Source: am a startup in the EU.
https://wallethub.com/edu/best-worst-states-to-be-a-taxpayer...
You also want to consider what your taxes fund – for example, a startup founder probably benefits from proximity to two of the best university systems in the country and the better quality of life means you get more top people in your employee and networking pools. The ultra-rich are going to leave but a founder who isn’t already in the top income bracket is making an economically rational decision.
Say, at-will employment exists in California and that's just one simple example off the top of my head.
In Germany, an employee is near impossible to fire.
Just look at how many software patents the EPO keeps printing.
And barely 20-25 years ago, Dutch firms like Philips NV and NXP Semi were both major players in the electronics and software industry, yet squandered their lead.
The issue is European leaders in both the private and public sector just don't care for technology, are overwhelmingly from legal and non-STEM financial/consulting backgrounds. The capital flight due to the Eurozone crisis also played a role, but Israel was also heavily impacted by that as well.
And that capital was started by major government investment in semiconductor manufacturing.