The umbrella concept for Nathan's "period abroad in Europe" idea — currently in early brainstorm stage, not a committed project.
State of play (2026-07-02)
Originated from a dinner conversation with Connor at Chingaari (Buderim, Sunshine Coast QLD, ~2026-07-01). (Prior recall anchored this to Belconnen/Canberra — corrected 2026-07-05; Chingaari Indian Restaurant is on Burnett St, Buderim SC.)
No firm city chosen; no visa applied for; no entity yet.
Nathan's horizon: "next few years" (soft target — possibly 2027 or 2028).
Candidate direction shapes
WHV → taste-test: Move on a working holiday visa to a Western European city (Berlin, Lisbon, Prague, Amsterdam) and explore the ecosystem before committing to anything.
Tax-residency minimisation: Move tax residence to a low-tax EU country (Estonia, Hungary, Bulgaria) to minimise total tax burden on the existing Australian business, structured so income flows through the new entity.
EU-resident founder immigration: Apply for a startup visa (Italia Startup Visa, Estonia Startup Visa, Netherlands Startup Visa) and build a new entity from scratch.
Hybrid: WHV year to taste-test, then transition to a startup/freelance visa once a city is chosen.
Open questions
Is the goal tax optimisation, ecosystem, or both?
Existing Hydrolyze entity stays Australian or is restructured?
What does "small business" become in this context — IP licensing, coaching SaaS, consulting?
Family/partner considerations?
12+ months of tax residency in another country is the binding constraint — does Nathan's life support that?