The New Geopolitics of Talent - Why Governments Are Now Competing for Founders Like They Once Competed for Factories

Jurisdictions like the UAE, Portugal, and Singapore are no longer just destinations - they are competing strategic assets in global talent allocation. Visas, flat tax regimes, and residency pathways have become the new industrial policy, designed to attract founders, researchers, and elite tech workers the way governments once competed for factories. This brief explains what that shift means for investors, operators, and anyone making a jurisdiction decision in 2025–2026.