Frågor och svar

Venture capital is equity investment in scalable companies with strong growth potential. In exchange for capital, investors receive shares in the company, and founders need to give up part of their control to new owners.

The goal is to develop the company successfully together and achieve a positive exit within 5–7 years. An exit can take place, for example, through an IPO or an industrial sale.

Almi Invest invests in Swedish startups with scalable business models and national as well as international market potential. Almi Invest is sector-agnostic and operates across the country through eight regional venture capital companies.

Venture capital means selling a share of your company to an investor who, in exchange for capital, receives equity. A loan, on the other hand, must be repaid over time.

A venture capital investor typically takes an active ownership role – for example, by joining the company’s board of directors.

Tell us how you want to change the world and accelerate your company’s growth by submitting your pitch.

Our investment criteria:

• New, unique, and innovative Swedish startups with global market potential
• Teams with a strong mix of skills, working styles, and experience
• Scalable business models with unique technologies or niche offerings
• Solutions that address real, significant customer problems and open up
• new market opportunities

Our GreenTech Fund specifically invests in innovative, climate-smart companies focused on CO₂ reduction.

Read more about the GreenTech Fund here.

Almi Invest invests in only around seven percent of the companies we assess each year.

Does your business stand out and offer a solution that is ten times better than what’s currently available? Is there strong growth potential? If so, venture capital with active ownership might be the right fit for your company.

A venture capital investment can give you and your company the opportunity to grow rapidly – not just through the capital itself, but also through the investor’s industry experience and network.

Almi Invest manages approximately SEK 3.5 billion and has, since its founding, invested in around 900 startups. Our most successful portfolio companies have been acquired by the likes of Google, Microsoft, Qlik, and Apple, or have reached billion-kronor valuations on the stock exchange.

As a government-owned, sector-agnostic venture capital company, our role is to bridge the gap to private capital and help create a well-functioning venture capital market throughout Sweden. Over the years, Almi Invest has co-invested with more than 2,000 business angels and institutional investors. Almi Invest is owned by Almi AB, which is ultimately owned by the Swedish government, and is co-financed by the EU, Almi Företagspartner, and regional organisations.

Our GreenTech Fund, totalling SEK 1.2 billion, focuses specifically on climate-smart, CO₂-reducing investments.

Examples of areas we invest in:

Tech
Enterprise and consumer software, media tech, data & security, eCommerce, FinTech, VR/AR, IoT, gaming, HR tech

Life Science
Medtech, drug development, eHealth

GreenTech
Renewable energy, energy efficiency, recycling systems

Industry
Industrial equipment, advanced materials, agritech, 3D printing

With Almi Invest as an investor in your company, you gain an active owner who contributes to your company’s development – often through involvement on the board. Our experienced and professional Investment Managers are engaged through both the ups and downs of your business journey.

We also offer access to a broad network of investors, which is valuable when your company is ready for follow-on investments. Almi Invest has made early investments in companies that have gone on to billion-kronor stock market success or been acquired by companies like Google, Microsoft, and Apple.

As a publicly funded, sector-agnostic venture capital company, Almi Invest acts as a bridge to private capital. We always invest as a minority owner and take an active ownership role, typically through board representation or participation, with the goal of maximising value growth in your company.

Our investment process may vary depending on the case, but it generally follows these seven steps:

1. Inflow of business ideas
   Almi Invest receives 800–1,000 investment proposals from startups every year. Only around 5–7% result in an actual investment.
2. Initial analysis
   We assess whether your company is at the right stage and has the potential to be of investment interest.
3. Investment decision
   Decisions are made in two steps. The Investment Manager first presents the proposal to the internal investment team. If approved, it is then submitted to the investment committee for final approval.
4. Agreements
   Before investing, we sign an investment agreement and a shareholders’ agreement with you.
5. Development phase
   We act as active owners—typically through board representation or participation—to support your company’s development and value growth.
6. Exit
   The goal of our investment is to eventually exit with a return. The exit strategy is agreed upon in the shareholders’ agreement and can include, for example, a trade sale or IPO.
7. Reinvestment
   When we exit an investment, the capital is reinvested into new or existing portfolio companies.

Almi Invest can invest between SEK 1–10 million per company.

Our national GreenTech Fund invests between SEK 5–30 million in climate-smart, CO₂-reducing GreenTech companies.

We always invest as a minority shareholder.

We can invest between SEK 1–10 million per company.

Our national GreenTech Fund invests SEK 5–30 million in companies that deliver significant climate or environmental benefits.

We always invest as a minority shareholder.

With Almi Invest, you gain a partner who not only invests capital but also provides strategic support through board representation.

Our Investment Managers are involved throughout your company’s journey, offering experience and guidance to support your growth – in both good times and challenging ones.

Yes, we actively support follow-on investments and have a broad network of qualified co-investors who can support your company in future funding rounds.

This network, combined with our continued involvement, can be a key factor in your company’s long-term development.

We focus on early-stage Swedish startups with innovative and scalable business ideas that have the potential to grow nationally or internationally.

We have a particular interest in sustainable solutions and tech-driven companies.

If your company meets one or more of the following criteria, we’d love to hear from you:

• New, unique, and innovative Swedish startups with global market potential
• A team with a strong mix of skills, behavioural styles, and experience
• Scalable business models with unique technologies or niche offerings
• Business ideas that solve real customer problems and open new market opportunities

Our GreenTech Fund specifically invests in innovative, climate-smart companies with a focus on CO₂ reduction.

No, but we look for startups with a clear plan, a strong team, and a scalable business model. Even if you’re in an early stage, it’s important to demonstrate potential for growth and innovation.

Our Investment Managers take an active role and work closely with each portfolio company. They are there to support and guide your growth journey through their experience and strategic insights, and they participate in board work as part of our commitment.