“There are still challenges in Europe when it comes to investments in sustaintech, and we are here to address them”. Every year since she started the event six years ago, the Founder Boel Swartling has been thoroughly researching the growth and expansion of sustaintech companies in the market. One thing is clear, the industry boasts larger companies, many more in numbers, and this despite a tough past year for many industrial scale-ups.

“The concept was from the get-go to create an exclusive event for scale-ups. There are lots of innovation and start-up events in the Swedish eco system, less of events and international opportunities for the crucial scale-up phase when capital is so important for a hard-ware company. This also reflects the financial system of Sweden which is currently more rigged for tech” says Boel Swartling, herself an entrepreneur and investor.

When Boel presented the list of companies that since the start had presented at Sweden Sustaintech Venture Day, it was evident that the event has been a mirror of a growing and expanding sector to adress a serious planetary problem. In 2024, there are simply many more companies, and also many more scale-ups. In a stage of growth when capital is needed for more personnel, larger production, internationalization and more marketing, the lack of financing options is quite obvious. In Sweden, the capital market is not entirely rigged to handle this stage in an industrial growth cycle.

“Compared to the US, Europe lacks capital for the industrial stage, our VCs are smaller and not used to taking on such high industrial risk” says Boel Swartling. ”The American capital market has a longer experience from taking on risks, screen industrial companies and there are more funding options available.”

On Tuesday she will moderate a Master class for scale-ups: Fit for Purpose Funding. Experts from EQT, Nasdaq, Danske Bank, P Capital, NEFCO, Vinge and Industriklivet will share their experiences.

“Sweden is a leader in sustaintech innovation. 5% of all new jobs are created in scale-ups in Sweden, while representing less than 1% of the amount of companies, and there is a need for more ”patient capital” and larger VCs prepared to take on the long-term risk in sustaintech, both for the economy and for the planet” Boel concludes.

When the event was initiated, not much attention or capital was given to the green sector. Boel realized that these companies were under-funded and had a longer scope of investment which demanded greater patience. A lot has been done since, but there are more challenges ahead.

Age: 55

Education:  Master of Business Administration, International business with French as principal language

Born in: Linköping

Vision: A fully circular society with no harmful emissions and optional health for all living organisms.

Best book to read: When the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens

Sustainable leisure tip: Long walks in nature