Where in Europe and where in the US? You probably started one in the easiest US state to do so. Did you try starting one in the easiest EU state? Otherwise we already can't take things very seriously.

Secondly, what's easier besides VC funding? If it's VC funding, the disparity there has nothing to do with regulations - guess how much VC funding the non-EU rest of the world gets.

I’m actually bootstrapping, so the VC situation isn’t relevant to me.

It’s a distant memory to me now, I’m building a company and so much has happened that the details of this decision have faded away. But, between the AI act and GDPR, there’s a set of potential traps laid out for you to step into, along with reams of paperwork. All that requires lawyers and compliance consultants to help you figure it out, and that’s way too much for a fledgling startup.

I think it said it all that the AI regulations were written before there was really anyone to regulate. Why would I want to pour my heart and soul into a system that’s geared to find ways to stop me from building?

Anyway, it’s no longer relevant to me: I’m gone and I don’t have to worry about it anymore.

Hi! EU Resident here, if anything, I'd want EU protections to apply even more to US companies than they do now.

I don't want to exchange my freedoms for your shareholder value, thank you.

Which freedom for example? How is this arbitraged?

Awesome! I'm also bootstrapping. My company is set up in a place where the local version of the GPDR is significantly stricter and more onerous than the GDPR itself - yes, you heard it right, this exists! GDPR isn't even the toughest privacy laws in the world .

Yet startups here have managed to compete with US bigtech incomparably better than the EU. Shows that tough privacy laws have nothing to do with it.

> All that requires lawyers and compliance consultants to help you figure it out, and that’s way too much for a fledgling startup.

It also really just doesn't unless you're doing really shady stuff, in which case, good. The huge majority of startups don't need a lawyer to deal with GDPR.

> but I started my company in the US because everything is so much easier here

Which part is easier? That you have 50 different states with slightly varying laws to consider (e.g. Californian Data protection)? That you have a byzantine system of "benefits" to choose and manage?

And compared to where? Germany or Estonia or Sweden or Spain? The complexities will vary wildly depending on the country (kind of like in the US, where lots of companies pick the state to base themselves in based on the combination of favourable laws and precedents and taxes).

"That you have 50 different states with slightly varying laws to consider (e.g. Californian Data protection)?"

there are certain sentences you can just tell would never be written by an American lol

Got me, I'm not American, but isn't it true?

California Consumer Privacy Act is a thing you need to take into account for Californian customers.

Illinois has a Biometric Privacy Act.

And who knows what Wyoming or South Dakota or Oregon have that you might take into account if your business falls under any of them.

we might be somewhat trending in this direction, but the reality is largely that the US states are pretty identical and have very similar laws on the books. the federal government is in charge of commerce usually.

most laws like CCPA also have some threshold where you already need to be pretty successful for it to apply to you.

for some select industries (biometrics & healthcare), yes you have a patchwork of laws.

How much oversight is there and how strong is? And if you cover Califronia, New york, Texas and Florida. Would those other places really stop you, specifically if its online? And even if you get fined, how much is that fine going to be?

Because they are plenty of companies just ignoring regulation and simply paying the fines, as the enforcement often a joke.

>Because they are plenty of companies just ignoring regulation and simply paying the fines, as the enforcement often a joke.

TBH, in this respect it's much the same in the EU.

Americans are definitely aware of it in some areas, e.g. any sort of licensing.

What would you want to see changed to consider coming back?

When I got here, I realized that things are so much better here that the only thing that could get me back to Europe is a decision not to renew my visa.