
Ask HN: UK Startups – Are You Thinking of Leaving the UK Because of Brexit? - julianpye
UK Expat here living in Munich. 
Anecdotal, but many companies here (startups and corps) are getting more and more CVs from EU staff of Tech startups in London. Not sure if it&#x27;s the same in Berlin or other EU hubs. Also wondering if UK citizens would move over to gain extra rights of EU movement when here during the transition.
======
vogon_laureate
Currently developing a free app for UK citizens to relearn medieval methods of
subsistence living after the imminent collapse of the economy and our National
Health Service. Pro users will be able to get access to horse-and-cart-focused
GPS, gamified witch-finding tutorials, an advanced plague management app and
outbreak tracker, and an advanced AI-assisted voice app (voiced by Simon Pegg)
that shows you how to cure just about anything with leeches. I predict
business will be booming. If any VC funders are interested, please send a
pigeon to my homestead in Brighton.

~~~
LeoNatan25
Do you support IPoAC (IP over Avian Carriers)?

~~~
needz
I haven't been following development too closely; what's the maximum packet
size of an unladen swallow these days?

~~~
SmellyGeekBoy
African or European?

------
dspillett
There is a significant potential issue that might put off certain types of
tech company considering the UK though only indirectly related to Brexit:
encryption.

The EU is making motions towards privacy protection (see
[https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2017/jun/19/eu-
outlaw...](https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2017/jun/19/eu-outlaw-
backdoors-new-data-privacy-proposals-uk-government-encrypted-communications-
whatsapp) amongst other similar proposals) where the UK under May and Rudd
seems to be wanting to move towards the China model (if the government can't
read it, it is illegal).

If that intent remains then once we split there will be a stark difference
that will be of concern to any companies who handle (or intends to handle)
private data & communications as it will put off their potential userbase.

I doubt this will make existing companies (including startups) move right now,
or in the foreseeable future, but it may make brand new startups consider
forming elsewhere or existing EU companies think twice if they were
considering some form of a UK branch.

There are other concerns with regard to the unclear future of free trade which
will have an effect too. But you have to consider the extra hassle of setting
up elsewhere: an entrepreneur living in the UK will experience greater
"startup friction" trying to setup elsewhere (as they'll have to move at least
some of their life) which might be more disadvantageous in the short term.

If enough technical people move for similar reasons then we'll see a skills
shortage that will put tech startups off, but that is a much longer term
matter.

I note that you mention "EU staff" not "UK staff" \- if you are meaning to
specifically exclude UK workers with that wording then the growth of people
wanting to move may be due to the apparent glut of racist behaviour in the few
months following the vote.

------
Sholmesy
I've been thinking about it for a bit. I'm not affected by Brexit
(Commonwealth citizen), but my partner will be (EU/Italian).

I think it's going to be a bit overblown. It's easier for EU tech employees to
move their lives, than it is for London tech companies to up and move
elsewhere. Because of this, I theorise that there will be an intermittent
period where there will be a labor shortage in London, due to lack of EU
workers to supplement the demand in London tech. This will balance out with
time, with EU companies moving more of their offices out of London.

I think we have started to see this already, at my gig, we have found it quite
difficult to get decent candidates through the door, and anecdotally a lot of
our better candidates have been from the EU. We are about 50% Londoners, 30%
EU, 20% World.

~~~
osullivj
I'm a UK citizen contracting for London investment banks by day, and
bootstrapping evenings and weekends. I'm looking forward to the London labour
shortage. Regulatory driven work keeps piling up in banks, Brexit will only
add to that, and short supply in the dev market will send contract rates
through the roof. And if we get a really hard Brexit, and EU citizens are
compelled to leave, then contracting day rates will be stratospheric!

~~~
jimmytidey
I'm not at all criticising the parent post for the opportunity that they see
in Brexit.

However, increased costs from complying with new legal systems and a shortage
of skilled labour pushing up prices are two ways in which the average person
will experience Brexit as a bad thing.

(Though personally I think the economic costs are not the most important
aspects of Brexit.)

------
graphene
(EU national in London) Not at all. I think the doomsday threats are overblown
and the negotiating parties will reach a mutually beneficial deal at the 11th
hour.

Much more concerned about the possibility of the current Labour party gaining
power actually.

~~~
maxehmookau
This is wishful thinking, to put it mildly. What on earth concerns you about a
labour government?

~~~
ralmidani
Aside from tolerance for Antisemitism, being soft on Russia, picking and
choosing on human rights (e.g. Syria), and appealing to base instincts on
immigration (Eastern Europeans are keeping your wages down), what's so bad
about Corbyn-led Labour?

~~~
maxehmookau
Oh I see. It's Corbyn's right-wing credentials that put you off him. Of
course.

~~~
ralmidani
I'm neither left nor right. Corbyn manages to bring together the worst of both
worlds.

------
merraksh
(EU national living in UK). I was ambivalent on working at the headquarters
(here in Birmingham) or in remote, and actually started looking for a house
here.

Thankfully I waited until after the referendum. The ensuing social, political,
and economical confusion was convincing enough. I bought a house not far from
my hometown, somewhere in southern Europe. I'll move there after some major
renovation, some time next year.

I might be biased, but I realized in the few years I lived in the UK that the
services, health care, and general quality of life are overall better down
there than up here. I obviously have only anecdotal proof of that.

On a positive note, it has been very instructive so far to live in the country
where this is happening, and especially in an area that voted in favor of
leaving.

~~~
tabletiptop
> I might be biased, but I realized in the few years I lived in the UK that
> the services, health care, and general quality of life are overall better
> down there than up here. I obviously have only anecdotal proof of that.

You said you live in Birmingham. It's not a city known for it's fantastic
services, health care, and quality of life. The UK is a very varied place in
all of these metrics. I've known and worked with many EU nationals who've come
to the UK, lived and worked in one place for a few years, and formed a strong
opinion on things. You might not have a complete perspective.

~~~
merraksh
Well, that clears the doubt on whether I'm biased or not ;-) Birmingham is the
only UK city I've lived in.

Still, Birmingham is the second largest city in the UK, so its low quality of
life affects a large number of people. Moving to a place like York or Oxford
is infeasible for many.

------
Jdam
I'll move to London in about one month from Berlin, because YOLO and they will
have a deal anyways.

In addition, those Brexit fears are overblown. UK leaves EU and apparently
it's doomsday. Did it ever matter to anyone who considered a move there, that
US/Canada/Norway/Israel/Australia/NZ/Switzerland/.. has never been part
thereof? Was it a consideration in your decision? I bet it was not.

~~~
BjoernKW
The key difference is exactly that those have never been part of the EU.

The problem isn't so much that the UK is leaving the EU but that the current
government as well as other prominent Brexit figures don't have the foggiest
idea how they're going to proceed. They have neither vision nor plan (other
than "strong and stable", whatever that's supposed to mean) and that's quite a
bit unsettling.

The UK hasn't been conducting its own trade negotiations for decades now. They
neither have the time nor the personnel required for having trade agreements
in place by the time the UK is supposed to leave the EU if everything goes
according to plan. It's not even clear if the UK can - as is commonly stated -
easily fall back to WTO rules in case no agreement comes to pass because while
the UK is member of the WTO that membership currently is contingent on its EU
membership.

So, while Brexit might not spell doomsday for the UK this completely haphazard
approach of dealing with it doesn't exactly bode well either.

~~~
Jdam
> They have neither vision nor plan (other than "strong and stable", whatever
> that's supposed to mean)

Sounds exactly what my current government (Merkel) is successfully doing for
years now.

~~~
dagw
The difference is that Merkel's main plan is to keep Germany plodding along
more or less the path it's already on while May's goal is to head full speed
off the path they're own, into the woods, and hoping that they'll find a new
path on the other side.

------
robert_foss
Anectdotally I've heard of ARM an loosing entire team to Brexit. And being
forced to open up a micro office in the teams country of origin.

Brexit is real, big players are feeling the pain.

~~~
Boothroid
If their loyalty is so shallow, let them go, train up some people that aren't
so fickle.

~~~
johneth
Loyalty? Why would anybody be loyal to a country that's using them as pawns in
negotiations, that's filled their lives in the UK with so much uncertainty and
stress?

Loyalty is hard earned, and easily lost. We've (the UK) decided to throw away
people's loyalty.

~~~
Boothroid
But come on though, the flipside of bringing in skilled migrants is that it
enables employers/elites to maintain the status quo of not investing in the
futures of British people - unless of course those people are members of the
ruling class, in which case their entrance to Oxbridge, tasty internships etc.
is more or less guaranteed.

Though the left tried to stifle this fact for years, it's now generally
accepted that immigration has suppressed the wages of native British workers.
Surely we should be more concerned about solving any skills shortage by
training up the people that are here already? Or should we just throw them on
the scrapheap and import cheap migrants? I don't often get roused to anger by
debates like this but when it seems like immigrants are being privileged over
native Brits it does seem like a pretty massive pisstake.

------
indescions_2017
That whole region, from Grenoble France through Zurich and into Munich is also
just really hot right now. Tens of thousands of world class talented engineers
and recent science grads. Coupled with the alpine idyll locales. the general
atmosphere of Gemütlichkeit. Who wouldn't want to relocate there! Kinda
longing for it myself on this cloudy NYC morn ;)

~~~
Boothroid
Personally I'm a bit scared of France and Germany what with recent terrorist
attacks and mass immigration. Also these areas aren't cheap and Switzerland
has a reputation of being pretty closed to outsiders. London obviously has
terrorism problems also, but none of the places you mention come close to it
in terms of global repute.

~~~
zimpenfish
> Personally I'm a bit scared of France and Germany what with recent terrorist
> attacks and mass immigration.

In 2017, 14 injured and 3 dead due to terrorists according to
[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_terrorist_incidents_in...](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_terrorist_incidents_in_France#21st_century)

In contrast, 329 people were killed on French roads in _June_ 2017 (3469
killed in 2016 total) ([https://www.thelocal.fr/20170724/france-road-deaths-
in-june-...](https://www.thelocal.fr/20170724/france-road-deaths-in-june-
up-154-percent-on-previous-year))

Your risk assessment is v.poor.

~~~
taway_1212
2015 and 2016 in France averaged at over about 120 people killed in terrorist
attacks per year. That's of course less than people killed in traffic, but
it's still an extra threat to you that is (can be) constantly on your mind.

~~~
zelos
The absolute murder count in France is 10 times terrorism figure per year.

The murder _rate_ is less than a third that in the US and twice that in
Germany. Are these really levels of threat that people worry about.

~~~
taway_1212
I'm guessing a lot of murders go down among gangsters and within bad
neighborhoods. Terrorism, on the other hand, deliberately targets places where
middle class (and tourists) congregate.

~~~
Boothroid
Exactly, all you have to do is read about what really went down in the
Bataclan, and which the French government tried to suppress. Only for those
with a strong stomach.

------
Radim
Not at all. Especially if the free trade and free movement agreements stay in
place, or are expanded (EFTA, Schengen). These are not the same thing as the
EU.

In fact, smart businesses will new open offices in UK (outside of EU), just to
hedge their bets on the future. Buy low, sell high.

~~~
jimmytidey
The UK is not in Schengen now, and it would be perverse to try and join, or
become associate members of, Schengen after Brexiting.

Being in the EFTA would mean continuing to obey EU legislation, continued
freedom of movement and paying money into the pot, ie. everything the Brexit
campaign was against.

So, no, those agreements will likely not remain in place. The EU wil not agree
to give the UK all the benefits of EU membership without the costs.

There may be other benefits to Brexit, but it will not be the case that Brexit
will be good because the UK will negotiate a deal that, of itself, is better
than the current deal the UK gets.

~~~
lmm
> Being in the EFTA would mean continuing to obey EU legislation, continued
> freedom of movement and paying money into the pot, ie. everything the Brexit
> campaign was against.

Not everything. For some people it was about symbolic sovereignty, or even
about the legal structure.

------
pvaldes
Meanwhile in Spain... lots of companies are leaving Catalonia for exactly the
same reason. The fear to be excluded from the EU and the permanent feeling of
uncertainty

[https://www.wsj.com/articles/catalans-to-defy-spanish-
court-...](https://www.wsj.com/articles/catalans-to-defy-spanish-court-in-
push-for-independence-1507285158)

In the last two weeks around 400 big and medium companies (national and
international) changed their tax domicile from Barcelona to other Spanish
cities (Valencia, Malaga, Bilbao or Madrid). Including the biggest catalonian
banks, and six of the seven catalonian companies in Ibex 35.

Could happen the same in UK? Nobody knows, but when it starts other companies
will follow. No matter what they say now. If we can learn something from this
smaller simulation of brexit is that money hates troubles and can run faster
than politicians.

------
jarym
Not because of Brexit itself but more because of how incompetently they're
handling it thus far and the implications of that:

1\. No certainty that our customers will remain here or that they'll keep
buying. We're seeing larger customers slow down spending.

2\. No certainty that we can hire the right people from wherever we need to.

3\. Little hope that the government will act in a pragmatic, pro-business
manner (in fact, red-tape and the corporate tax burden is all but certain to
rise for anyone who's not a large multi-national). HMRC (the tax man) are on
some crusade to impose some MTD (Making Tax Digital) program and some other
disasters on business, tightening up rules on the use of independent
contractors, etc. This is not the government showing flexibility, this is the
government going about business as usual whilst squabbling over what Brexit
means and leaving the economy unattended.

~~~
alexbilbie
Making Tax Digital's aim is to massively simplify tax returns (including VAT
returns) for both individuals and businesses. It's whole aim it reduce time it
takes dealing with taxes and give a live overview of tax obligations rather
than waiting until the end of the financial year (or longer) to find out what
you owe.

I don't understand how any of that can be considered contentious especially as
it's been pushed back to beyond April 2019 for roll out?

~~~
jarym
Quarterly 'summary' accounts for small businesses that will almost certainly
require software and incur penalties if made late or with mistakes.

Asking your average market stall trader or a small retail shop to now require
that they keep their management accounts up-to-date quarterly (when at the
moment it needs to be done annually and the average accountant charges several
hundred ££) is why its contentious.

Edit: here is a short summary from CIoT: [https://www.tax.org.uk/policy-
technical/technical-news/makin...](https://www.tax.org.uk/policy-
technical/technical-news/making-tax-digital-vat-main-issues-consideration)

------
alva
No. The rhetoric and threats are off the scale for both sides at the moment.
What gets missed in the (profitable) news din is that UK Gov has all but
guaranteed EU folk can stay in the country as before.

This has been reiterated since day one. EU citizens will have a right to stay
and UK Gov will do absolutely everything they can to see that through. The
only reason they cannot put it to paper yet is they are waiting for
reciprocacy from the EU. Once the EU agrees to provide UK in EU with exactly
the same rights as the UK is offering them, it will go down in law.

There is so much bluster and threats from all sides. It takes a bit of digging
and close examination to see what really is being said and offered.

~~~
Steer
> Once the EU agrees to provide UK in EU with exactly the same rights as the
> UK is offering them

Will EU do this though? Seems strange to allow UK both to be in and out of the
EU at the same time.

~~~
osullivj
There are 3.2M EU citizens in the UK, and 1.2M UK citizens in the EU. So it
makes sense for the EU27 to offer reciprocity.

------
drumhead
The government and companies based in the UK always complain about skills
shortages and how the free movement of people helps to alleviate that problem.
They've been saying this for the last 25 years and have done nothing to ease
the situation by investing in training or education. Its just easier for them
to import staff.

I feel London's a bit like Rome or Athens in as much as were a rich elite
living off the back of a massive pool of slave labour, or cheap imported
labour in this case.

Brexit is only going to have a short term effect on the tech sector, we'll
still let highly skilled labour in and probably give them generous tax
incentives to stay personally and at a corporate level.

------
seddona
Anecdotal evidence and mass media will lead you astray, best to look at the
numbers. VC investment in the UK since Brexit is ~$2.5B, about 2x that of
Germany and 3x France.

~~~
richardknop
This is true. Follow the money, ignore media noise. And if you follow the
money it seems that a lot of investors are cautiously optimistic about brexit.

------
adaline
I have just moved to Berlin a month ago. If you have no family/other
commitments in UK, I feel the threshold of reasons to leave UK has been
crossed already.

------
ryanackley
Along those lines, I have always wondered why tech salaries I see advertised
for the UK seem so depressed (£40k-£50k) compared to the USA (typically >
$100k). Is it because of EU labor mobility? If so, will Brexit push tech
salaries up to USA levels?

~~~
chrxr
In general cost of living is lower in London than major US cities like SF,
NYC, Boston. For example, the cost of rent in SF is on average 30.96& higher
than in London. Groceries 62% higher!

[https://www.numbeo.com/cost-of-
living/compare_cities.jsp?cou...](https://www.numbeo.com/cost-of-
living/compare_cities.jsp?country1=United+Kingdom&city1=London&country2=United+States&city2=San+Francisco%2C+CA)

~~~
emodendroket
The numbers look less impressive with Boston, which isn't a particularly cheap
city. [https://www.numbeo.com/cost-of-
living/compare_cities.jsp?cou...](https://www.numbeo.com/cost-of-
living/compare_cities.jsp?country1=United+Kingdom&country2=United+States&city1=London&city2=Boston%2C+MA)

~~~
chrxr
You're right, they aren't as impressive. But as a current resident in Boston,
I'd say that this isn't my reality. See my comment below for details, but
outside of petrol, which is criminally cheap here, everything else at least
feels more expensive than in the UK.

Internet and TV ~1.5x as expensive. Mobile phone plan ~2x as expensive. Simple
things like fresh fruit and veg at least 1.5x. Utilities ~2x as expensive.

~~~
emodendroket
I mean, I feel like part of that is that part of that is how small a part of
metro Boston Boston itself is. I live outside of the city and the city is
crazy expensive to me. I haven't spent time in the UK though.

Although, that said, we can keep going down the line and look at cities like
Raleigh or Austin where wages are not that much lower than here and prices are
way lower. Definitely have been tempted by that at times.

------
te_chris
(UK resident on a Tier 1 Tech Nation visa)

I'm waiting to see what happens. It's already done a number on my relative
wealth through the pound dropping, but just going to ride it out for a bit and
see how dumb the govt. is in the negotiations.

As others have said, London is so ridiculously international and concentrated
with tech experience and that eases my mind a bit, but if they do crash out
and things go tits-up I'll seriously look at leaving.

------
brango
Yep I'm thinking of heading to Europe and to be living there on Brexit day. I
reckon it'll be a reasonable time for the EU to say "OK, whoever was over here
then can stay". I haven't decided where to go yet though.

~~~
yipopov
Heading to Europe from where?

------
ktzar
I wouldn't consider it now since I'm kind of settled here (house ownership,
kids, etc...). Also, the London scene is so international and diverse that I
don't think I'd feel at home anywhere else now.

------
ENadyr
Yes, not just because of brexit, but it was what tipped it over the edge for
us. Have a few friends in tech who have left UK over the last year, more are
planning to leave. We are not moving to Europe though, but to the SF area.
We'll keep the R&D here for now (we are a deep tech company), and see how
things with the negotiations pan out.

------
Saaster
Not the in the UK, but in New York. I was planning to move my company and
myself back to the EU where I'm from, and London specifically. An English
speaking country is a must for my partner, having previously lived in Germany
we found it highly stressful due to not being able to interactive with the
government/landlord/accountants/lawyers etc. in English.

Brexit means I won't.

~~~
alphadevx
What about Ireland if English is a requirement for you?

------
ThomasRooney
Not a startup, but a small UK Ltd selling software services to a German
company.

At the moment, selling to the EU just requires filling in VAT and EC Sales
List tax forms. This paperwork is all automated by accounting software.

If selling from a UK Ltd company ever becomes a problem, it is a simple matter
to create a company in an EU country so I can continue to sell services and
products via that. Having residency isn't required to setup and run a company
in many EU countries, so I suspect I'd be able to continue working without
worry.

The only issue would be transferring over income from a foreign country in a
compliant manner. If that becomes expensive, then it might be worth moving
residency to a different country. But rushing to make a decision seems rather
silly when the decision depends on details that haven't even been talked about
yet.

------
camus2
I bet there will some kind of "soft exit" deal. Neither UK nor the EU can
afford to be at odds with each other, so the risks of a hard Brexit are blown
out of proportion. Right now it's just business as usual, threats, arrogance
and political grand standing. UK will be fine.

------
osrec
Not really... I am not sure whether an actual "Brexit" will happen, given the
recent breakdown in talks with our European counterparts. Politically, they
may say that we've left Europe, but in reality, the ties are rather deep and
difficult to sever (some might even compare it to chopping your own leg off!).
I am looking forward to the dip in housing prices as the government flip flops
on policy and interest rates begin to rise - that alone is a fairly good
reason to stay in the UK! Also, from a business perspective, it's an easy
place to get things going. I have a bit of experience with setting up entities
in other countries, and the UK process is comparatively straightforward.

~~~
nmeofthestate
>I am not sure whether an actual "Brexit" will happen, given the recent
breakdown in talks with our European counterparts.

I would say that any breakdown in negotiations means that Brexit is going to
REALLLLY happen (i.e. Hard Brexit). We are on a 2 year clock and time is
running out. Who knows - maybe the UK and EU will pull a rabbit out of the
hat. However, I can't get my head around anyone being blasé at this stage.

------
squeral
I'm a Portuguese expat living and working in the UK and at the moment I'm not
thinking of leaving but... It will depend on what happens in the next year or
so.

~~~
Fifer82
I genuinely have no idea what the government is doing but I hope people such
as yourself get some answers soon. I am feeling some of the limbo myself as my
EU Bosses living in UK hire me.

I wish we could get rid of the whole rancid bunch of politicians, and hire
some company to take care of it all with dignity.

------
fmsf
I know a handfull of folks that already moved to germany and france.
Personally I would move as well but my SO really likes her job.

------
8draco8
(EU citizen living in UK) Yes. Brexit tipped it over the edge. Because of
brexit GBP went down which become big lost for me when investing outside of
GBP. Even more interesting, current startup that I am working for, decided
that it's a good idea to move dev team to EU so essentially I will be working
for the same company but from outside of UK.

------
programmernews3
People will follow the money. Corporation tax is likely to go down further.

Its currently 19%, lowest in the G7, and will fall to 17%

[https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/corporation-
tax-t...](https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/corporation-tax-
to-17-in-2020/corporation-tax-to-17-in-2020)

------
hemling
(EU national living in UK)

Yes, I want to leave. I believe in the idea of Europe and want to help it
succeed.

I work in London. It used to be a great place to be if you enjoy living in an
open multicultural environment with fresh ideas. Now it's turning into an old
boring and way overpriced place.

------
jedrek
I know three people who've already moved this year. Two to Germany and one
back to Poland.

------
danmaz74
My startup is basically a virtual company - meaning we're all remote - but
officially based in London. I could be forced to change that after Brexit,
depending on the terms.

------
crdoconnor
I know one person who moved back (to Poland) but even he said that Brexit was
only part of the reason.

The only people I know who have moved to Europe aren't in tech.

------
nanomoose
My company isn't contemplating it in the slightest.

------
jimmytidey
I'm going to get an Irish passport with a view to it possibly being relevant
for future academic funding or work.

(My grandmother was born in Ireland)

------
funshed
UK Citizens won't be egar to move due to language barrier. UK Startups look at
their market as English speaking countries. UK, USA, etc..

So we are not going to move to a none English speaking country for what?
easier access to trade?... Just set up a EU based subsidiary company at a
later date after launch and translation.

I dont think it's viable. Of course panicked EU citizens will return to
homeland due to lack of certainty. Which is odd, that they think UK are not
going to be as welcoming after brexit.

~~~
mnm1
Is it really odd to not feel welcome when over half the population has voted
saying that you don't belong there? It's hard to think of a less welcoming
place in all of Europe right now.

~~~
funshed
Your right it is not but I certainly dont feel that was ever the case. A
percentage of that 50% will want to send people home but to say "over half the
population has voted saying that you don't belong there" is incorrect.

Many voted for sovereignty, not to be a star in a flag. They voted for
democracy for there voice to be heard in London not a whisper in Brussles.
They did not see the economic benefits that are supposed to be the
cornerstone.

Where the message is confused is that many did vote to end freedom of movement
suggesting unlimited immigration put downward preasure on wages. Though the
message from Vote Leave (or other campaign groups) was ever to kick people out
who are already here.

There are many of none-eu ethnicity that voted to leave the EU. Why can anyone
from EU come? but a pakistani parent can be denied visa to live with children
in UK. An issue echoed many times.

Like I was saying it is odd that this message you outline is resonating. I
dont know any brexit supporter that would want to kick people out!

------
BillinghamJ
No

------
RickJWag
Hurry! Get in line for the backlash against tech companies playing politics,
before it's too late.

------
martiuk
Nope, actually moving back to the midlands since I'm fed up with London at the
moment.

------
secfirstmd
Already moved to Dublin!

~~~
simonswords82
Why?

------
Bromskloss
I mean, people worked abroad also before entering the EU.

------
xchaotic
Not exactly a startup, but I had well oiled Ltd running for 10 years in
London. I shut it down and I am running my business via another European
country. Clients are a mix of US, UK and EU projects.

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boraturan
Moved out to US. Alvin5.com

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demonshalo
No. I work as an advisor for a ton of startups and I a co-founder myself.
There is no better place in Europe to be than the UK.

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alphadevx
> There is no better place in Europe to be than the UK.

Perhaps, for now. If hard trade barriers are in place soon that status will
change dramatically.

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alexbilbie
Trade barriers won't really affect digital service companies as they're not
moving physical goods around.

Digital services are affected by other types of regulation though which won't
really change as a result of Brexit (e.g. if you're a British online
accounting company selling a version optimised for German companies).

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jimmytidey
This is an untested assumption if ever I saw one.

