This article from the economist highlights the fact that native entrepreneurs in Germany face many of the same legislative and bureaucratic road-blocks to development that may hinder development in the United States. Strict EU regulations and a low employment rate means that Germany ranks 114th in the world in terms of ease to start a business.
The interesting thing is that the influx of immigrants into Germany has provided somewhat of a start-up revolution in the country. The article notes that refugee’s from the Middle East are among the most entrepreneurial people in the country. For immigrants from war-torn countries, rising incomes and an opportunity to be self-determinant fit the traditional entrepreneurial spirit. Regulations seem less onerous when you’ve escaped a civil war.