The Swedish venture capital industry: An infant, adolescent or grown-up?

This paper analyses the evolution of the Swedish venture capital (VC) industry. The institutional infrastructure in the form of legal access to available savings, the incentive structure and the exit possibilities for the VC firm initially blocked the evolution of the VC industry but institutional changes initiated a catch-up process in Sweden in the 1990s. The size of the Swedish VC industry is now substantial, among the four largest in the OECD set in relation to population. A distinct structural change in the Swedish VC industry in favour of diversity is also taking place but the industry is not yet mature with respect to its competence. The key policy issues are related not only to expanding the size of the industry, but also to increasing its competence. Further institutional change is, therefore, warranted, not only in terms of tax reforms and improving the access to pension funds and other savings, but also in terms of distinct policies aiming at increasing the flow of competence to the VC industry.