Accelerationskontoret Proposes 10 Billion SEK Industrial Fund to Scale Sweden's Green and Deep Tech

Sweden is facing a critical financing gap for promising tech and industrial companies transitioning from startup phase to large-scale industrial production, risking relocation or sale abroad. To address this, Accelerationskontoret has proposed establishing a market-based industrial fund worth 10 billion kronor, with the government acting as an anchor investor.

The proposal, presented by Kristina Alvendal, Sweden's national industrial coordinator at Accelerationskontoret, envisions the government contributing up to 20 percent (2 billion kronor) of the fund, encouraging major institutional investors like pension funds and insurance companies to invest alongside. A minimum pension fund investment of 500 million kronor is suggested to attract sufficient private capital. The fund will focus on unlisted companies in sectors facing significant scaling challenges, including environmental technology, biotechnology, deep technology, and quantum technology.

Alvendal highlighted the urgency of creating this fund to prevent Swedish innovations and jobs from moving to countries like the USA, citing the lack of scale-up infrastructure as a decisive factor. Unlike existing funds such as Almi, which offer capital mostly for early-stage development, the new fund aims to provide larger capital rounds of 100 to 300 million kronor necessary for initiating manufacturing processes.

Managed entirely on a market basis to avoid government interference in investment decisions, Accelerationskontoret expects the fund to act as leverage, lowering perceived risks and potentially encouraging banks to fund companies previously considered too risky. The proposal was developed over six months with input from capital managers and legal experts, and is set to be submitted to the government with hopes for swift action, possibly in the coming spring budget.

This initiative aims to keep Sweden at the forefront of industrial technology and green innovation by ensuring companies can scale domestically rather than relocating abroad, while attracting substantial private investment through a well-structured, government-anchored fund.