Sweden’s second city offers fertile ground for tech companies
Digitalisation is reshaping the world as we know it. The ICT sector is growing fast, not least in Gothenburg, Sweden, where strengths include AI, connectivity, software development and quantum computing.
Gothenburg’s ICT sector has seen rapid growth. The number of employees tripled between 2008 and 2021, and it now employs around 43,000 people.
“Here we have a very interesting combination of well-established, advanced industrial companies and a rich flora of technology-driven startups and scaleups. There are also cutting-edge innovation environments, strong universities and a lot of test beds where actors can easily collaborate and drive development forward,” says Kent Jellmund, our investment advisor for ICT.
The region has several strong sectors, including ICT, automotive and mobility, life science and logistics – and they are converging more and more. Volvo Cars, SKF, AstraZeneca, Saab, Telia, Volvo, Ericsson, Polestar, Zeekr Technology, Recorded Future and many other global companies have major operations in the region.
“We have many exciting companies to partner with. These are companies who are committed to innovation and sustainability, and invest heavily in R&D. This part of the country accounts for a staggering 33% of Sweden’s private R&D expenditure,” says Kent Jellmund.
“We have a very high concentration of engineers: more per capita than anywhere else in Sweden. Our tech scene is very strong in several interesting areas, including connected vehicles, 6G, health tech and digital twins,” he adds.
A collaborative startup ecosystem
Gothenburg also has a thriving startup scene - and it’s fueling growth and innovation. Offshoots are emerging from the big companies and spinoffs from the city’s universities.
“Sweden is famous for its startup scene and many of the country’s most promising companies are from Gothenburg. Einride, Heart Aerospace and Scalinq are just a few examples.”
The region has a strong startup ecosystem including incubators and accelerators, venture capital, investors, networks and science parks. Innovation platforms like Mobility Xlab, Plug & Play, Camp X and AstraZeneca’s BioVentureHub connect agile startups with large corporates.
“Gothenburg is well-known for its culture of collaboration. There is a genuine openness to collaboration and array of arenas and platforms bringing actors together. This is one of our absolute strengths, and a key driver behind the rapid growth of our technology cluster,” says Kent Jellmund.
We are here to help
Want to learn more about investment and collaboration opportunities in Gothenburg? Business Region Göteborg is the Gothenburg region’s investment promotion agency. Tap into Gothenburg’s advantages with our free investment advisory services. Get in touch with Kent Jellmund today (+46 31-367 61 55 | kent.jellmund@businessregion.se).
