Slovakia as a laboratory of entrepreneurship: why it still makes sense to stay and build at home

Despite the growing challenges, Slovakia is a country where value-based business can be built. In the 31st episode of HG Talks, we talked to Peter Varga and Michal Mešek, founder of Martinus, about why it makes sense to stay “at home”, why the country needs a vision instead of short-term measures, and what it lacks to become an environment where it pays to create again.

Slovakia needs a vision, not just consolidation

Consolidation of public finances is necessary, but without a clear vision and target it becomes a numbers exercise. The Slovak business environment has long suffered from a lack of conceptual direction. Measures to improve the state’s economy are being worked on, but they lack a convincing purpose, a concrete reason to cut back today in order to have a better future tomorrow.

Entrepreneurs can make unpopular decisions if they see sense in them. The lack of a “B”, i.e. an idea of where Slovakia wants to go, is the reason why many have lost motivation.
At Highgate Group, we see from experience that if the business environment is to work in the long term, it is not enough to just change rates or tables. We need systemic reform and a long-term plan that strikes a balance between the interests of the state and the people who actually create value in this country.

A fair environment for those who want to do business honestly

The growing tax burden, the opacity of legislation and the proliferation of the “shvarc system” create an environment in which honest players lose their motivation. If an entrepreneur sees that operating honestly does not pay, he or she logically looks for alternatives – often legal, but systemically distorting.

In Slovakia, these phenomena are not avoided even by entire sectors that have become accustomed to operating in the grey zone. This creates imbalances and a sense of injustice. The role of the state should therefore not only be to control more strictly, but to set fair conditions that will favour those who choose to follow the rules.

Slovakia as a laboratory of entrepreneurship

Slovakia has many advantages that we are often unaware of. Despite the difficulties, it remains a country where you can build a modern and valuable business.
The business environment here is changing more slowly, but at the same time it allows for greater creativity, access to talent and close ties between companies and the community. This makes it possible to create something that stands up to global comparison, even from smaller cities.

Slovakia can be a “laboratory” of entrepreneurship – a place where new approaches are experimented with, where ideas with global potential emerge and where people combine expertise with personal vision.
If the country manages to create a stable and predictable environment, it has all the prerequisites to become a place worth staying and building.

You can see the full interview on this topic here.

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If you are interested in this topic, please do not hesitate to contact us:

Peter Varga, e-mail: peter.varga@highgate.sk

Alternatively, you can address your specific questions in a consultation with our partner Peter Varga, who specialises in financial regulation and tax law. You can book a consultation here: