For international founders, forming a company in Europe is a strategic decision that shapes your access to markets, tax treatment, and long-term credibility. The partner you choose will influence everything from tax exposure and banking access to how your structure holds up under regulatory scrutiny or investor due diligence.
Some agencies focus on filings, while the best ones help you build a business that works across borders. This guide ranks the top 10 formation firms that do more than register companies; they deliver legally durable, audit-ready structures built for growth. Let’s dive in!
How We Ranked These Agencies
Not all providers are equipped to support international founders. We focused on agencies that deliver real structure, not just registration. Key criteria:
- Proven with Non-Resident Founders: Agencies had to demonstrate success setting up companies for non-EU residents, including banking, visa, and tax residency considerations.
- Expertise in High-Compliance Jurisdictions: Depth in markets like Switzerland, Luxembourg, and the Netherlands, where proper structure matters for tax treaties, banking, and credibility.
- Advisory Beyond Formation: Legal, tax, and compliance support had to go beyond filings, ensuring setups meet both regulatory and strategic needs.
- Transparent Pricing and Scope: Clear deliverables, no hidden fees. We prioritized firms that define what’s included before you sign.
- Multilingual, Responsive Support: Founders often operate across languages and time zones. Fast, multilingual communication was a must.
- Modern Digital Tools: E-signatures, secure dashboards, and remote KYC aren’t extras—they’re baseline expectations for cross-border efficiency.
These six pillars separate form-fillers from firms that build real, audit-ready European structures.
Europe’s Leading Company Formation Agencies for 2025
Here are the top-ranked company formation experts serving international founders across Europe.
1. SIGTAX
- Headquarters: Zurich, Switzerland
- Jurisdictions: Switzerland, EU-wide
- Best for: Founders who need real substance for tax treaties, banking, and scale
SIGTAX is designed for international founders who require more than just a paper company. They specialize in structuring Swiss and EU entities that meet substance tests—namely, board control, local presence, and tax logic. Whether you’re forming a GmbH in Zurich or layering holding companies across multiple jurisdictions, SIGTAX handles directorship, banking, VAT, work permits, and compliance monitoring. It’s one of the few firms that can coordinate formation, residency planning, and legal opinion letters under the same roof: critical when you’re pitching investors or navigating cross-border audits.
2. Loyens & Loeff
- Headquarters: Rotterdam, Netherlands
- Jurisdictions: Netherlands, Luxembourg, Switzerland
- Best for: Holding companies, IP structures, and scale-ups requiring treaty access
Loyens & Loeff is the go-to firm for founders building serious cross-border structures—from Dutch BVs to Luxembourg Soparfis. They advise on tax optimization, capital repatriation, shareholder protections, and CFC rules. Their notarial teams can fast-track filings, while tax lawyers ensure you don’t run afoul of GAAR or DAC6. Whether you’re raising capital, shielding IP, or setting up a regional HQ, Loyens delivers precision and legal durability few firms can match.
3. Noerr
- Headquarters: Munich, Germany
- Jurisdictions: Germany, CEE, Spain, UK
- Best for: Founders entering Germany or Central & Eastern Europe with full-stack needs
Noerr helps founders navigate high-friction markets, such as Germany, Romania, and Poland, with a single, coordinated team. They handle GmbH incorporation, employment law, regulatory licensing, and even financial structuring for shareholder agreements or capital increases. Their strength lies in execution, where most firms hand off between departments. Noerr’s teams coordinate filings, notary approvals, and local tax registrations, ensuring your launch doesn’t stall. For founders expanding eastward or setting up manufacturing or fintech arms in the EU core, Noerr is surgical and reliable.
4. CMS
- Headquarters: Frankfurt, Germany (global network of member firms)
- Jurisdictions: Pan-European
- Best for: Founders expanding into multiple EU countries at once
CMS operates a partnership of 18 independent firms with over 80 offices across 45+ countries, providing both deep local delivery and centralized coordination. With over 1,400 corporate and M&A lawyers spread across Europe, they handle entity formation, tax IDs, employment contracts, and stakeholder filings under a single, managed process. Their Frankfurt office alone hosts 75+ financial services lawyers embedded in the country’s banking hub
5. Ocorian
- Headquarters: St. Helier, Jersey
- Jurisdictions: Jersey, Luxembourg, Ireland, Malta, Netherlands
- Best for: Founders needing a credible local footprint for banking and tax compliance
Ocorian is built for founders who need more than a registration; they need a defensible structure. In Luxembourg or Ireland, opening a bank account or claiming treaty benefits requires proof of operations, not just filings. Ocorian delivers that with nominee directors, physical or virtual offices, secretarial services, and ongoing substance compliance. They also support trust setup, SPVs, and regulated fund vehicles, making them a key player for founders in fintech, asset management, or IP-heavy sectors.
6. Henley & Partners
- Headquarters: London, UK
- Jurisdictions: Global; EU + Switzerland
- Best for: High-net-worth founders combining company formation with mobility planning
Henley & Partners assists founders in designing company structures that align with residency, citizenship, or investor visa requirements. Whether launching a Malta-based entity to qualify for the Individual Investor Programme or setting up in Portugal under the D7 residency path, Henley ensures the company setup ticks both business and immigration boxes. Their lawyers coordinate filings, capital thresholds, investment paths, and due diligence to streamline the approval process. It’s not just about incorporation; it’s strategic residency planning with a business vehicle attached.
7. Legalstart
- Headquarters: Paris, France
- Jurisdictions: France, expanding to Africa
- Best for: Solo founders and small teams entering France with speed and cost control
Legalstart turns France’s notoriously complex formation process into a few clicks. Founders can register a SARL or SAS, publish legal notices, auto-generate bylaws, and complete KYC—all online, in under an hour. Add-ons, such as employee contracts, trademark registration, and VAT setup, are available à la carte. It’s a clean fit for founders who don’t require in-depth legal advice; instead, they need a fast, compliant entry into the French market with transparent pricing and minimal friction.
8. Vepapu
- Headquarters: Luxembourg City
- Jurisdictions: Luxembourg
- Best for: Founders seeking Luxembourg credibility without physical presence
Vepapu offers a fully remote path into Luxembourg’s premium jurisdiction. Founders receive support across notarization, shareholder documentation, bank account assistance, VAT registration, and local address setup—all without needing to set foot in the country. Their strength lies in execution: nominee directors, real-time dashboards, and digital KYC tools remove the slowdowns typical of Luxembourg formation. If you’re after a compliant EU base with tax credibility and minimal travel, Vepapu delivers the setup without the overhead.
9. Euro Company Formations
- Headquarters: Dublin, Ireland
- Jurisdictions: Ireland + 25+ EU countries
- Best for: Founders comparing jurisdictions or launching multi-country operations
Euro Company Formations simplifies multi-market entry. Whether you're considering Ireland, Estonia, or the Netherlands, Euro Company Formations offers side-by-side comparisons and flat-fee packages that include company registration, VAT setup, registered office, and compliance documentation. It’s not a legal powerhouse, but for founders who already know what they want and just need someone to execute cleanly across borders, it’s a solid operational partner.
10. Centuro Global
- Headquarters: London, UK
- Jurisdictions: Europe
- Best for: Founders exploring multiple EU countries before choosing a base
Centuro stands out by helping founders answer the question before formation: where should we set up? They provide a comparative analysis of key EU countries, examining business models, industries, VAT exposure, licensing risks, and operational fit. Once a jurisdiction is selected, they help structure the entity, navigate compliance, and prepare for market launch. This makes them ideal for early-stage founders or non-EU startups that need clarity before committing to a setup.
Regional Comparison Table
Conclusion
Choosing the right agency to form your company in Europe is more than a logistical decision—it’s a strategic one. For international founders, the difference between a basic registration and a compliant, scalable structure can define your ability to access banking, protect IP, attract investors, or benefit from tax treaties.
The top agencies on this list offer varying strengths, with some prioritizing speed and others specializing in legal depth or specific jurisdictions. But what truly sets a firm apart is its ability to connect form with substance, linking filings to real governance, local presence, and long-term compliance.
That’s where SIGTAX stands out. With deep expertise in Swiss and EU structures, multilingual advisors, and post-formation services built for growth, SIGTAX doesn’t just help you start a company; it enables you to create one that lasts.
Discover how SIGTAX supports global founders
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