Investment Survey 2025 - Sweden (European Investment Bank)

Summary

• A total of 91% of Swedish firms reported engaging in investment activity, outperforming the EU average of 86%.p.7
• Adoption of generative AI is prominent in Sweden, with 47% of companies reporting systematic use compared to an EU average of 37%.p.7
• Finding skilled staff remains a dominant operational challenge, identified as an investment obstacle by 79% of Swedish companies.p.7
• Swedish businesses rely heavily on internal sources to finance investment, covering 75% of funding compared to 66% across the EU.p.8
• The proportion of finance-constrained firms in Sweden increased from 7.0% in EIBIS 2024 to 10.7% in EIBIS 2025.p.8
• Sweden leads the EU in climate target tracking, with 67% of firms setting and monitoring targets for their own greenhouse gas emissions.p.8

Key insights

1. Construction firms express the strongest investment outlook in Sweden, with 34% expecting to increase investment in 2025.p.7
2. Swedish firms directed 18% of their investment portfolio toward developing or introducing new products and services in the last financial year.p.7
3. Physical risks from climate change have caused financial or operational losses for 66% of Swedish businesses.p.8
4. A total of 48% of Swedish companies have formulated a strategy to adapt to physical climate risks, compared with 26% across the EU.p.8
5. Around 40% of Swedish businesses invest in developing or introducing new products, processes, or services, exceeding the EU average of 32%.p.8
6. Single market fragmentation presents challenges, with 85% of Swedish exporting firms reporting that their main product must comply with varying national standards across EU member states.p.8
7. Only 22% of Swedish enterprises utilized external finance for investment during the last financial year.p.7
8. Business regulation is considered an obstacle to investment by 58% of Swedish firms, remaining lower than the EU average of 69%.p.8