₹40,000 for a European company? Mukesh Ambani and Bill Gates did it, this banker says you should too

Investment banker Sarthak Ahuja is urging Indian entrepreneurs eyeing global markets to look east—toward Estonia. In a viral LinkedIn post, he claims that for less than ₹60,000 and just four hours online, anyone can set up a European company and gain e-residency in the Baltic tech haven.

“Mukesh Ambani, Bill Gates, and Barack Obama... have all taken the e-residency of a European country,” Ahuja wrote, pointing to Estonia’s radically open digital economy. The program, available to Indians for under ₹40,000, offers access to European markets, zero corporate tax on retained profits, and easy incorporation—without setting foot in the EU.

Estonia’s e-residency program, launched in 2014, lets global entrepreneurs set up fully remote companies with European Union credibility. According to Ahuja, setting up a company takes less than ₹60,000 and four hours—entirely online. The e-residency card can be collected from the Estonian embassy in India.

The fiscal perks are striking. Estonia imposes no corporate tax on profits retained within the company. A flat 20% tax applies only when dividends are distributed—without double taxation. VAT, income tax, and corporate tax are all pegged at a uniform 20%, with VAT kicking in only beyond €40,000 in revenue.

Beyond tax, the infrastructure is digital-first and entrepreneur-friendly. Public education, healthcare, and transport are free. Internet is considered a basic right, and access to VC funding is uniquely strong for a country of just over 1 million people.

Estonia’s tech ecosystem already boasts 12 unicorns, and over 2,000 tech entrepreneurs are currently e-residents—many of them targeting European markets without relocating.

“If you’re building in tech and wish to serve Europe, Estonia is one of the best places to register,” Ahuja advised. But he issued a caveat: “If all your business is in India, it makes little sense to do it.”