INTEREST IN THE NORDIC region is significant, especially in the Silicon Valley. Swedish Private Equity & Venture Capital Association got this insight when visiting the Valley, home for great companies like Google, HP and Cisco. Success stories like MySQL, Skype and Kreatel have made the Nordic region a source for innovative growth companies.
THE WORLD EXPERIENCES an enormous development of new techniques. We are now approaching the next phase, when the world needs venture capital to technically fight the climate change, find new forms of energy, new medicines etc. Subsequently, it is very positive that many venture capital companies are active in these market segments through new funds and teams.
IN THE NORDIC REGION, we have favourable conditions to regain a leading position. It is, however, a great challenge to get our companies to grow fast and become important players in the Nordic region as well as globally. It requires collaboration across borders when building a Nordic identity and strength.
EACH INDIVIDUAL country is not known to the surrounding world. It is the region “the Nordics” that represents muscles and innovation power. For the venture capital business, it is all about getting together and keeping its eyes open for new ideas in the entire region as well as cooperating and establishing good relations. By doing this, the financial capacity and knowledge required to assist Nordic innovative companies to expand globally, will be generated.
TO ASSIST THEM, the Swedish Private Equity & Venture Capital Association is assembling the entire Nordic venture capital community for an annual meeting in Stockholm, the Nordic Private Equity Congress. This year, more than 300 people will attend the meeting, which hopefully will result in a strengthening of the Nordic relations.
WITH A STRONG Nordic region there is no conflict between internationalisation and keeping your headquarters at home. In the long run, it also benefits regional development. Success breeds success and where there is technological development, there are major opportunities to build impressive international companies.