Two digital-first approaches to European incorporation.
| EU Inc. | Estonian OÜ | |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum capital | €0 | €2,500 |
| Registration | 48 hours | 1-2 days |
| Fully digital | Yes | Yes (e-Residency) |
| Cross-border | 27 EU states (native) | Estonia only |
| Employee equity | EU-ESO | National rules |
| Available now | No (2028-2029) | Yes |
Estonia pioneered digital company formation. The OÜ via e-Residency allows founders anywhere in the world to incorporate fully online in one to two days.
EU Inc. aims for what e-Residency could not achieve: genuine 27-country recognition. An Estonian OÜ operates in France or Germany as a foreign entity requiring branch registration.
The timing matters. The OÜ exists now. EU Inc. will not be available until 2028-2029 at the earliest.
Genuine pan-EU operations, multiple markets from day one, EU institutional investors
Incorporating now (EU Inc. not yet available), fully digital/location-independent, e-Residency ecosystem
The most important comparison for founders raising capital.
Europe's most common company form, head to head.
France's flexible startup form vs pan-European reach.
Holding structures and tax efficiency.
Post-Brexit divergence and the EU question.
Old pan-European form meets new.