I'm currently a software engineer based in Berlin and I've found that stock options are not common at all in Germany [1]. I'm curious to know, is this scene different in Netherlands or other places in EU?
No good stock options, not many getting rich after successful exits. Hence not many to fund the next good venture. A handful of VCs and some banks who had traditional money.
Most of the successful European companies look for an acquisition by a US company as an exit path. Silicon valley has an eco system of people who had successful exits funding the next startup. It is quite rare in Europe.
I believe that this depends less on the country where you are working and more on the country of origin of your employer.
During the years, I have worked for 3 German companies and none of them offered any stock options.
On the other hand, while working for an Israeli company and for an US company, I have gained about the same amount from selling the vested stock options of those companies as from the salary, i.e., due to the stock options, the total compensation was eventually about double compared to the salary.
https://www.notoptional.eu/en/country-ranking
No good stock options, not many getting rich after successful exits. Hence not many to fund the next good venture. A handful of VCs and some banks who had traditional money.
Most of the successful European companies look for an acquisition by a US company as an exit path. Silicon valley has an eco system of people who had successful exits funding the next startup. It is quite rare in Europe.