deleted]
Re: France bids to reverse tech brain drain
#4They could adopt a consistent EU response to economic migrants, and simply not let them leave.
Re: France bids to reverse tech brain drain
#5I don't have hard data, but only a feeling that it should be easier to bootstrap in France than in US. Assuming you have worked previously, you can get unemployment benefits, around 60% of your previous salary for a year, and are covered by universal healthcare. So even if you need to have open heart surgery, you won't bankrupt your family for the next 7 generations. Actually someone (very brilliant) in my team is le…
> around 60% of your previous salary for a year
Two years actually, provided you have the right contract termination.
Re: France bids to reverse tech brain drain
#6Maybe France really changed a lot. But be not mistaken: It is still the most bureaucratic country on earth. Anecdote: I'm doing a PhD in France. Each year, one has to do a re-inscription. In Germany, that means sending money to the university. In France, that means sending in – let me count, I have them on my desk – 17 documents, and to pay as well of course (preferred way: with a check. Like it is 50 years ago). The documents ask for tons of information they have already, like where I'm born. Included are things like "this document and do two copies" - it is still all analog. Absolutely disrespectful of my time.
And this is not a single occurrence, I got told that at school they are asking for documents for the kids as well each year, the same thing with information they already have.
On the other hand, doing the taxes was not at all complicated and I got proper help. This probably changed in the last years. It might be that this is a sign of a changing system, but there is still a lot of crust.
Re: France bids to reverse tech brain drain
#7I don't have hard data, but only a feeling that it should be easier to bootstrap in France than in US. Assuming you have worked previously, you can get unemployment benefits, around 60% of your previous salary for a year, and are covered by universal healthcare. So even if you need to have open heart surgery, you won't bankrupt your family for the next 7 generations. Actually someone (very brilliant) in my team is le…
It's not exclusive. I know many startups who have one foot in the states, one foot in China (when some hardware is needed), and the head in France.
Re: France bids to reverse tech brain drain
#8Maybe France really changed a lot. But be not mistaken: It is still the most bureaucratic country on earth. Anecdote: I'm doing a PhD in France. Each year, one has to do a re-inscription. In Germany, that means sending money to the university. In France, that means sending in – let me count, I have them on my desk – 17 documents, and to pay as well of course (preferred way: with a check. Like it is 50 years ago). The…
There is a big incentive for any state to have a well run tax administration. It is the profit center for the state.
Re: France bids to reverse tech brain drain
#9I don't have hard data, but only a feeling that it should be easier to bootstrap in France than in US. Assuming you have worked previously, you can get unemployment benefits, around 60% of your previous salary for a year, and are covered by universal healthcare. So even if you need to have open heart surgery, you won't bankrupt your family for the next 7 generations. Actually someone (very brilliant) in my team is le…
If you are a founder without a salary then you get none of that. You are considered unemployed during the whole time you manage your company.
Re: France bids to reverse tech brain drain
#10Something that I've noticed about South African brain drain is that it's mostly motivated by people simply wanting a system that works for them - at least in tech. If I'm working my ass off on a product that I believe in; I don't want to be, frankly, babysitting the government.
From what I've read France is also in the business of destroying productivity - if they want people back they need to start reconsidering overuse of red tape.