Regional grants for business development are given to everything from major investments in, for example, machinery and buildings to small sums for consultancy services, product development or participation in exhibitions.

The grants are based on percentages of the approved costs. In most cases they are maximised to 10 to 35 percent, but for some types of support much more can be awarded. The purpose of regional support to companies is to strengthen and develop the company’s competitiveness and to thereby strengthen and develop local business and industry.

Whether your company can get support depends on where your company is located in Sweden and what your company does.

Read more about the types of regional business support on the website of the Swedish Agency for Economic and Regional Growth (in Swedish)

Sida only collaborates with small and medium-sized enterprises that are based on sustainable enterprise with poor people as customers, employees, producers, distributers or entrepreneurs in different parts of the value chain.

The enterprises have to ‘compete’ for funding from what are called ‘challenge funds’ to which they can send their project proposals with innovative solutions. The enterprises must meet at last 50 per cent of the costs. Cofinancing by the funds varies. For example, the Global Innovation Fund provides up to USD 15 million to support innovations.

Sida can make it easier for enterprises to get loans for their projects by sharing the risk with the lender. Sida does so by providing various forms of guarantees, for example payment guarantees and guarantees for market risks such as fluctuations in price and demand.

Read more about Sida’s business sector activities on Sida’s website (in Swedish)

Small and medium-sized enterprises can be granted support of not more than SEK 150 000 per initiative and a maximum of 50 per cent of the cost.

The service purchased can concern product development, marketing skills, development and other similar purposes.

The service must not be used for regular operations. The consultancy voucher for business development is a form of regional business support that you can apply for from your county administrative board or region. Your will find links to their websites via the link shown below.

Read more about consultancy vouchers for business development on the website of the Swedish Agency for Economic and Regional Growt (In Swedish) 

Demo Environment supports solutions that reduce negative environmental and climate impacts and improve the living conditions of poor people in the 14 countries selected.

Companies in Sweden can apply for planning grants- The maximum grant is SEK 350 000.

Organisations in any of the 14 selected countries can apply for grants for demonstration projects. The grant can be between SEK 500 000 and 1 800 000.

Read more about the application procedure for Demo Environment on the website of the Swedish Agency for Economic and Regional Growth (in Swedish)

Almi‘s export loans are aimed at small and medium-sized enterprises that want to invest in exports in all industries.

The export loan works like Almi‘s business loan. The difference is that the company can also take loans in foreign currency. Normally an export loan has to be paid back within three to five years.

Almi's loans are aimed at companies with up to 250 employees in all industries. To offset the higher risk Almi charges an interest rate that is above the average bank interest rate. For Almi the viability of the business concept and the expertise of the management carry most weight in the financial appraisal of the company.

Read more about export loans on Almi's website (in Swedish)

Does your company want to evaluate a long-term investment and the establishment of business operations that contribute to positive environmental impacts in a country outside the EU/EFTA area? Then Nopef can grant interest-free conditional loans of up to 40 per cent of the cost of a feasibility study.

If you choose to establish business operations in the country or countries after the feasibility study, the whole of the loan can be converted into support. If you do not establish business operations, Nopef can only forgive 50 per cent of the conditional loan you were granted. The maximum sum that can be borrowed is EUR 50 000.

Read more about loans on the Nopef website

NEFCO offers various types of loans to Nordic exporters of products and services and credits to buyers of Nordic products and services. NEFCO can also provide venture capital. Projects that have positive effects on the environment can also receive export support on favourable terms.

NEFCO finances small and medium-sized environmental projects that have demonstration value. Many of the projects are innovative, and the projects are often intended to test Nordic solutions that are scalable.

Read more about financial solutions on the NEFCO website

SEK can offer Swedish export companies and their subsidiaries loans in a number of different currencies and maturities.

SEK also lends money to buyers of Swedish export products (international buyers) in the form of export credits, the financing of trade receivables, project financing and various kinds of contract guarantees.

Read more on the website of the Swedish Export Credit Corporations webbplats

Swedfund shares risk and offers partnership and partial financing mainly through equity and loans. In cooperation with our partners we have to contribute to investments that are sustainable in economic, environmental, climate and social terms.

Small and medium-sized enterprises can apply for support to establish cooperation with companies in the countries concerned through the Swedpartnership financial programme.

In addition, Swedfund provides partial financing of consultancy work that increases the product development and ordering skills of project owners in the countries covered.

Read more on Swedfund’s website

EKN guarantees provide protection against the risk of not being paid, which means that you are able to give your buyer better credit terms.

EKN can also share risks with your bank, which makes it easier for you to finance your operations and get contract guarantees, such as guarantees for advances in export deals.

To apply for their guarantees you can go directly online or download the forms at www.ekn.se.

New guarantees in response to the Covid-19 pandemic at the Swedish Export Credit Agency (EKN)

Companies can apply for a voucher for SEK 50 000–250 000. The voucher covers half of the cost, and the rest is paid by the company itself.

The voucher can be used for

• purchase of a service
• travel expenses (maximum of 20 per cent of total costs)
• project employment (which starts after the decision, i.e. it has to bring new skills to the company).

Applications are made at regional level.

Read more about business development vouchers on the website of the Swedish Agency for Economic and Regional Growth (in Swedish)

Business Sweden offers assistance in establishing companies, their products, services or ideas in new markets, or in growing in an existing market. One important part of their role is to identify opportunities for small and medium-sized enterprises that have the potential to grow internationally.

The Small Business Programme in eight steps is aimed at Swedish companies with sales of up to EUR 10 million and at most 50 employees. The full programme, or the parts of it that suit the individual company, can be implemented.

Read more about special services for small and medium-sized businesses on the Business Sweden website 

See the film: Bridging over new waters to boost business growth

Read more on the website of the Enterprise Europe Network