Sweden is quickly becoming a go-to destination for innovation and entrepreneurship, with its thriving startup ecosystem grabbing global attention. Stockholm was ranked as the second-best city for startups in Europe by the 2020 Global Startup Ecosystem Report, thanks to its impressive talent pool, funding opportunities, and government support. But that's not all! Gothenburg and Malmö are also buzzing with startup activity, boasting a range of incubators and accelerators that nurture early-stage companies with unique strengths and expertise.
Want to know more? Keep reading for a closer look at some of the best startup accelerators and incubators in Sweden.
Ideon Innovation
Ideon Innovation, based in Lund, is a startup incubator that specializes in helping early-stage companies (no older than 36 months) take their first steps towards success. Ideon Innovation offers a comprehensive 9-month program that includes funding, mentorship, and access to a wide network of investors, mentors, and partners. With an emphasis on fostering a supportive environment for entrepreneurs, the program covers everything from product development and business strategy to fundraising. With a rich history of incubating successful startups across diverse fields like biotech, MedTech, and ICT, Ideon Innovation has been home to 330 game-changers over the years. Notable alumni include Emulate Energy, Alixlabs, and Green Greener.
Create Business Incubator
Create Business Incubator is a non-profit organization that is all about helping early-stage startups thrive, offering access to a wealth of resources and support services. For a monthly fee of just 2,500 SEK (for the first six months) and 5,000 SEK (from month seven), entrepreneurs can tap into coaching, expert market research support, team development, financing, and access to events at Munktell Science Park in Eskilstuna, Västerås Science Park, and Sörmlandsfonden. Unlike other incubators, Create Business Incubator doesn't take any equity from the startups they support, so you can focus on growing your business without worrying about losing control.
Chalmers Ventures
With a range of programs designed to help startups bring their ideas to life, Chalmers Ventures is your go-to partner for all things tech commercialization. From tech transfer and startup camps to open coaching and more, their programs are designed to help you develop your ideas and turn them into viable products. But what sets Chalmers Ventures apart is their tech matching for the incubation program. This innovative initiative matches your technology with a team of entrepreneurs from the Chalmers School of Entrepreneurship, who will work closely with you to bring your ideas to market in record time. With Chalmers Ventures by your side, there's no limit to what you can achieve.
Arctic Business
The Arctic Business, which is affiliated with the Luleå University of Technology, is a top-ranked incubator that focuses on sustainable development and helps new companies in Northern Sweden. Their program offers an initial investment, mentoring for up to two years, and support for business development, customer outreach, and investor connections. They also have an accelerator program that provides free online training, coaching, and events to refine and test business ideas, with open admission and experienced advisors to guide entrepreneurs through the process. Join anytime and learn at your own pace to turn your innovative ideas into successful businesses.
Sting
Sting, the Stockholm-based startup accelerator and incubator have been supporting and nurturing startups since 2002. As one of the leading accelerators in the Nordics, Sting's mission is to empower entrepreneurs to succeed by providing them with the resources and tools they need to build successful companies. Sting offers a variety of programs to support startups at different stages of their journey.
For those with a launched product/service and market traction, Sting Accelerate is an intense 4-month program that includes an investment of 500 KSEK from Propel Capital, individual coaching, and access to industry mentors. Climate startups can benefit from Sting Accelerate Climate Action, which provides tailored coaching, investment, office space, and climate-specific expertise and networks. Early-stage startups with a launched prototype/alpha or planning to launch in the next year can benefit from Sting Incubate - a 12-month program offering tailored coaching and support, a possibility of investment, and access to investors all over Europe. For startups based on advanced and complex technologies, Sting Incubate Deeptech is an 18-24 month program providing tailor-made coaching, support, and access to deep tech-related resources.
Fast Track Malmö
Fast Track Malmö is a 12-week program designed to give early-stage startups in the Malmö region of Sweden the boost they need to succeed. With access to experienced mentors, industry experts, and a supportive community of entrepreneurs, your startup will get the resources it needs to thrive. The program even provides office space and legal support, so you can focus on what matters - building your business. And with Demo Day at the end of the program, you'll have the opportunity to pitch your idea to potential investors and partners.
Sparx Accelerator
Sparx Accelerator in Solna is a top-rated accelerator program, powered by Sodexo, which offers a three-month program packed with everything you need to take your startup to the next level. You'll get access to state-of-the-art facilities for workshops and testing, expert coaching, and industry-leading mentoring in commercialization. And that's not all – you'll also have access to a worldwide test environment and big data for testing and scaling, all without giving up any equity.
LEAD
LEAD is a dynamic incubation program that supports startups at different stages of their journey. With two membership options, LEAD provides tailored support for early-stage ideas and innovative B2B products or services. The Business Lab membership is perfect for startups that want to validate their business ideas and market, providing access to business coaching, office space, and more. The BootUp program within this membership is a three-month intensive program designed to help startups develop their problem-solving skills in product development, sales, and marketing. On the other hand, the incubate program is ideal for startups with high-growth potential in an international market, providing weekly coaching and targeted interventions to help entrepreneurs develop and verify their business models.
Ericsson ONE
Ericsson, the world-renowned telecommunications company, is fostering employee innovation through Ericsson ONE. This dynamic internal accelerator program empowers Ericsson employees with groundbreaking business ideas to create thriving ventures outside the company's core business. Ericsson ONE offers a proven innovation accelerator process with multiple stages. Intrapreneurs pitch their ideas, and the top performers advance to the next phase, where they rapidly create, test, and validate their prototypes. With the support of Ericsson's resources, including its vast talent pool, cutting-edge technologies, and more than 55,000 patents, intrapreneurs can develop their ideas into fully-fledged accelerator units.
Inkubera
Inkubera offers a tailored, hands-on approach to business development designed to help you identify and solve critical challenges, refine your business model, and develop your product or service. With a network of experienced mentors and advisors, you'll have access to the guidance and support you need to succeed. Their program typically lasts 6-12 months, depending on your specific needs, and includes opportunities for funding. Don't miss out on the chance to take your startup to the next level with Inkubera!
BizMaker
BizMaker located in Västernorrland offers a variety of programs to support entrepreneurs, including business incubation, business scaleup, forest business acceleration, PURE Business Impact, and the Youth Wellness Accelerator. Whether you're an academic, private individual, or small to medium-sized company, BizMaker has a program tailored to your needs. With concrete tools, expert mentoring, and funding opportunities, you'll have everything you need to succeed. Join the forest business accelerator to scale up your forestry innovations and reach international markets, or the PURE Business Impact program to develop sustainable solutions for a brighter future. If you're focused on digital solutions that address the significant challenge of preventing mental illness among young people, the Youth Wellness Accelerator is for you.
KI innovations
KI Innovations is Stockholm's premier innovation hub co-founded by the Karolinska Institute, Stockholm County Council, and Stockholm University. The DRIVE incubator program, dedicated to life sciences, is designed to provide newly founded companies with a unique opportunity to achieve commercial success. DRIVE offers a comprehensive range of resources and activities, including expert coaching, access to consulting services, IP advice, and investor networks. Karolinska Institutet and VINNOVA fund the program, and it runs for up to three years, with annual evaluations to maintain membership.
SmiLe Incubator
SmiLe Incubator was founded in 2015 in Stockholm and provides a 2-year incubation program that's tailored to each startup's unique needs. With access to lab facilities, mentorship from industry experts, and financial support through grants and seed funding, SmiLe has everything you need to succeed. Plus, their coaching and training programs cover all aspects of business development, from pitch preparation to intellectual property protection.
+Impact accelerator
is a program founded by Danske Bank, RISE, and WeWork. This equity-free accelerator supports growth-stage startups in Sweden that are tackling the most pressing issues with circular business models, all while addressing at least one of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals. Over 7 weeks, participants in the program receive training in essential business fundamentals from a commercial perspective that doesn't compromise their impact. Seed to Series A startups with at least two co-founders and business models that can scale, preferably structured around tech, are an ideal fit. Additionally, +Impact offers non-dilutive financing, easy digital banking, and state-of-the-art global cross-border infrastructure as part of Danske Bank Growth.
Want to discover more accelerators and incubators from other countries? Check out the list below.
Top Accelerators and Incubators from:
- Round-up Of The Best Accelerators In The CEE Region
- Albania
- Austria
- Belgium
- Bulgaria
- Croatia
- Cyprus
- Czech Republic
- Denmark
- Estonia
- France
- Finland
- Germany
- Greece
- Hungary
- Ireland
- Italy
- Latvia
- Lithuania
- Netherlands
- Norway
- Poland
- Portugal
- Romania
- Slovakia
- Slovenia
- Spain
- Switzerland
- Türkiye
- Ukraine
- United Kingdom
- Western Balkans.
Related Posts:
Best Startup Accelerators And Incubators In Spain (by Paweł Pliszka, Editor, Vestbee)
Best Startup Accelerators And Incubators In Switzerland (by Katarzyna Groszkowska, Editor, Vestbee)
Best Startup Accelerators And Incubators In Denmark (by Katarzyna Groszkowska, Editor, Vestbee)
