Business Sweden was founded on 1 January 2013 through a merger of the Swedish Trade Council (Exportrådet) and Invest Sweden. The organisation has two owners: The Swedish state and Sweden's private business sector. The state is represented by the Ministry for Foreign Affairs (Utrikesdepartementet) and the business sector by the Swedish Foreign Trade Association (Sveriges Allmänna Utrikeshandelsförening).
The mandate from our owners is to contribute to economic growth and job creation in Sweden by promoting and facilitating the internationalisation of Sweden's private sector, and by attracting investments to Sweden.
Our services are targeted towards both startups and established companies. As all companies are at different stages of maturity in the internationalisation process, we offer tailor-made solutions to match individual needs. Read more about our Services.
Our History
Financing
Business Sweden is financed via an annual government grant for export and investment promotion activities and via revenues from the consultings services we offer Swedish companies.
Collaboration
We cooperate and consult with the Ministry for Foreign Affairs and collaborate with Swedish embassies and consulates abroad. We also work closely with organisations within the Team Sweden network and chambers of commerce, as well as with public and private organisations in the countries where we have a local presence.
In December 2023, the Strategy for Sweden’s Foreign Trade, Investment and Global Competitiveness was launched to stimulate job creation and drive economic growth in Sweden.
Government assignment
Every year, the Swedish government publishes a policy letter confirming the scope of Business Sweden’s assignment and how it should be reported. Business Sweden accounts for its delivery on the assignment in ”Redovisning av statens uppdrag till Business Sweden” (Report of Business Sweden’s Government assignment).
The annual assignment to Business Sweden aims to strengthen the internationalisation of Swedish companies and attract and facilitate foreign investment to Sweden, thereby contributing to increased exports, employment, and sustainable growth across the country. Read more about our public mandate in the Government’s Letter of Instruction:
The assignment includes the following:
- Basic export service
Facilitating information and queries, basic export advice and general trade promotion in international markets. - Small business programme
Consulting services for small and medium-sized companies, offered in Sweden and abroad. These services include skills development, local export advisory and facilitation of international contacts and market insights. - Targeted export promotion
Tailored export support in international markets, promotion activities in selected markets, support for public sector contracts abroad, and identification and management of strategic projects. - Investment promotion
The objective is to attract investments from prioritised markets worldwide, raise awareness and expand knowledge about Sweden as an atractive destination for foreign investments. Our promotion activities are carried out in close cooperation with Sweden's regional investment agencies, all tasked with facilitating foreign investments that bring jobs, capital and competence to all parts of Sweden. Companies in selected investment areas are approached directly, and foreign investors get information and support from dedicated investment advisors. - Additional assignments
Business Sweden receives additional assignments from the government and various ministries, in addition to the basic assignments above. A typical example is the strategic and long-term export programme we carry out to support Sweden’s food sector.
Business consulting
Business Sweden’s consulting operations are primarily financed through revenues from private companies as well as income from partially government-funded services. These consulting revenues complement our government assignment and enable us to maintain a broader overseas presence. This means we can support Swedish companies in more markets and reach a greater number of international investors.
Business Sweden's consulting services are offered on market terms and include strategic advice and operational support to increase companies' global sales. The services are divided into four main areas: Market expansion, Sales acceleration, Business to government and Business incubation & operations.
Business Sweden’s operations and funding are outlined in our annual report.
Our global presence
Business Sweden has 44 offices in four regions: Europe, the Americas, Asia Pacific, and the Middle East and Africa. Our headquarters are located in Stockholm, Sweden. Most of our more than 500 employees work at our global offices in close cooperation with Swedish embassies, consulates, chambers of commerce, companies and other local networks.
We also have a strong presence in Sweden, with 16 offices from north to south. Our global business developers in Sweden provide a full range of support to help companies internationalise their operations, from education and inspiring market insights to practical advice. At our head office in Stockholm, we have a number of export and investment advisors providing dedicated support, advice and market insights.
Please find our contact details here.
Team Sweden
Swedish companies can receive a broad range of support when expanding into in international markets, including financing, advisory services, and marketing. To improve coordination between different export promotion and support agencies, the Swedish government launched Team Sweden as one of the strategic initiatives defined in its export strategy. Within this framework, the agencies work collaboratively in Sweden and abroad to improve the conditions for Swedish companies looking to expand overseas.
Read more about Team Sweden.